Review of Body of Lies (2008) by Nathanl. — 12 Oct 2008

I have spent the entire last week reading reviews from critics that would lead me to believe that this film was a big, over the top, action movie with some decent performances that ultimately takes us nowhere that we have not been before.

Imagine my surprise when I come to find out that the opening scene of the film is the only real action scene in the movie and that it wasn't very long. This is most certainly an action movie but, the action is more dialogue driven than anything else and since the performances are all uniformly excellent (especially that of Mark Strong who gives one of the most memorable performances of the year) that is a good thing.

I must also point out that DiCaprio's character is a complicated man, no doubt, but where his heart lies is at no time in doubt. Also, the relationship with the Jordanian nurse was very well handled and the young Arab actress who plays her is very good.

I will look forward to seeing her in the future. This film is not over the top, it is highly accurate. My wife did Imagery Interpreting in the military and without giving away any real secrets she told me that the film was very close.

Isn't that the kind of thing we want insight into. I know I do. Now to the comment that we are not breaking any new ground here. Well, that is right to an extent. There is nothing in this movie that has never been said and this movie plays out very similar to the way other spy films have in the past.

The biggest reason for this is the fact that we have developed a pretty good idea of how intelligence is collected in the last 20 years. David Ignatius, the author of the novel, is a journalist who would know better than any person who could possibly review this film and I take is version of intelligence gathering at face value.

However, the most important reason to see this movie is to help you understand the way that intelligence does work and how it should work. Which is the true lesson in this potboiler. I would also like express my gratitude to the writer for some of the expertly created bits of social commentary that could have come of as lines but, in this film, have consequences.

This is not the best film of the year and will probably not finish in my top ten ( The Dark Knight sits a top that list now), but it is an expertly crafted piece of work that accomplishes everything that it sets out too and in a year with so many terrible films, I was deeply satisfied.