Entertainment
Ridley Scott’s Greatest Crime Epic Is Still His Most Overlooked Thriller Masterpiece
Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies follows CIA agent Roger Ferris in his grand but highly dangerous attempt to capture terrorist Al-Saleem. Think James Bond, but a bit less suave and a bit more gritty. Scott’s work is an adaptation of David Ignatius’s best-selling novel of the same title, wherein one CIA Agent attempts to pull his enemy out of hiding through an unending trail of deceit. The film features a heavily star-studded cast, including but not limited to: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russel Crowe, and, of course, the beloved Oscar Isaac.
After the modest success of Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down, Body of Lies seems to have inadvertently fallen into its shadow. Just short of twenty years later, it has earned a respectable smattering of applause from audiences, but the ever-disagreeable critics have found the film a bit lackluster. Despite the criticism, Body of Lies is certainly deserving of flowers, both for the expert acting chops and, of course, the wondrous directorial work from the unforgettable Ridley Scott.
The Wonderfully Bombastic world of ‘Body of Lies’
Because of the names attached to the film, it’s tempting to call it “satire”. There’s also a desire to say this is Ridley Scott’s take on America’s impact on the Middle East. In actuality, this film is simply a deeply entertaining, albeit slightly cartoonish, blockbuster made for surface-level action enjoyment. There’s little nuance, or really any call for active attention. Hence why, some critics found it so, so, and yet audiences reacted favorably.
Essentially, DiCaprio plays the pensive, brooding Roger Ferris, a CIA operative attempting to juggle a seemingly infinite well of lies and complete his highly dangerous mission all at once. After his primary adversary, Al Saleem (Alan Abutul), and his much larger terrorist group continually sidestep Ferris’s meek attempts at technological warfare and mini-bombardments, he decides he must opt for a rogue, boots-on-the-ground route. And thus, Ferris must now not only placate his superior, Ed Hoffman (Russel Crowe), but also draw out his enemy while secretly putzing around his territory. DiCaprio’s charming, slightly southern drawl as he pushes up against the buttoned-up disposition of Hoffman as he wages a war, thousands of miles away, offers a compelling B-plot of sorts in between the explosive action.
Ferris’s plot thickens further as he is forced to handle a puzzling relationship with the head of Jordanian intelligence, Hani, played by Mark Strong. Additionally, Ferris finds himself a local love interest, Aisha, portrayed by Golshitfeh Farahani, perhaps as Ridley Scott’s directorial attempt to humanize the innocents living on enemy lines. In summary, both the plot and Ferris’s plate are beyond full, and perhaps arguably overfilled with conflict, and even one misstep will cost Ferris his life.
Russell Crowe’s Underrated $70 Million Spy Thriller Is Streaming for Free, but Not for Much Longer
The movie underperformed with around $120 million at the global box office.
‘Body of Lies’ is Ridley Scott’s most Underrated Thriller
As of June 18, 2026, Body of Lies has a passable 62% on Rotten Tomatoes. The reasoning behind the low rating is likely twofold. First, when making a project with Ridley Scott, not to mention the highly decorated cast members, the standards are impossibly high. This is the creator of revolutionary films like Thelma and Louise, Alien, Gladiator, the list goes on literally infinitely. This inventive take on the war thriller drama genre fell flat in comparison, because how could it possibly not? Even the best filmmakers don’t always produce projects that remain a pillar of cultural reference. Additionally, it can be argued that despite the thrilling espionage and the coiling story of deception captured in Body of Lies, it does tread a bit close to blurry plot disorientation. However, with that being said, does this film certainly remain a thrilling journey of deeply entertaining close calls and turmoil? Yes, absolutely.
In summary, this forgotten combat picture deserves more recognition than has been offered. In just 128 minutes, both Scott and the cast alike portray an incredible story that still remains just as sickly entertaining nearly a decade and a half later. This film, while perhaps a bit larger-than-life at times, took a swing at attempting to capture the reality of war while still remaining exciting and light. Among the ending Rolodex of Ridley Scott projects, Body of Lies should surely be remembered.
- Release Date
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October 10, 2008
- Runtime
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128 minutes
- Writers
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William Monahan, David Ignatius
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