Whoever Is Unjust, Let Him Be Unjust Still
Body of Lies / Daniel Carlson
For all of Ridley Scott’s obvious talent as a storyteller, it’s becoming apparent as he ages that his films will only become more and more about pretending to be about something than actually communicating some kind of idea. Last year’s American Gangster was a good example both of Scott’s ability to corral a relatively complex story within the confines of a two-hour film and his reluctance to actually come out and condemn drug dealer Frank Lucas for pumping more crime and violence into Harlem (which let’s face it, when your guy is shipping heroin into the states inside the coffins of dead soldiers from Vietnam, you really shouldn’t have to do much to make him look bad). But Body of Lies is somehow sadly worse, a misuse of two powerful actors in a muddled, clumsy story that tries to be all things to all men and winds up being far less than what a competent film dealing with modern-day terrorism should be. Part of this, admittedly, is out of Scott’s hands: We’re still in the middle of what passes for the war on terror, and as such still in the construction process of how those stories can be made into myths and transformed into their own subgenre of film. But Scott takes too many short cuts and falls prey to the easiest and dumbest tropes of that emerging group of films, and as such what could have been a compelling, character-driven film about the cost of humanity in unending war becomes another pat “thriller” that’s just not that interesting.
Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a CIA operative on the ground in the Middle East, bouncing from Iraq to Jordan to wherever he needs to go in order to take down terrorists cells on behalf of his boss back home, Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), who heads the company’s Near East division with the kind of grim thirst for power that makes him truly dangerous. But Ferris is superficially more conflicted about the cost-benefit ratio of the intelligence work he’s doing, as when he promises asylum to a defective cell member only to have Hoffman tell him to cut the man loose, effectively condemning the Iraqi to torture and murder at the hands of his brothers. I say “superficially” because Ferris’ concern crops up only erratically at first before sliding into the background, as if screenwriter William Monahan, working from David Ignatius’ novel, was more concerned about introducing Ferris’ emotional qualms as a shortcut to communicate complexity instead of actually making him complex. Hoffman sends Ferris hopping around the region, though most of the film unfolds in Amman, Jordan, where Ferris takes over the local intelligence outpost in an attempt to find and capture a man named Al-Saleem (Alon Aboutboul), a terrorist leader responsible for a rash of bombings throughout Europe. To do this, Ferris forges a partnership with Hani (Mark Strong), the head of security or defense or something similarly intel-related for the King of Jordan.
It’s only in the second act that Body of Lies begins to flirt with something resembling believability in the way it refers to modern terrorism. There’s a fleeting mention of “Gitmo” buried in one exchange, and at one point Ferris says, “Osama fed Zarqawi to the dogs because he was getting too powerful.” This is the only reference in the film to Osama bin Laden, though there are a few more to al-Qaeda and, toward the end, Guantanamo Bay and subsequent implications of prisoner abuses. On one level, the use of actual names and places that have factored so heavily into the news in the past decade goes a long way toward giving the film a leg up on immediacy and believability; it’s always a cheat when current political thrillers discuss the war on terror without actually referencing bin Laden, so it’s good that Scott’s film isn’t afraid to walk the walk. But the level of obliqueness keeps the film from becoming the honest examination of the military-industrial complex Scott halfheartedly wants it to be, and what’s more, the rest of the film leans too much on what are fast becoming cheap visual and aural cues to feel authentic. The score from composer Marc Streitenfeld — who worked with Scott on A Good Year and American Gangster — is full of the pseudo-regional flares and sitar stings and woodwinds that sound sufficiently “Middle Eastern” but do nothing but add a level of lame predictability to the film. Imagine a cop thriller set in Texas that used nothing but Toby Keith, or just think about the loud blasts of nonsense chords that accompany every fake shock in a C-grade horror movie, and you start to realize how lazy it is for the score to try so hard to sound “foreign” at the expense of actually accompanying the onscreen action.
As the narrative struggles to play out, Ferris pinballs from one country to another and has increasingly pissy conversations with Hoffman about just how certain operations should be executed. But though Ferris is clearly meant to be the hero — he’s given a love interest, and come on, it’s Leonardo DiCaprio — Hoffman winds up being the most believable character, if the least likable. Hoffman is an arrogant, often slovenly man, but he’s unwavering in his efforts to carry out what he believes to be his mission, and to do it his way. Ferris claims to be sickened by what’s going on around him, even expressing his sadness over the situation in Iraq to the woman he’s trying to date, but he shows no qualms when he, say, picks a patsy at random and frames him as a low-level al-Qaeda operative just to kick up dirt and try to smoke out Al-Saleem. How can Ferris be outraged over backstabbing, or even just bureaucratic manipulation, in the intelligence community when he’s all too eager to set up a crooked sting operation?
It’s only DiCaprio’s screen presence and maturity as a performer that keep his hypocrisy from drowning the character. Ferris is, or at least could have been, an interesting character, and DiCaprio does what he can to project an air of conflicted manhood. Crowe is equally good, and the 10 years he has on DiCaprio give Hoffman an air of faded youth, of resentment at the way Ferris seems to be succeeding on the ground even on his own terms.
However, the actors aren’t enough to save the film from being overlong and anticlimactic, or to save it from lacking the courage of its convictions. There’s a definite point where the film could have ended, but Scott avoids a darker resolution in favor of a giant deus ex machina that almost negates what came before. If the hell of the human condition is that we’re doomed to only truly learn by experience, then the film doesn’t just cheat the viewer, it also robs the characters (Ferris in particular) of a very necessary catharsis and keeps the film from being the complex and bracing story it clearly wants to be. And in doing that — in closing the door on a harrowing but more deserving climax in favor of one that feels like an easy way out — Scott’s film becomes a failure.
Daniel Carlson is the managing editor of Pajiba and a low-level employee at a Hollywood industry magazine. You can visit his blog, Slowly Going Bald.
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Comments
"...Last year's American Gangster was a good example both of Scott's ability to corral a relatively complex story within the confines of a two-hour film and his reluctance to actually come out and condemn drug dealer Frank Lucas.."
How could you POSSIBLY come to that conclusion? I can remember at least two separate extended scenes where Scott presented how the community was being ravaged by his actions. And, let's not forget, he got caught in the end AND he had NOTHING to show for it, nigga was broke. Sounds to me you wanted a Moore style documentary instead of a Ridley Scott joint.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 10, 2008 8:34 PM
"Nigga was broke" BSlim, that quote should go on your headstone.
Posted by: Pookie at October 10, 2008 9:14 PM
The way things are going, it probably will.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 10, 2008 9:22 PM
I know what you mean BSlim, at work we spend the majority of the day checking our 401k's.On my side hustle I had to lay off a couple of my girls, and I told the rest of them that on December 1, 2008 I'm cutting their Health and Dental Insurance.
Posted by: Pookie at October 10, 2008 9:45 PM
Times are getting really tough BSlim, just last week I had to give my girls the same speech that Alec Baldwin gave in Glengarry Glen Ross.
Posted by: Pookie at October 10, 2008 9:53 PM
That's fucked up.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 10, 2008 9:54 PM
I know I know, while I was giving the speech one girl got up to get some coffee. And I said to her, put that coffee down! What the fuck are you doing with coffee? Coffee is for closers!
Posted by: Pookie at October 10, 2008 10:01 PM
Bet you handled that set of steak knives just a little differently. "There are gonna be some cuts around here ..."
Posted by: bucdaddy at October 11, 2008 12:14 AM
Great review. I usually try not to go by previews too much, but something about this film just felt convoluted from watching the trailer. And I like both leads a lot.
Guys, watch the last 5 minutes of American Gangster again... what Dan said is pretty accurate in my opinion.
Posted by: Tom at October 11, 2008 12:18 AM
Caught it tonight (Heh...cousin of mine wanted to see it and I figured Scott might bring something unique to the table). The review, however, is spot on.
Perhaps part of the problem with this movie and with last year's The Kingdom is that there's no way to give audiences the fulfilling bad-guy-gets-caught ending that they really crave. Unlike WW2 movies were, regardless of what part of the war you're showing, the ending is already written and they all end with the Nazis retreating/defeated/dead. Here no sense of closure can be manufactured because there isn't one in real life. The "war" isn't over yet.
One thing I will give the movie is that it does portray the frustrations of the people fighting the "war on terror." The difficulty in finding quality information and the speed necessary with which to use it, not to mention the value that appears and disappears over info, people or even a moment.
As I said earlier, the review is spot on. The best character is Crowe's. DiCaprio is the lead, but he's not a hero.
I'd like to give Scott credit by saying that was their intention (that this war has no heroes, only survivors) but given how his late work has fallen back, I can't even do that.
Posted by: BFFredo at October 11, 2008 1:05 AM
agree that dan is correct about the soft gloves treatment for frank lucas. look how much he cared for his mom and the drugs he sold were top quality at half the price . what a guy !!! this review, however , suffers from the same malady the film is accused of ... it's overlong.
Posted by: snake at October 11, 2008 1:10 AM
Amercian Gangster was just okay. But seriously, fuck Dicaprio. Ain't got nothing on the fatty Russel "Murder of" Crow(es).
Posted by: Bigby Wolfe at October 11, 2008 1:57 AM
I can't believe that pic above is Crowe after dropping the thirty pounds Ridley Scott asked for. Wasn't he a sex symbol once?
Posted by: moto at October 11, 2008 4:22 AM
Hey pookie did your really give 'em the speech from Glengarry Glen Ross? That is so awesome! You regurgitated a speech from a movie to your employees as you laid them off and acted like you thought it up at the moment. You are soooo cool. Because Alec Baldwin is cool and badass in that movie so you must be cool and badass as well if you repeat what he said like a retarded parot. Well done. Just a heads up, I dont think the jr. assistant weekend night manager at Seven- Eleven has the authority to lay off the illegals on the day shift. Then I bet you just couldn't wait to post about it so your buddy Bslim could read it and say to himself "Damn, pookie is one funny motherfucker. I love that speech too!" I won't keep you from getting to your shift at the Circle K, just try not to get caught jerking off to Bslims replies to your posts again. Take Care
Posted by: Jack Random at October 11, 2008 7:04 AM
Ouch
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 11, 2008 7:45 AM
Crowe can still be considered a sex symbol for fat white guys... you know, the ones who pine for the old days of championships at good old ford high. Maybe he'll try to pull a Brando. They could live vicariously through him, cause lets face it, fat white guys probably have a tough time getting laid.
Posted by: Calvin Raster at October 11, 2008 7:50 AM
Huh. It appears we watched different films. You saw a muddling movie about modern terrorism, and I saw a fat American screwing shit up for everyone else. Seems to me that the movie held a deeply powerful message about how America dicks around all the Middle Eastern affairs, and if we (the non-Americans) should ever see these fat Americans screwing shit up we should push them off their chairs. Looks like one of us misinterpreted the message, and I'm pretty sure it was you.
Also, you mention Mark Strong /once/ in the review? Um, wtf mate?
Posted by: Boom Kitty (previously Cookie) at October 11, 2008 8:23 AM
No Jack, you're the cool one. Because as idiotic as my post is you thought it necessary to get up at seven o'clock on a Saturday morning to post your reply that undoubtedly took you all night to come up with. Also, you should change your name from Jack Random to Jack Ass.
Posted by: Pookie at October 11, 2008 9:21 AM
Oh Christ, here we go ...
Posted by: bucdaddy at October 11, 2008 10:59 AM
I've got coffee in hand, and I'm sitting back to enjoy this...
Posted by: Stella at October 11, 2008 11:37 AM
bucdaddy, let the record reflect that I did not start this unfortunate incident. I was merely having a conversation with my good friend BSlim, when all of a sudden I was Pearl Harbored by one Mr. Jack Ass, formally known as Jack Random. I will not turn a blind eye when my honor is questioned, I will defend it with vigor and valor.
Posted by: Pookie at October 11, 2008 11:51 AM
Pook, Understood, your record's clear from my vantage point. I simply had expected Mr. Ass ... um, Mr. Random to have delivered a dirty bomb by now and all-out nukular war to have commenced. But we seem to be in a state of nukular deterrence, however uneasy, so I'll leave it to the emissaries and envoys to continuing working out the "peace process."
See how I did that, in a thread about a movie about terrorism?
Posted by: bucdaddy at October 11, 2008 1:42 PM
It was a marvelous performance as one could imagine by Leonardo DiCaprio. Well made movie that has many interesting discovers. As an action drama it was highly professional film. Love it so much. Enjoyed every second of the movie I m watched Movies Here http://www.80millionmoviesfree.com
i always use it to watch the latest movies for free I've recommended it to a lot of people on here and I've gotten good reviews
Posted by: pisudena at October 11, 2008 1:55 PM
My years on this internets battlegrounds have taught me, young upstarts crash and burn 98.7% of the time upon take-off.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 11, 2008 3:13 PM
As someone who spent the better part of this morning compiling an excel spreedsheet of everyone who gave their info in the Comment Diversion (what would you rather read about the Geology of the Oregon Trail during the Gold Rush? didn't think so) anyhoots- Mr. Ass aka Mr. Random did not even bother to contribute his info to said Diversion so therefore he does not count for Sh*t....
ps I emailed aforementioned spreedsheet to Dustin although god knows how he'll make it available to everyone...I have no idea I'm a techno idiot and was just really really bored
Posted by: SashaCA2 at October 11, 2008 3:28 PM
Mmmm...the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
Posted by: theycallthewind at October 11, 2008 3:28 PM
Spreadsheets! wtf is going on? I hope you and Rowles aren't out there selling our information on the black market to the highest bidder. I feel violated, leave it to Rowles to be part of some kooky scheme.
Posted by: Pookie at October 11, 2008 3:45 PM
Needs some Harry Gregson-Williams.
Posted by: Devo at October 11, 2008 4:11 PM
Pook, I believe that during the campaign season (i.e., the four years immediately preceding the next presidential election) you are required by federal law to refer to it as a "risky scheme" or face a $25,000 fine or up to five years in Abu Ghraib or both.
(Me, I'd pay $25,000 for a stay in Abu Ghraib if they'd put the dog collar on me. Woof!)
Posted by: bucdaddy at October 11, 2008 4:41 PM
Right On for Class Boredom. It's where I found my voice as an artist. I'm doing some three-panel cartoons now. Really Ziggy-esque with some Calvin and Hobbes in there.
Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at October 11, 2008 8:43 PM
Just saw this..meh. BadGuy Al-Saleem says to the seemingly indestructible young Mr. Ferris in the climactic torture scene "The Cavalry is not going to ride in" and then, hey! Sure enough, thats just what happens! WTF? They should have cut his head off, a la Nick Berg, end of movie. But noooo....!
And you guys stop flaming each other, please, BSlim and Jack whoever,its adolescent and doesnt respect the intelligence of this site. Thank you.
Posted by: devildoggie at October 11, 2008 9:09 PM
Soooo is anyone else alternating between the Project Runway marathon and DVR'ed Rachel Zoe episodes?...anyone...else err.
And yes,I am wearing panties at the moment.
Posted by: BarbadoSlim at October 12, 2008 2:07 PM
Not admitting anything to you, Slim, except to say that Jerrell should have made it to Bryant Park. Oh, and besides being drug dealer to the stars what is Rachel Zoe's claim to fame anyhow?
Posted by: Che Grovera at October 12, 2008 2:26 PM
I should have known two half-a-fags would be watching Project Runway instead of football.
Posted by: Pookie at October 12, 2008 2:33 PM
sure it is a grate enjoyed it very much
as always Leonardo DiCaprio was fantastic with his performance
saw it from the first release at http://www.80millionmoviesfree.com
hoping it will climb up in later dates in charts
Posted by: jamesbrunto at October 13, 2008 12:05 AM
up to now,I read so many gossips about Scott at the tall dating site___ www.tallchat.com __by many famous models,they have kinds of views there,like that not only pretty chicks like to chat there,but also many famous stars , celebrity like going that websit
Posted by: sony at October 13, 2008 4:53 AM
Saw this Friday night and enjoyed it. Crowe and Strong are the reasons to see it, although Dicaprio doesn't suck. Kinda tired of these movies never having any female major characters. Once again, the female half of the species is relegated to wife/love interest. Come on, you know we have female operatives over there!
Posted by: Ginger at October 13, 2008 2:49 PM
Both Crowe and Dicaprio tend to gain weight in the same way, when they are pudgy they look very unsexy.
Posted by: p at October 14, 2008 12:21 AM
Having read a bunch of negative reviews of this on right-wing sites, I find it fascinating to read a review of it from the raving moonbat end of the continuum. ("What passes for a war on terror" indeed.)
Since it disappointed you, I think it is just possible I might find it tolerable. Thanks for the review.
Posted by: jvon at October 14, 2008 3:47 AM
What a waste of time this movie was. It's the first movie that I've walked out of in 20 years. I lasted about 3/4 of the way through, but it just was so unbelievable on every level that I just couldn't take it. I don't mean the cold, hard international situation; that's all too believable. I just didn't believe Leonardo as an international terrorist super agent who was so good at his job that he has to fish pieces of his dead friend's skull out of his arms. He wouldn't last a minute in Jordanian intelligence or anywhere else. And Crowe with his bad wig and marble mouth accent. Not only was he a cardboard cutout, but he was the most annoying character I've seen onscreen since...well, I can't think of anyone. Who would be stupid enough to listen to this guy? Jerky cameras, flying eyes in the sky, oversaturated film, and little episodes that don't have anything to do with anything (dog attacks?). Waste, waste, waste.
Posted by: sabian30 at October 19, 2008 1:19 AM
