Review of Body of Lies (2008) by Cameron J — 18 Oct 2011

Someone said that the title makes no sense, but really, it does. After, all the premise sounds amazing, but if Ridley Scott and his potential-wasting self has anything to say about it, that's a "lie". Actually, that title sounds like a generic contemporary rap song. Oh hey, maybe that's why I hate the movie. No, I don't hate the movie, but it is among Leonardo DiCaprio's weakest projects in years... but then again, he has the best track record in Hollywood so that doesn't mean a thing. Well, he's either got that going for him, or his being the stand-alone greatest actor on the face of the earth, with the power to make anything better just by his being there, and sure enough, this film is genuinely pretty good, through all of its flaws, but certainly with no thanks to Ridley Scott. I once said that I have respect for Ridley Scott, but upon dwelling on it, I don't, because although he knows how to assemble as great filmmaking team, he almost always comes out as the weakest link, and when your weakest link is the one calling the shots, you know you're in trouble, and sure enough, Scott has ruined another potentially great film, not to a severe point, but enough to where you hang you're head at the film, then look up and ask one simple question: "Yaaaaaaawn... what did I miss?".

Sure, Scott knows how to open and close strong, as well as deliver on some solid action. Granted, I actually counted about "two" action sequences in this over two hour "spy-in-the-Middle-East thriller", but they're still pretty cool ones. Still, when it comes to storytelling, he's a mess, failing to keep up consistent compellingness, because the story feels so overwhelmed by the constant movement. This film rarely slows down and with so many complex things happening, it becomes overwhelmingly convoluted, and yet, Scott still manages to make this constantly moving film boring. The film doesn't so much get boring because it loses steam, due to its constant movement, but because it doesn't have any steam in the first place. After that effective hook, it feels like the film changes entirely, somehow losing the immediate development it had already summoned and going from fascinatingly exciting, to uncompellingly dull, and sure, it is "written" to get better as it progresses, but that is a destination placed further down the road by Ridley Scott's keeping this at a seemingly never-ending progression pace. I don't hate Ridley Scott, nor do I even dislike him, but a solid premise with him attached as director isn't one to get me expecting greatness, but then again, the only reason why Scott wastes so much potential is because, like I said ealier, if there's anything to say about him, he knows how to get a team together.

Scott doesn't do a particularly bang-up job at executing the work of his team very well, but his filmmaking team still gives us plenty of dazzle nevertheless, whether it be a solid score, fine editing and great sound design. We also have to give credit the solid production designers, who have a great taste in locations and sets, which are made more dazzling by the fine, gritty cinematography. Something else that's rather impressive William Monahan's screenplay, which doesn't offer a whole lot of inventiveness in the storyline department, but is still pretty slick and features some snappy dialogue. Still, what really keeps the film going through all of its slowness are the solid performances, including that of Mark Strong, who is pretty much the white Cliff Curtis, in that he can play anyone of any type so well that he's completely unrecognizable, and although he plays the slick, mysterious force a lot - like he does here -, that never gets old, because he knows how to emit a solid atmosphere so intimidating, that I must admit that the disliked-by-me critic C. Robert Cargill hit the nail right on the head when he said that Strong is the only guy in the world who can call another man "my dear" and not sound gay. As for Russell Crowe, I don't know if I can complement his packing on the pounds, because that's pretty much all he does now, but boy, can I praise his always sharp ear for accents, as well as his ability to produce enough charisma to liven up the film, but still manage to be taken seriously as the brains of the operation that he is. Now, we come to my main man, DiCaprio, who's unfortunately written to play type, but still does his snappy little trick of altering himself just enough for you to see him as this different character, who he completely changes into because of his deep immersiveness, thus making him a strong lead, an element even more impressive when you consider how terrible Ridley Scott is with emotional resonance in this film. I wouldn't call Scott's direction terrible, but I would call it mediocre, but thanks to his fine taste in a film team, the project itself is kept from being so.

Overall, its being plagued by Ridley Scott's traditional dullness - as well as a lack of development and compellingness that is lost in the constant movement that summons convolution - keep it from being the solid espionage thriller that it could have been, but in spite of that, "Body of Lies" offers enough strength in the technical value, dazzle in the production designs and quality in the performances to stand as a reasonably enjoyable film, nevertheless.

3/5 - Good.