Product Description

Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Goldshifteh Faharani, Directors: Ridley Scott

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1193 in DVD
• Brand: Blu-ray Drama
• Released on: 2009-03-30
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds
• Running time: 135 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Set it next to the similar Middle-East intrigue of Syriana, and Body of Lies is easy to follow, in fact, this movie's plot is amazingly straightforward for an espionage flick. Leonardo DiCaprio is the CIA agent on the ground, an Arabic-speaking chameleon who believes in forging personal relationships based on trust and professionalism. Russell Crowe is his supervisor, a meddler who makes up the rules as he goes along and is more than willing to trade long-term benefits for a short-term "win". While working on a case in Jordan, DiCaprio gets a modest flirtation going with a nurse (Golshifteh Farahani), although his most intense relationship is with a Jordanian intelligence chief (great role for Mark Strong) who takes a wary view of the CIA's activities. Ridley Scott directs as though weary of all the fuss, and his merriment in Crowe's breezy sociopath gives the movie a rather strange aftertaste. It gets the job done, although after it's over you might find yourself craving the head-scratching complications of Syriana. --Robert Horton

DVD Description
Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the best man US intelligence has on the ground, in places where human life is worth no more than the information it can get you. In operations that take him around the globe, Ferris' next breath often depends on the voice at the end of a secure phone-line - CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe).

Waging war from a laptop in the suburbs, Hoffman is on the trail of an emerging terrorist leader who has orchestrated a campaign of bombings while eluding the most sophisticated intelligence network in the world. To lure the terrorist out into the open, Ferris will have to penetrate his murky world. But the closer he gets to the target, the more he discovers that trust is both a dangerous commodity and the only thing that will get him out alive...

Customer Reviews

Superb thriller
One of the best thrillers I've seen for ages, the story has plenty of depth with many intriguing twists and turns in the plot, but Ridley Scott's story telling is so good you never find yourself wondering what's going on. Although the film also has many action packed and tense scenes, I became so immersed in what I was seeing on screen that I found watching it became a strangely relaxing experience; thoroughly enjoyable. It reminds me a lot of one of Ridley's brother Tony's efforts: Spy Game, with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt (another excellent thriller).

I wasn't much of a Di Caprio fan, but I've changed my opinion of him after this performance. In the past I've always thought he's a little flimsy to play hardman roles (he just about pulls it off in Departed), but this time he's matured enough to make a very believable CIA Operative. Russell Crowe is also brillant as Di Caprio's odious boss, he appears to have fattened himself again for this role.

The Blu-Ray presentation is also faultless; wonderful details and colours (the rocks in the desert scenes can be picked out for miles), and the sound is also excellent.

A Film With Class
A superb film which is smart, funny, tense and absorbing. The acting is undeniably good with Crowe and Dicaprio having a true chemistry together something shown by the often funny exchange of words between the the both of them. The storyline is excellent albeit quite complex and constantly evolves throughout the film which keep ones interest in the film through its 128 minutes duration that feels far shorter. The script deserves a special mention as does the as usual clinical direction by Ridley Scott. If you liked Blood Diamond, Black Hawk Down and The Kingdom, you will like this. Highly Recommended.

Good Stuff
Body of Lies continues director Ridley Scott's consistency of making top-quality movies, I'm never disappointed with his work, and there was no change here.

The acting was good, DiCaprio, Crowe and all the surrounding cast performed well, I particularly enjoyed Mark Strong's performance as head of Jordanian intelligence Hani Salaam.

The plot moved along nicely, the film didn't feel too short or long, and I felt it had suitable pace to it, the cinematography was top-notch and the music, while not particularly memorable, supported the film well.

Overall, I would recommend Body of Lies quite highly, it's not a masterpiece, and dosen't do a whole lot new, but it dosen't do much wrong either, it's certainly worth a look.