Anchored by an amazing performance by Leonardo DiCaprio and little else, Body of Lies limps along for over two hours, never amounting to more than a decent, if derivative nailbiter.
Comment
10/09/08
Body of Lies (2008)
51
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:188
Fresh:96
Rotten:92
Average Rating:5.7/10
Consensus: Body of Lies relies on the performances of Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio to elevate it beyond the conventional espionage thriller.
Theatrical Release:21-11-2008
Synopsis: Leonardo DiCaprio fights terrorists for the CIA in this rapid-fire thriller from director Ridley Scott (GLADIATOR, BLACK HAWK DOWN). While Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) gets his hands dirty on the... [More]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani
Director: Ridley Scott
Reviews for Body of Lies
141 - 160 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
After Ridley's less-than-stellar stretch including Matchstick Men, Kingdom of Heaven, A Good Year and American Gangster, expectations are medium at best and Body of Lies does nothing to raise them.
10/09/08
The film lacks the urgency and, ironically, the intelligence required for something along these lines to succeed.
10/09/08
As disturbing as it is compelling, Ridley Scott has outdone himself with his first modern-day political thriller, delivering his strongest movie since Black Hawk Down.
10/09/08
The movie has the fungible quality of the kind of book you buy for an airplane trip and toss as soon as you arrive.
10/09/08
Body of Lies is certainly one of most well-crafted and intellectually engaging political thrillers to come along this year.
10/09/08
A bewildering mishmash of double-crosses, cover-ups, and cliches, Monahan's treatment unfortunately undermines some terrific performances and a solid outing for director Ridley Scott.
10/09/08
Body of Lies is most alive while relishing the surveillance and communications tools abused by Hoffman, tools that supply him military intelligence, but not the smarts or scruples to effectively use it.
10/09/08
Body of Lies clicks along at an engaging pace, legibly limning its multitude of characters and even throwing in a good bit of wry humor.
10/09/08
Oscar voters leery of voting for (gasp!) comic book movie, 'The Dark Knight,' for multiple accolades come award season finally have another option with the release of 'Body of Lies.'
10/09/08
Body of Lies nearly goes too far. As it is, this heavily political thriller becomes too serious and much too dark at times, and it doesn't seem to be serious enough when it really counts.
10/09/08
So many like-minded films have beat it to the punch that there's nothing new to offer audiences. The talents of all involved have been wasted, and so has our time.
10/09/08
It's solid filmmaking that, bafflingly, leaves little to talk about on the way home.
10/09/08
A thriller that reveals the latest twists and turns in the war on terrorism.
10/09/08
Lies is a turgid Middle Eastern thriller, firing blanks as an action submission and presenting a wet match to light the fire of political discourse.
10/09/08
A passable Friday night flick.
10/09/08
Its generic attributes (and title) notwithstanding,Scott’s film may be the sharpest and most perceptive of all the post-9/11 thrillers -- and also the most purely entertaining.
10/09/08
Body of Lies contains enough you can believe, or almost believe, that you wish so much of it weren't sensationally implausible.
10/09/08
Top CriticMakes the threats, the obstacles and the explosions seem shatteringly real.
10/09/08
It's no surprise that Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe are so good in Body of Lies, Ridley Scott's thrilling film about the war on terror, its costs and its frustrations.
10/09/08
Latest News for Body of Lies
February 16, 2009:
RT on DVD: High School Musical 3 or Midnight Meat Train?
It's a good week for mediocre films (Body of Lies, Changeling, Quarantine and Flash of Genius, which all walk a fine line between Fresh and Rotten) and an even better one if... More...
February 15, 2009:
The macho swagger of these US espionage interlopers around the planet has all the finesse of a wrestling ring, while imperialism is made to come off as really sexy. Body Of Lies: An Amman Gangster. 
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February 08, 2009:
The macho swagger of these US espionage interlopers around the planet has all the finesse of a wrestling ring, while imperialism is made to come off as really sexy. Body Of Lies: An Amman Gangster.
More...
November 21, 2008:
UK Critics Consensus: Does Ridley Scott’s Body Of Lies Ring True? Is Blindness Blinding Or Bland?
It's a varied pick of films in the UK cinemas this week; we have Sir Ridley Scott's latest collaboration with Russell Crowe, the CIA thriller, Body Of Lies. Julianne Moore and... More...
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