In Continuum.

Body of Lies is an espionage movie, a straightforward politically driven film set mostly in the Middle East, but spans across a dozen different countries as the story progressed. It tells the story of CIA agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) working undercover in order to expose a terrorist plan to take revenge on the western civilization. Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) is his boss, the one that sits in the comfort of his office and watches his movement from a spy plane a few hundred miles above the ground, and communicates with Roger through a cellphone and directs him everywhere he goes. Roger knows his way around, he knows the rules and is quick to action, while Ed Hoffman is cunning and has his way with information gathering. His ruthless and merciless nature turns off Roger, but what needs to be done has to be done after all. Their paths lead Roger to Jordan, where he recruits the help of the local head of secret service, Hani (Mark Strong). Everything was looking good until lies and deceit start to surface, when operations ran along side current operations, when withheld information costs lives. Trapped between the need to please his superior and the need to gain the trust of Hani, Roger's mission to uncover the terrorist plot becomes even harder than ever.

It's pretty straightforward, we've all watched movies that dealt with similar themes. We've had Munich, Syriana, The Constant Gardener in the recent years, and Body of Lies does not actually bring anything new to the table. We have seen these themes played out before, we have heard about these stories being told over and over about lies and deceit in the whole CIA business. Still, the problem with all the other movies that I have mentioned is that they tend to become too preachy when it comes to their message. That is not to say that Munich was a bad movie though, I personally loved it very much. Syriana and The Constant Gardener, however, never really caught on with me, especially the former, which I didn't finish watching. Anyway, Body of Lies has a surprisingly strong stand in a neutral point of view, when the story never actually becomes too preachy that it feels like a lecture. Ridley Scott, already an accomplished director, has nothing to prove in his career any longer. That is also why he is able to break out of the norm and make a film that isn't about the car chases and the explosions, nor about the preachy stories about how the war on terrorism never ends. It does not insult the moviegoer's intelligence, as it demands the attention of the viewers at every turn.

Younger viewers, or the ones who do not have patience and have a love for action sequences should stay away from this movie. Other than a few major explosions throughout the movie because of terrorist acts, the most action you get are probably going to be people chasing other people down long dark alleys, with guns. This is a thinking movie, with the characters doing the talking most of the time, and that is where the story emerges. Don't expect to have a roller coaster ride where you just sit back and relax. This film does not condescend, but it rewards those viewers who are willing to think and process the basis of the story. Ridley Scott masterfully weaves the story through a dozen different cities, but at the same time he never loses sight on the story itself. The pacing is almost spot on her, contrary to a lot of reviews that I have read, and it carefully builds up to the crescendo at the end that involves a particularly painful scene that is difficult to watch. Think about that scene from Hard Candy, then multiply it ten times. There is always a brewing sense of danger in this film, and where it succeeds is how the audience buys into the reality almost completely.

By that, I mean it is easy to believe that whatever that went on during the movie has a high chance to be happening somewhere else in the world today. You see a terrorist bombing somewhere on the news, and you start to wonder if it really was pre-planned in the first place by the powers at be. There are a lot of movies like that which never convinces you very much, and you find it difficult to immerse yourself in that world. Body of Lies does that very well, and you ease into this dark and gritty world of lies and deceit easily. Of course, with the ease of belief, there isn't a need to preach about your stand in the movie. You don't have characters actively debating the rights and the wrongs of sacrificing the innocent. It shows you, but in a subtle way that it does not distract you from the actual story line itself. And it is made even more so by having characters that you actually care about, even if they are just small roles in the grander scheme of things. We have Leonardo's character really struggling in between two powers, as well as Russell's characters who has to balance between his work and his life. This film is somewhat of a character study as well, though not nearly as prominent.

William Monahan's script is pretty awesome, and he has become one of the most respect screenwriters for me, personally. His scripts are really tight, and the no fuss attitude can be observed everywhere. He took his brilliance from The Departed and then continued it in this film. You know that a script is successful when more than 90% of the film is talking, and yet you are engaged by it in ways that you wouldn't normally expect yourself to. Perhaps it is the lack of expectation for this film that caused me to like it so much, it's difficult to say. But one thing is for sure, is that both Ridley and William are not dependent on flashy gimmicks to make the story interesting. No car chases, no giant gun fights, none of those things that sell tickets. Here we have a thinking movie, one that requires more than a little brain cells. That is the kind of movie that I love, and this film delivers on that term.

Acting wise, I am pretty sure this film is not going to get a lot of recognition. It's not that the leading actors didn't do a good job, it's just that the story does not actually require them to. They do just enough to get by, and they are great within the bounds of that. Leonardo's character kind of feels like an extension from the roles he had from The Departed and Blood Diamond, and Russell Crowe obviously gained a few pounds for this movie. Still, the actor that stood out the most for me was probably Hani, played by Mark Strong. Apparently, his suave presence and his Jordanian accent swept more than one member of the audience off her feet, namely April and Elizabeth, who were just blown away by his charm. Understandably so though, he really had the charisma, and his character was indeed very interesting, and played a pivotal role at that.

So, for those who care more about the story rather than giant explosions, do check this movie out. It demands your attention, and you should not drink too much during the course of the movie, as it is easy to miss an important point or two in the mean time. Other than that, this film gets a solid recommendation from me, and it definitely is a better choice over talking animals, thank you very much.

8/10