Ridley Scott
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The partnership between Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe began with "Gladiator," continued with "A Good Year" and "American Gangster," and was strengthened with "Body of Lies" before a new collaboration in the latest "Robin Hood." However, compared to the other films in which the two worked together, in "Body of Lies" Crowe's role is secondary, while the true protagonist of the story is Leonardo Di Caprio, who moves, spies, and shoots in what is probably the least known and least acclaimed film of Scott's latest.

With the original title "Body of Lies," this film hit theaters in 2008 and analyzes one of the most inflated themes of modern action cinema: the relationship between the United States and Middle Eastern countries, complete with their corollary of religious fanatics, spies in the service of terrorist organizations, and secret services ready for anything. In this world, Roger Ferris (Leonardo Di Caprio) is the trusted man of Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe): the former on active mission risking his skin between mosques and the desert heat, the latter the great "manipulator" who with his trusty earpiece issues orders and organizes movements.

As a master action director, as well as a magician of genre transformation, Ridley Scott constructs (as is his tradition) a visually dense and perfect film, where spectacular moments are well balanced and never too imposing. The film reflects its author, with a pace strongly interspersed with different events and situations, in which Scott often entangles himself, also due to a script not up to the standard of a modern espionage film. A poor screenplay leads the filmmaker to steer towards an "actor-centric" film, and in this sense, Di Caprio and Crowe come to the rescue: the former confirming the notable strides made since "Gangs of New York" and the latter dealing with a role finally fitting the bastard/opportunist/corrupt military leadership man. A man all about food, work, and jokes but with little desire to sacrifice himself personally. Also worth mentioning is the excellent performance by Mark Strong, in the role of the iron man Hani Salaam.

Thus, despite a well-conceived backdrop and interesting scenes (the final one being of notable intensity and importance), "Body of Lies" ultimately results in an absolutely routine film, where you see the director's hand, but at the same time find nothing particularly exciting. What is especially unconvincing is the didactic, almost documentary-like spirit that Scott gives to his film, positioning it halfway between De Palma's "Redacted," Berg's "The Kingdom," and Spielberg's "Munich." Furthermore, the story often takes on a confusing tone that, together with questionable and tacky choices (like Crowe talking with an earpiece while taking his kids to school), makes this "Body of Lies" an interesting work, but certainly a "minor" one in the filmography of dear old Scott.