'Four Lions' – 3.5 out of 5 stars
What happens when a first-time director comes up with an idea to make fun of one of the most serious issues plaguing the world?
The result is “Four Lions” – a black comedy directed by Chris Morris that lampoons terrorism and its inner workings. The plot focuses on an aspiring terrorist group who is focused on bombing the London Marathon. The group is led by Omar (Riz Ahmed), the most competent and serious of the group, though this is not saying much given the idea of the film. The rest of the gang, Barry (Nigel Lindsay), Waj (Kayvan Novak), Hassan (Arsher Ali) and Faisal (Adeel Akhtar), comprise a hilarious yet insightful take on British terrorism.
The cast is likeable, especially Ahmed whose portrayal as the diehard and possibly insane Muslim extremist Omar is as insightful as it is funny. The plot is funny and smart as well, giving you the feel of a comedy but simultaneously putting you inside of the terrorist world and its activities. The movie takes you along with the group to buy items for bombings, tape warnings for the public and occasionally to blowup an unintelligent group member. The overall feeling of the film will leave the viewer interested and humored throughout.
The flaw of "Four Lions" comes down to the obvious topic at hand: terrorism. The director attempts to balance the serious subject matter with a parody of how people stereotypically believe extremist Muslims act, but the balance becomes muddled, especially at the film's climax. There were too many elements and last minute mood shifts to have a completely effective message from this otherwise strong film.