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Four Lions

Play trailer Poster for Four Lions R,  2010,  1h 42m,  Comedy/ Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 84% 135 Reviews Tomatometer 80% 10,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
84% Tomatometer 135 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A group of young Muslim men living in Sheffield decide to wage jihad, and they hatch an inept plan to become suicide bombers. Omar (Riz Ahmed) and Waj (Kayvan Novak) have a brief, disastrous run at a Pakistan training camp, while Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) works on an unlikely scheme to train birds to carry bombs. Their ill-conceived plan culminates at the London Marathon with their bumbling attempts to disrupt the event while dressed in outlandish costumes.
Four Lions

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Its premise suggests brazenly tasteless humor, but Four Lions is actually a smart, pitch-black comedy that carries the unmistakable ring of truth.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) Mar 17, 2023
The satire loses its edge a little by making the jihadists such imbeciles, but it’s very funny nonetheless. Go to Full Review
Deborah Ross The Spectator Aug 30, 2018
It feels like a missed opportunity all the same... As far as slapstick and farce and knockabout buffoonery go, this is as good as anything but my point, I think, is that this could be about any group. Go to Full Review
Stephen Cole Globe and Mail Feb 25, 2011
2/4
[Morris's] new comedy has a provocative, ticklish premise -- five North England Muslims become suicide bombers, but can't decide who or what to take with them. Go to Full Review
Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Aug 6, 2026
3.5/4
How does one make a comedy about terrorism? Either mock the political angle or the religious. Four Lions does a little of both. Go to Full Review
Ali Khoei emel Jul 21, 2021
It excels in that it centralises the humour around the feebleness of mind and inadequacies of the characters, rather than being insensitive to the actual shattering consequences of terrorism. Go to Full Review
Stuart McGurk NME (New Musical Express) May 19, 2021
4/5
Chris Morris' terrorism comedy is a work of satirical brilliance. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Luke P Jan 27, 2019 Everything British humor should take pride in, it's dark, it's offensive, it's thought provoking, and it's unapologetic. Brilliant stuff. See more
Abraham S Oct 5, 2018 Funny and controversial Four Lions is a must see for fans of provocative cinema.
Ron L Jul 14, 2018 Reminiscent of In The Loop and The Death Of Stalin, Four Lions is as funny as it is fearless and it is one of the most fearless films I have ever seen. It explores the taboo and the terrifying using tasteful slapstick and taking a comedic approach that is neither eager nor afraid to offend. See more
Hagrid W Jun 29, 2018 *** Managing to be both silly and profound all at once, 'Four Lions' certainly walks a tough line with its comedy, and for the most part does so rather well. Although the stupidity of the characters and their predicaments takes centre stage, it becomes clear that Morris is not simply trying to make you laugh. There is a certain level of realism and consequence that cannot go unnoticed; culminating in a final sequence that somehow manages to balance its totally opposing tones perfectly. It's not a perfect film by any means, and its deeper meaning is rather masked by its largely comedic tone, but it's certainly an interesting watch. See more
Abraham G Feb 3, 2018 It's brilliantly funny, and incredibly dark at the same time.
Rey W Jan 6, 2018 La vicenda ruota attorno ad un ristretto gruppo di attivisti islamici che progettano un attentato kamikaze nei dintorni di una città inglese. Nessuno di loro ha avuto un addestramento militare, ma sono tutti estremamente convinti di riuscire nell'impresa. Parlando del film in pillole, si può iniziare dicendo che il problema di questa pellicola, per quanto concerne il numero e il gradimento del pubblico, sarà sicuramente il pregiudizio. Tuttavia se si supera questo iniziale ostacolo, ci si ritrova a godere di una trama ben architettata, incredibilmente verosimile e alquanto spassosa. Ciò che ognuno di noi, almeno una volta, può aver pensato riguardo a dei possibili attentatori islamici, si riversa sullo schermo, come una proiezione mentale. Quando le nostre fantasie prendono vita però, non seguono il percorso che ci eravamo prefissati, anzi, spaccano le barriere fra razze e religioni mettendo in scena un registro di situazioni esilaranti e al contempo macabre, contornate da momenti teneri, nei quali il registra mostra quanta umanità in colui che ci spaventa, il tanto chiacchierato straniero, "diverso". E rivela l'umanità dietro ad un gesto, quello di farsi esplodere, che di buono ha davvero poco. Durante la visione non ce ne si accorge, si ride di gusto attendendo il prossimo guaio in cui si cacceranno i protagonisti e si seguono le varie vicende; eppure, non appena il film termina, ci si ritrova a disagio. Ed il disagio è creato dal dispiacere per aver visto morire tutti i nostri eroi. Ci si scopre affezionati a quegli improbabili attentatori, che andavano cercando così goffamente il paradiso. Il dubbio finale, di waj prima, per quanto riguarda l'esplosione, e dei due cecchini poi, trasmette un senso di smarrimento, di domanda perpetua. E ci si chiede: perchè? Perchè le persone sono capaci di tali gesti? E poi, perchè disprezziamo tanto le civiltà differenti dalla nostra? Perchè ci sentiamo bene solo quando il diverso è neutralizzato? Infine, il vero pericolo, è fuori o dentro di noi? E il cinema, quando propone anzichè risposte, delle domande, raggiunge il suo scopo più alto. See more
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Four Lions

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Movie Info

Synopsis A group of young Muslim men living in Sheffield decide to wage jihad, and they hatch an inept plan to become suicide bombers. Omar (Riz Ahmed) and Waj (Kayvan Novak) have a brief, disastrous run at a Pakistan training camp, while Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) works on an unlikely scheme to train birds to carry bombs. Their ill-conceived plan culminates at the London Marathon with their bumbling attempts to disrupt the event while dressed in outlandish costumes.
Director
Christopher Morris
Screenwriter
Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, Christopher Morris
Distributor
Alamo Drafthouse Films
Production Co
Warp Films, Film4, Wild Bunch
Rating
R (Some Sexual References|Language Throughout)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 5, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 7, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$304.1K
Runtime
1h 42m
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