Body of Lies Review: The War on Terror Done Right

There is a famous behavioral theory based on how to make a donkey pull a cart. You can impel the donkey towards good behavior with the promise of a carrot dangling just out of reach, or you can compel that donkey’s obedience with the swift motion of a stick. This concept applies directly to human behavior, and is a common tool for securing the cooperation of everyone from an uncooperative toddlers to belligerent dictators.  In Body of Lies, Ridley Scott directs an insightful and compelling tale of two men fighting the war on terror in very different ways. Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is fond of carrots, while Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) is a bit more prone to the stick.

The story centers around a global CIA manhunt for Al Saleem, the terrorist mastermind behind a handful of European bombings with his sights set on the US of A.  Roger establishes himself as a man of tact, diplomacy, and instincts by immediately setting out to find a renounced would-be suicide bomber rife with intel and offering him asylum for his assistance.  However, operational puppet master Ed is quick to drench his parade by instead deciding they will simply release the man to see who kills him first.  The exploration of this conflict between Cold War strong-arm techniques and a more progressive “negotiate first, shoot later if necessary” strategy drives much of Body of Lies’ intrigue.  It is a theme that persists through many of the twists, diversions, and plans of action that play out including alliances with a smooth but paranoid Jordanian intelligence chief (Mark Strong), and execution of the procedures necessary to create a nonexistent terrorist cell complete with patsy.

Lest you think this movie to be a bone dry lesson in military intelligence, know that Ridley Scott has lost none of his masterful touch for rousing action and pulse hammering suspense. The film’s greatest strength lies in how the insight and realism mingle with that theatricality for a final product less preachy and opinionated than most recent attempts to tackle current events (think Rendition or Lions for Lambs), and also free of the over the top antics practiced by the Jason Bournes and Jack Bauers of the world. There is no right wing flag waving to be seen, but it also pulls no punches in the depiction of Islamic extremism as a force of evil and destruction that must be stopped. The only complaint I must hold against this movie is the almost entirely unnecessary love interest provided for Roger. Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani does a fine job in the role, but her scenes destroy plot momentum and her eventual damsel in distress status leads Roger into several wildly out of character decisions. But she’s by no means a deal breaker, and there’s still plenty to love. Whether you’re itching to learn more about how Uncle Sam plays his cards overseas or just want to see stuff get blown up real pretty, go see Body of Lies. If nothing else, it’ll tide you over until 24 comes back.