Body Of Lies

Rating:

* * * *

Verdict:

Light on the politics, but heavy on thrills, it's an engaging watch.

After a wave of post-Iraq war dramas and political thrillers that have gone largely unloved at the box office, it seems it's Rusty, Ridley and Leo to the rescue. Based on the 2007 novel by

Washington Post

columnist David Ignatius,

Body of Lies

teams Crowe with DiCaprio as CIA spymaster and spy respectively, with director Scott delivering much breathtaking action in a film that sometimes resembles his brother Tony's

Spy Games

.

Crowe packs on the beef to play CIA Head of the Middle East Division, Ed Hoffman, while DiCaprio doesn't get the chance to be that much sexier as CIA  operative Roger Ferris, complete with beard, 80s tracksuit tops and awful sunglasses.

The film follows Ferris on the trail of terrorist leader Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul) through Iraq, Dubai, Jordan, Syria and Turkey and while the setting is mostly the Middle East, it's very much an American conversation as it explores two different perspectives on the war against terror from a couple of characters who are both working for the same side.

Most of what is portrayed here feels believable _  America's determination to successfully curb terrorist cells and activity in the Middle East no matter what the cost, the frustration felt as they struggle to do so, and the brutality that comes with being in a war against a hidden enemy.

However, the film goes downhill when Ferris is distracted by a personal relationship with a local woman that affects the operation, and the Hollywood ending unfortunately turns the film into more of an employment dispute between an office-bound boss and an employee who spends most of his time in the real world.

Francesca Rudkin

Cast:

Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio

Director:

Ridley Scott

Running Time:

129 mins

Rating:

R16 (Contains violence and offensive language)

Screening:

SkyCity, Hoyts and Berkeley Cinemas