Although we do occasionally find ourselves with a “Syriana,” great political thrillers have been few-and-far between since the Nixon-era heyday of “The Parallax View,” “Three Days of the Condor” and their ilk.

Which makes us all the more excited for the unnamed Ridley Scott flick that Russell Crowe is still calling “Body of Lies.” We wrote about it recently after interviewing Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio, and this week watched the “Gladiator” star answer those who doubt Scott can truly criticize the government within the framework of a modern-day studio film.

“You obviously don’t know Ridley Scott very well,” Crowe grinned. “I don’t think he’d be doing it if he felt there were going to be any constraints on him. I think the studio is aware of who they’ve hired to do the gig, and what [Scott] wants it to be about.”

The film tells the story of a young CIA agent attempting to turn Iraqi terrorists on themselves, but Crowe said bigger picture is its timely message. “I think the perspective of ‘Body of Lies’ is ongoing,” he said of the script. “It’s machinations and creations of the American government, in terms of its foreign policy. I don’t think it’s so responsive to what’s happening now — because what’s happening now is actually the fruit of seeds planted two or three decades ago, if not more. But I think it’s timely to do a movie like that … it’s important, and Ridley is up for [portraying] the true negatives of this web of intrigue that’s been created.”

Summing up the controversial aspects of the flick, the “3:10 to Yuma” star then offered the following quote — which has to be music to the ears of any fan of the genre.

“I don’t think it will be very popular,” Crowe insisted. “But that’s never been part of my project choice process.”