Four Lions
We are four Lions.
Overview
Four Lions tells the story of a group of British jihadists who push their abstract dreams of glory to the breaking point. As the wheels fly off, and their competing ideologies clash, what emerges is an emotionally engaging (and entirely plausible) farce.
Backdrop
What makes this movie Worth Watching
Four Lions tackles the incredibly sensitive subject of Islamic extremism with a darkly comedic lens. It attempts to humanize, albeit in a satirical way, individuals drawn to radical ideologies, exploring the banality and often absurd incompetence behind their actions. The film was released at a time of heightened Islamophobia and fear surrounding terrorism, making its approach particularly daring.
- Its dark humor and satire offer a unique and often uncomfortable, yet hilarious, perspective on radicalization and terrorism.
- The characters are surprisingly relatable and humanized, despite their extreme views and ineptitude, creating a compelling and thought-provoking dynamic.
- The strong ensemble cast delivers brilliant comedic performances, making even the most absurd situations believable and funny.
- It provides a sharp critique of societal issues and the factors that can contribute to extremism, prompting reflection on complex and sensitive topics.
Fun Facts
- The director, Chris Morris, spent years researching and consulting with experts and members of the Muslim community to ensure the film, while comedic, was grounded in some form of reality.
- Riz Ahmed, who plays Omar, initially turned down the role due to concerns about perpetuating negative stereotypes, but changed his mind after further discussions with Chris Morris about the film's intention.
- The film was partially inspired by real-life stories of British jihadists and their bungled attempts at terrorist acts.
Available Languages
English
US
Title:
"We are four Lions."
普通话
CN
Title: 四头狮子
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Português
PT
Title: Quatro leões
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Français
FR
Title: We Are Four Lions
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Türkçe
TR
Title: Dört Aslan
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Deutsch
DE
Title:
""
Where to Watch
Cast
Crew
Reviews
Hilarious from the start to the end.
As recent examples of British cinema satire go, this is one of the better ones. It follows the antics of four Muslims who are fed up with the way the are being treated. It's "Omar" (Riz Ahmed) who comes up with a cunning plan that involves them trekking to Pakistan where they will learns all the ninja skills of the modern-day jihadist! The easily led "Waj" (Kayvan Novak) is up for it but convert "Barry" (Nigel Lindsay) isn't so keen and "Faisal" (Adeel Akhtar) is way more worried that his dad is having some sort of nervous incident. It's this latter man who might be more use, though - he does know how to make things explode and hits on the idea of using birds to do their bombing for them - a new slant on a dive bomber! Anyway, with all this to contend with we get to sit on the sidelines and smile as "Omar" struggles to get his "cell" to achieve anything that doesn't actually involve them inflicting way more harm on each other than on anyone or anything else. If this were ever to be a manual for a would-be terrorist, then we could all sleep very safely in our beds. The writing is pithy and entertaining, as is the dynamic between these hapless dopes who probably couldn't simultaneously light four birthday cake candles much less anything more perilous. It doesn't hang about, has it's tongue in it's cheek and sends up not just the world of would be fanaticism but also the ridiculousness of the politics of irrational hate and division. The ending has something really quite fitting about it too - birds coming home to roost - and the whole thing is an engagingly enjoyable observation of how effective humour can be at detoxifying a situation.
Oscar Awards
Wins
Haven't Won A Oscar
Nominations
Haven't Nominated for Oscar
Media
Featurette
Where are the cast of FOUR LIONS now?
Clip
Rubber Dinghy Rapids
Clip
Dancing in the Moonlight