Friday, October 10, 2008. Warner Bros is scheduled to release “Body of Lies,” a new war movie directed by Ridley Scott. Starring two major household names in the film industry: Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe.

Based on the eponymous novel by columnist for the “Washington Post” David Ignatius, “Body of Lies” revolves around Roger Ferris (played by DiCaprio), a CIA agent on a mission to track down a terrorist named al-Saleem.

Published in 2007, Ignatius’ novel is a spy thriller that was well received by the critics, who held in high-praise the writer’s detailed depiction of the Central Intelligence Agency’s missions.

Nevertheless, the movie is not just another war production packed full with violence, plot twists, last-minute rescues, gunfights and bloodbaths.

Not in the least. “Body of Lies” is a symbol, a representation of a long-standing myth, an archetype.

The symbol: well, the nowadays world itself, where the drive to win and the fierce competition have thrust everything else in a far-off background, leaving every man for himself, rendering people incapable of trusting anyone. Not even friends anymore.

The spy-story comes to shed light upon the fact that presently, CIA agent or ordinary person, everybody’s constantly looking over their shoulder, fearing betrayal.

Terrorism, in all its dreadful forms, has left an indelible mark on Americans’ lives, infecting all citizens with a yet untreatable disease: apprehension. That the enemy could strike again without a moment’s notice. That the enemy could be someone they know, someone they care for.

The myth: the patriot who puts his country and his mission above his conscience. As he hunts down al-Saleem, Roger Ferris tries desperately to escape his feelings of guilt for his killings. The only way to catch his prey is to avoid by all means becoming one himself. A prey for his devouring conscience. Tarnished by remorse, insecurity and possibly fear that his actions would take an unforeseen toll on his soul.

The archetype: as William Monahan, the one who adapted Ignatius’ novel into a screenplay, has stated, Russell Crowe’s character Ed Hoffman is an American archetype. Hoffman, who is Ferris’ handler, is featured throughout the movie in domestic settings, walking around in his bathrobe and giving orders via cellphone to his apprentice.

Monahan reckons Hoffman is a prototype for the American bureaucrat who never gets caught and never gets into trouble, although his ascendancy over the others is always achieved through foul methods.

All in all, “Body of Lies” appears to be a not to be missed production, a war on terrorism movie that is not out to make a political statement or to take sides, but a story of life, sprinkled with fear of betrayal, pangs of remorse and a conscience torn between doing the right thing even if it means killing people and feeling guilty for it afterwards.

“Body of Lies:” a matter of choice between black and white. On an issue that’s in a moral grey area to begin with.