'Body of Lies' depicts stereotypes of terrorism

By Saurabh Muzumdar

Leonardo DiCaprio has come a long way from playing the fresh-faced Jack Dawson in the decade-old hit "Titanic."

In "Body of Lies," DiCaprio plays Roger Ferris, a CIA operative who is on a tour of the Middle East -- where else -- trying to gather information on a group of terrorists. He has two motives: getting rid of the terrorists and keeping his over-zealous boss off his back.

Russell Crowe portrays Ed Hoffman, the boss, and is almost unrecognizable thanks to the 60-plus pounds he packed on to play the role.

Hoffman stays in America and orders the younger Ferris to do the dirty work, which includes taking trips to Middle Eastern countries which are inevitably stereotyped as terrorist hotbeds.

Throughout the film, Ferris speaks Arabic, a fine display of DiCaprio's commitment to practicing with his dialect coach -- think "Blood Diamond" and "The Departed."

The man being targeted here is Al-Saleem, the shadowy head of a terrorist network carrying out attacks around Europe.

Ferris needs to rely on his instincts and trust that his boss will not meddle in his attempts to catch the super-jihadist. Time is of the essence, and with the number of attacks around the world rising, the "good guys" need to do something about it.

But this is the CIA, where mind games and politics are the mainstay of every conversation and covert operation. For Ferris, it's a question of who he can trust and how he can succeed when everything is on the line -- including his own life.

The movie is an action flick with all the essentials: bombs, panic, deceit, desperation, elaborate schemes, fast cars, double-crossing and torture.

The problem is that the premise of this movie is overused. Think "Syriana" and "The Kingdom," and you already have a fair idea of what this movie is about.

However, "Body of Lies" fails where "Syriana" succeeded: It doesn't develop the relationships between the men who make this war.

Instead, it focuses primarily on the death and destruction of the war itself, something that we have seen too many times before.

"Body of Lies," like so many other films, portrays America as the bully. It mocks America's ignorance of what lies beyond its borders.

But Crowe and DiCaprio help keep the movie afloat. Crowe's drawl fits his tubby appearance. His casualness will annoy you and his immunity to self-doubt will be justified by his strong will.

DiCaprio is the real star. His intensity is nearly tangible and his dedication to believability is impressive.

Ferris is always on the move, risking his life because he believes he can make a difference. Naïve? Not quite. He understands the need to work with the locals in order to win their trust.

One such local is Hani, the head of the Jordanian General Intelligence Department. Hani, a suave character and always in control, distrusts most Americans, especially the CIA.

The screenplay, written by William Monahan ("The Departed"), was adapted from a book by David Ignatius.

Monahan succeeds in engaging the audience, but fails in determining a focus. This results in too much action in too little time and leaves the viewer wondering what the point was in the first place.

Just when you start believing that you are watching a realistic portrayal of war, the movie becomes over the top and impractical, again a fictional story.

Overall, "Body of Lies" toys with too many media-created stereotypes and ends up as a movie that could have been great but is not.

Grade: B-

Contact Saurabh Muzumdar at smuzumdar@scu.edu.