A couple of terrorists from Sheffield...

Four Lions – Chris Morris

The title doesn’t really give away the whole meaning or plot of the film but as soon as the film starts, you know that your gonna be in for an uncomfortable but hilarious ride where you’ll be laughing through gritted teeth. The film sees a group of British Muslim’s who become disjointed with the world and set to become prophets and plague terror upon Britain through a serious of events, either bombings, causing grief during public forums or terrorising local neighbourhoods, these stupid men set to do it in the simplest fashion and epically fail. This is a new type of comedy where it mixes both cultural relevance with slapstick humour that works really well. The script is really well written and combines a mixture of humour that is political and makes you either cringe or laugh hysterically and always challenges you which one it will be and sometimes it’s even a bit of both.

First time director here, with his first major film and he isn’t a stranger to controversy especially with his TV shows, including the infamous Brass Eye, where subjects that weren’t talked about on television before were brought up in mocking fashions bringing in experts or celebrities to show how they know nothing of the subject. The actors here all have a different quirks and that’s what makes it even more money with the different storylines they all have and how they seem stupid enough to do anything to become the men they worship.

The scene with the bomb strapped to the crow and for when one of them dies running across a sheep field are easily a couple of the best moments from the whole film and it’s difficult to not laugh out loud at how funny it is. And the scenes in Pakistan are startling with the rocket launcher because you begin to think if these places do really exist, but i guess that’s what this film is meant to do, bring some realism to the whole situation of suicide bombers and how “normal” these people are. Some people may be offended by this, but it’s good to see someone not shy away from that, it’s almost refreshing to see this type of humour nowadays. One of the favourite sequences involve the charity fun run costumes; i won’t spoil that scene for you, but the build up of it and the whole ending is quality and worth to see the film alone just for that.

8/10

Simon Childs