The war on terror is a fashionable topic for films these days; over the past few years we’ve seen countless flicks full of CGI explosions, misunderstood Arabs and fat white bureaucrats who always manage to screw everything up. “”Body of Lies,”” the newest thriller from Ridley Scott (“”Gladiator””, “”American Gangster””), regurgitates these tired conventions, slaps on a yellow filter and remains surprisingly fresh.

The espionage thriller stars the capable cast of Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio and Leonardo DiCaprio’s beard. Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is an undercover CIA agent attempting to bring down a top terrorist faction in Jordan. Operating under the guidance of longtime friend and fat white bureaucrat Ed Hoffman (Crowe), Ferris tracks the terrorists across the Middle East, forges an uneasy alliance with a Jordanian defense official, falls in love with a perky nurse and even constructs a decoy terrorist sect, as all responsible Americans should.

Although “”Lies”” provides nothing you haven’t already seen, it’s hard not to appreciate anything Scott cranks out. The characters are believable, the cinematography is dynamic and the graphic action scenes are at once entertaining and disturbingly realistic. If you can tolerate the weak middle act and predictable finale, then you may find yourself amused ðð- sometimes even enthralled – by Scott’s intriguing “”Body.