1.5/4  Skip it
I turned it off after an hour. I tried to get into it, really did. It probably doesn't help that the movie starts right in the middle of the action without really establishing either of the main characters. Russell Crowe does his usual ... (read full)

4/4  Ridley Scott Does It Again
This is a very intricate and detailed film. Now saying that it was actually rather slow for a thriller so I think in order to fully enjoy it the viewer should view it as a drama. There is action but the piece mainly deals with character, a... (read full)

2.5/4  Fails to be anything but standard.
This film just does not have that much to it to be great but it is okay. It is a standard spy movie with standard action scenes and a far too standard love story. The only non standard things in this are the two higher ups but they are not... (read full)

1/4  40%
Action: 1.5 / 3, Comedy: 0 / 2, Good vs Evil: 0 / 1, Love/Sex: 0.5 / 1, Special Effects: 0.5 / 1, Plot: 1 /1, Music: 0.5 / 1 = 4/10 or 40%.

The theme and plot of Body of Lies is initially intriguing, but after the first fifteen minutes ... (read full)

2.5/4  Misleading Plot, Yet Dangerously Fun!
Critics are on the fence with Body Of Lies. Some say it is a fantastic on the edge of your seat thriller, while the others say it is a poor Ridley Scott effort. There I am stuck in the middle.

The Plot in Body Of Lies becomes too tediou... (read full)

2/4  Body of Lies Quick Review
This movie was a little boring. It didn't get me interested with what was going on. Too many of these terrorist movies that take place in the middle east fall short.

3/5 A complex plot expansively photographed
  by Jim Gateley (Sunnyvale, CA)
3 of 5 stars for the gritty drama movie Body of Lies. The lead role is played by Leonardo DiCaprio who does a great job playing a deep undercover CIA spy in the middle east. The plot is rather complex and I don't think I could summarize it easily. The focus is on middle east terrorism and a couple of groups making plans. The movie was expansively photographed with a rich selection of locations. Since the story jumps from country to country (Jordan, Turkey, USA, etc) they did a nice job of giving a look to each place. There are some action scenes which are good. Some brutal torture scenes and a fair amount of blood. The movie seemed long and its pace slow at times. All-in-all, I did enjoy it and do recommend it.

5/5 Body of Lies Blu-Ray
  by Ian T. Cameron (Canton, Ohio)
Leonardo Dicaprio has quickly become one of my favorite actors because of movies like Body of Lies. The story was powerful and I really had compassion for the characters by the end of the film, this was a great movie.

4/5 This is the world we are living in, whether we like it or not.
  by Jenny J.J.I. (That Lives in Northern Nevada)
Ridley Scott is usually one you can depend on to make a good, sometimes fantastic, film, and it'll mostly be well-done. This definitely fits the last two mentioned qualities. The plot is impeccably well-written, and keeps developing very well throughout.

By no surprise, DiCaprio delivers another winning performance here as the young CIA field agent who is given authority within a short time period to do what he wants to get what his superior wants. Here he is cocky, brave and smart, exactly what his character should be. He is the true lead of the film because without him, the story and film would be meaningless. His solid performance also makes the film better. DiCaprio is now recognizable as a character who completely immerses himself in the role. His "Leo-the-pretty-boy" days are long gone.

Ridley Scott's regular Crowe takes a back seat here, to be DiCaprio's supervisor. Crowe delivers the best performance here. From his Arkansas accent to his leniency at handling somewhat drastic situations, Crowe steals almost every scene he's in. It's good, really, because it makes his character slimy yet interesting. Although his role is understated and underused a bit, it also makes his character cautious.

On top of that the cinematography and editing are careful and effective. This shows the Arab culture in a neutral light at certain parts, and actually features spoken Arabic, in nice amounts, which I would say should earn it recognition(in addition to all else I've mentioned in this review). I would say that this is a thriller-drama, with action elements... do not watch it expecting constant car-chases or shootings, albeit it is surely intense. It brings up several well-stated and solid points, for and against several sides, and offers food for thought. There is near-constant language, and it is always moderate or more. Also, there is a lot of violence and a little sheer brutality, and it is not for the faint of heart.


1/5 Beware if you have a Sony BDP-S350
  by C. Ng
This rating is not for the movie but for the Blu Ray disc.
Disc does not play on a Sony BDP-S350. I tried to 1) to play with a replacement disc from Blockbuster 2) Update to the latest firmware v019 of 4/23/2009. The disc still does not play.
So far it is the only Blu Ray disc that does not play on my Sony.

5/5 dvd
  by Tashi Dorje (Orange County/ southern California/USA)
got to me in like, 3, or 4 days shipping, & both discs were scratchless, so THX! =)