Watch Four Lions

Four Lions is a British black comedy movie that was directed by Chris Morris and released in 2010. The film revolves around a group of Islamic extremists who aspire to become suicide bombers in hopes of winning a place in paradise. However, the group's severe incompetence and misunderstandings about Islam make for a hilarious and absurd journey.

The movie's primary characters include four British jihadists, Omar (Riz Ahmed), Waj (Kayvan Novak), Faisal (Adeel Akhtar), and Barry (Nigel Lindsay), who are convinced that they must launch an attack on their homeland. Together, they plan to strike the Marathon in London, but their incompetence and comedic mishaps prove almost as much of a hindrance as the police trying to stop them.

Omar is the group's leader and wants to be successful in carrying out their mission. However, his co-conspirators are mostly hapless amateurs with little to no understanding of Islamic terrorism. Waj is Omar's devoted friend and follower, and he is often confused about the group's goal and plan. Faisal is a shy and sweet-natured member of the group who struggles with the concepts of martyrdom and weapons. Lastly, Barry is a white convert to Islam who is excessively violent, aggressive, and has nothing but contempt for anyone outside the group, especially his co-conspirators.

Despite their lack of knowledge and resources, the four men remain determined to become suicide bombers. The group continually faces hurdles in their way that make their mission even more inept and loaded with crisis. They have trouble acquiring explosive materials and are forced to set up a training camp in a rural area to prepare. Throughout the movie, the group struggles to vocalize and execute their goals, all the while causing themselves and those around them constant misfortune.

Although the film showcases dark humor in a sensitive topic, it attempts to give insight into the mindset of people who consider extremist notions. It depicts their beliefs and motivations realistically while still managing to point out the hilarity in their incompetencies. The movie also shows how their poorly informed views lead to confusion about their higher purpose, together with the lack of knowledge in Islam as a religion.

Four Lions strips away the stereotypical veil surrounding fringe groups and depicts them as more human than stereotypes often suggest. It demonstrates their vulnerabilities and ignorance, and by doing so, the movie stays faithful to the individuals who are impacted as a result of their actions.

In conclusion, Four Lions is an excellent example of black comedy, injecting humor into a serious topic. The film carefully mines the exploits of the unknowledgeable would-be suicide bombers for laughs, without belittling the actual threat they pose or ignoring the horror of real-world attacks. Its humor and insights make it an engaging watch that offers valuable insight into the nature of extremism.

Four Lions is a 2010 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3 and a MetaScore of 68.