FOUR LIONS REVIEW

On a very limited run in Ireland from what I can see, Four Lions has finally turned up in Cork (Mahon Point) amidst very little publicity, which is a shame as this is a terrific flick. I got the vibe that only people in the “know” had gone to see this tonight, and to equate that into number’s I reckon no more than 30 people were in the cinema for Four Lions.

A story that is not exactly something  that has meandered down the Hollywood boulevard, Four Lions is about a group of British Jihadists who set out to blow as many people up in the London Marathon, including themselves, as possible. Essentially a group friends come fundamentalists, where some go to Pakistan for training and once that goes wrong, they set about doing some more training and making bombs. There are some genuinely laugh out loud moments here, from bombs strapped to crows and how to avoid getting photographed (shake your head left to right really quick so it’ll come out blurry) to name but two. And for the best part, this is a comedy, albeit a dark one, but at the same time portraying these suicide bombers as family men and potentially misguided fools. I suppose, in one sense, it shows the human side to suicide bombers as the story evolves from them talking about doing it to actually strapping themselves up.

There is a really strong cast here, and for the best part many will be unknown to most people, but I found myself completely drawn into the life of these handful of people who would stop at nothing to kill as many innocent people as possible. The characters are really, really likeable. And you are really brought along for the ride with plenty of laughs and scrapes along the way. But when they eventually hit the London Marathon, dressed as the likes of Honey Monster and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, even as they are about to try and commit something horrific, the laughs start to slow down. Then you realise the severity of what's to come and then you realise what a great piece of film making this is. I almost had tears in my eyes with the range of emotions portrayed in the final chapter of Four Lions. Sympathy for suicide bombers is not something I was expecting. And what a final chapter it is. It is incredibly, powerful stuff. I couldn’t hear myself breath as the cinema seemed, in unison, to hold it’s breath for the movies penultimate conclusion.

Given the subject matter, which is obviously of a delicate nature, the real hook here is how it sucks you in and makes you feel so involved on an emotional level. Again, suicide bombers! Like, who in their right mind would find them likeable, entertaining or even engaging? But this movie manages to pull it off brilliantly and that is helped along by superbly written and hilarious dialogue as well as a pace that never leaves you hanging around wondering what's going on. If I had to be critical, and I’m nitpicking, the story gets slightly lost as there is more concentration on the actual characters. But as I said, I’m nitpicking!

Four Lions is an absolutely terrific film which draws you in from the outset and it will turn you, and your emotions on its head. This is a must watch!!