Four Lions

Four Lions is a difficult film. Its hard to say exactly what it is - a black comedy, a satire? Its certainly bound to court controversy - a comedy about British muslim suicide bombers. But then again, Chris Morris (of Brass Monkey fame) is certainly no stranger to comedy. In one sense, its nt quite funny enough to work as a black comedy or pointed enough to work as a satire, but it has moments that are really very funny and other moments that are very accutely observed. And no side comes off very well - possibly the only people less competent than the bombers are the police.

Some of the best moments in the film are not actually the funny bits at all, but the scenes of Omar (Riz Ahmed - excellent) with his family. These are also some of the scenes that will trouble the most as his family support what he is doing, even as he starts to have doubts. The film also playfully defeats expectations in the contrast between Omar and his more fundamentalist but peace-loving brother, who renounces violence, but locks his wife in the cupboard. Motivations remain (deliberately?) obscure and you finish with the impression that the bombers themselves don't really know why they're there. There are no easy answers here or clear black and white lines drawn, and that is probably the main strength of the film. It does lose its way slightly towards the end with the planned attack on the London marathon, but still has some good moments.

Overall - 7/10. Not one for the easily offended. More thought-provoking than coherent, but at times really funny and at others very well-observed.