Movie review: Despite crackling action, 'Body of Lies' is a muddled thriller

In the Shiite Islamic tradition, the concept of taqiyya refers to permissible lies told by believers to shield themselves from persecution. In the espionage thriller "Body of Lies," truth and trust are the first casualties in the battle between the CIA and Al-Qaida terrorists.

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The film describes a post-9/11 world where U.S. and Jordanian governments, nominally anti-terrorist allies, distrust each other and refuse to share information. Field agent Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) doesn't know what clandestine operations his CIA superior Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) is running from Washington. Jordanian intelligence chief Hani Salaam (Mark Strong) insists on Ferris' unconditional honesty while shrouding his own dealings in mystery.

When Ferris concludes that the only way to flush out the reclusive terrorist Suleiman is to dupe his own Arab partners and frame an innocent man, the shaky scaffolding of confidence they rely on comes apart, endangering Ferris and those closest to him. The dubious morality of permissible lies in wartime backfires in every direction, killing or discrediting those who circulate them.

Director Ridley Scott ("Black Hawk Down," "American Gangster") films the action with atmospheric grit. The visuals are so thick with chin stubble, dirt, cigarette smoke and sweat that you'll want to shower with a cake of Lava afterward. And Scott could edit a game of hopscotch so that it crackles with nervous tension; his work here with chases through squalid Third World slums, high-caliber combat scenes and helicopter attacks is relentlessly exciting.

Unfortunately, we've seen variations on this story a dozen times. The muddled nature of a conflict where one's enemies are almost indistinguishable from one's friends hobbled "The Kingdom," "Traitor," "Rendition" and "Lions for Lambs," and "Body of Lies" fares no better. The script by William Monaghan is hamstrung between the obligation to educate audiences and the impulse to entertain. The crackling dialogue and vibrant characters Monaghan created for "The Departed" are nowhere to be seen.

DiCaprio and Crowe share only a few scenes together, disappointing viewers who hoped for a battle royal between two of our finest actors. DiCaprio is compellingly brave and idealistic as the agent who must compromise his morals to carry out his mission. He falters only in a romantic subplot with an Arab nurse, a relationship that feels tacked-on and unpersuasive. Crowe delivers a fussy performance as a slippery main-office spymaster who drives his kids to their soccer matches while monitoring the Mideast by cell phone.

But it's supporting actor Strong who makes the biggest impression. As the suave Jordanian intelligence czar, he radiates supreme self-confidence and unbending willpower. The ethical and cultural conflicts among the three men are more compelling than the chase after bombing mastermind Suleiman. The real story here isn't the hunt for a terrorist but the foreign policy challenges between nations with not much in common but an enemy.