Body of Lies

Since Dark Knight, I saw a major lull in the film industry. Not claiming to be one of the best film critics there is, since I barely watch any movie, I was more than elated to witness what I think (only after watching the film) is one of the must-see movies of this year.

Indeed, Leonardo Di Caprio has managed to impress over the years. Since Titanic, Leo has appeared in several highly acclaimed movies. And Body of Lies is the latest of his artistic offerings. Playing alongside Russell Crowe, Leo was the frontrunner of this film.

Playing as CIA agent Roger Farris, he is sent out on a mission in the Middle East to uncover the plans of a terrorist group. To do this, Farris (Di Caprio) must work together with the officials of the Jordanian government, whom he does not fully trust to work with him. Indeed, the film has established itself firmly into the atmosphere that has plagued Middle East for decades, without clearly knowing who to trust and whom not to. Thus leading to the famous tagline from the film: “Trust no one. Deceive everyone.“

This adds a whole new dimension into the conflict-laden plot that leads to moral and cultural clash among the film characters. Body of Lies has successfully touched the different levels of subject matter – from political, moral, religious, ethical, and even racial. There is even a clash between Roger Farris (Di Caprio) and Ed Hoffman (Crowe), which are two CIA agents supposedly working together in plotting ways to save the world from terrorism; only that Farris is the one who gets a first-hand experience of how terrorist acts has altered the lives of the people in Middle East while Hoffman is seemingly devising his own plans from halfway across the globe.

A pleasing touch to the film is the inclusion of a mini love story angle that pairs Farris with Aisha, a female nurse. More than just a side track from the major plot itself, this contributed to making Leo’s character more humane, despite having to deal with talks of CIA plans and eliminating terrorist leaders all throughout the film.

If you want a film that is more than just entertaining, Body of Lies is a winner for its compelling themes and riveting plot twists.