18. Body of Lies (1998)
Loaded with all the hallmarks of post-9/11 spy thrillers, Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies delivers entertaining dadcore fare that fans of Tom Clancy games might enjoy. Based on David Ignatius’ 2007 novel, which was inspired by the real-life Operation Mincemeat conducted by British forces during World War II, the film follows the intense efforts of a CIA operative (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his manipulative boss (Russell Crowe) as they work to flush out a terrorist leader in the Middle East. But how much can they really trust each other? With complex surveillance shots, roving black SUVs, and DiCaprio shouting into tiny cell phones, Body of Lies doesn’t reinvent the spy movie wheel—but it doesn’t have to.
