The CIA's hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris is the agency's man on the ground, moving from place to place, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky - a satellite link - watches Ferris. At the other end of that real-time link is the CIA's Ed Hoffman, strategizing events from thousands of miles away. And as Ferris nears the target, he discovers trust can be just as dangerous as it is necessary for survival...

Body of Lies is based on Washington Post columnist David Ignatius’s 2007 novel about ruthless CIA methods of espionage. The movie crisscrosses the globe - United States, England, Holland, Iraq, Jordan and Syria. En-route, we are introduced to the visceral, down-and-dirty lives of intelligence operatives in one of the world’s most dangerous regions. With violence and deception the name of the game, Body of Lies exposes a world where war is being waged not only on the ground and in the air, but in cyberspace.

While Leonardo DiCaprio (as Ferris) and Russell Crowe (playing Hoffman) are the movie's main talent, I felt that Mark Strong's portrayal of Hani Salaam, head of the Jordanian General Intelligence Department, was the standout performance. While DiCaprio and Crowe have to work and making us believe their characters, Strong has such an onscreen presence that you truly believe his is a man of great power.

The movie sets up a string of scenarios and situations designed to keep you wandering whether Ferris's boss is on the level. Why is he constantly kept in the dark about important matters, and who can he really trust? Is his life really safe in the hands of either Hoffman or Salaam, or are they both using him for their own political ends - after all, at the end of the day, if a mission is successful Ferris will receive no real recognition. It's Hoffman and Salaam who looks good in the eyes of their superiors.

There is plenty of mystery, double crossing and intrigue to keep you glued to your seat. It's even worth watching the movie a second time to get a few of the subtle references and plot twists you may have missed on a first viewing.

Extras include an audio commentary with director Ridley Scott, screen writer William Monahan and author David Ignatius; Master of the Craft: Ridley Scott (7 min, 40 sec); Safe Haven: Morocco (7 min, 30 sec look at location filming); Author Provocateur: David Ignatius (7 min, 36 sec look at the origin of the book - which was originally to be titled Penetration).

This is an interesting movie that works on a number of levels and will appeal to those conspiracy nuts, as well as fans of political thrillers.

7

Nick Smithson