Movie Man finds out: Can terrorism be funny?
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Source: rrstar
The controversial dark comedy ‘Four Lions’ answers ‘yes’
DRAFTHOUSE FILMS
In this film publicity image released by Drafthouse Films, from left, Nigel Lindsay, Kayvan Novak and Arsher Ali are shown in a scene from "Four Lions."
The controversial dark comedy ‘Four Lions’ answers ‘yes’
By Will Pfeifer
Posted Mar 11, 2011
The name “Chris Morris” might not mean anything to you, but if you’re a fan of cutting-edge comedy, it’s one you should know. Since the 1990s, Morris has been breaking new satirical ground with “The Day Today” and “Brass Eye,” both blistering parodies of British news shows. Now he’s crossed over to movies — and crossed the ocean — with “Four Lions.” And, if anything, it’s even more daring than his TV work.
The film follows four would-be suicide bombers planning to attack the London Marathon. In most movies, the main characters of this story would be the brave secret agent who uncovers their scheme and manages to stop it at the last possible second. In “Four Lions,” the bombers are the main characters, and there’s no brave secret agent in sight.
Unsettling? You bet. But part of the bold brilliance of “Four Lions” is how Morris and his cast strike a precarious balance between horrifying you with what these men are planning to do and amusing you with how they’re going about it. Because, like all great comedies, “Four Lions” gets its laughs from simple human moments, like the guys recording their videos or using a kids computer game to communicate. Admittedly, when those simple human moments are set against the background of international terrorism, the laughs are a bit tougher to come by, but “Four Lions,” against all odds, succeeds.
The main characters are classic comedy types. There’s Omar (Riz Ahmed), the nice guy and family man trying to keep his four associates on task and under control. Then there’s his friend, Waj (Kayvan Novak) a not-so-bright guy eager to follow along. Handling the explosives — but not quite well enough — is Fessal (Adeel Akhtar). Adding a touch of youth is Hassan (Arsher Ali), a would-be rapper who is even more clueless than the rest about what exactly they’re getting into. Finally, Barry (Nigel Lindsay) is the most fanatical of the bunch, shouting slogans and encouraging everyone to strap on the bombs until its too late to call off the plan.
To the films’ credit, the plan never is called off. If you’re making a comedy about a gang of hapless terrorists, the easy way out would be for them to (a) come to their senses or (b) be stopped by that secret agent I mentioned earlier. But as “Four Lions” heads into its last act, the guys are rigged with explosives, wearing crazy animal costumes and are all set to blow up London.
For me, that’s where “Four Lions” stopped being a smart, sharp comedy and approached the level of “Dr. Strangelove.” Stanley Kubrick’s classic cold war satire had the guts to follow through on its promise and actually destroy the world. Chris Morris’ modern day version does the same thing, and it takes itself seriously, too. This is no shockfest that finds dark humor in senseless deaths — just the opposite, in fact. By the end, you’re gasping in disbelief more than you’re laughing, but that’s OK. The best comedies aren’t always funny.
Back in the days immediately following the 9/11 attacks, pop culture was in such a nervous state that images of the Twin Towers were removed from the poster for “Spider-Man” and the movie “Zoolander.” The idea of making a movie — let alone a comedy — about terrorism seemed more than tasteless, it seemed borderline treasonous.
But now, almost a decade later, “Four Lions” has not only been made, it’s now available for home viewing in the good ol’ U.S. of A. And that’s a very good thing. Because in the real war on terrorism, the one for the hearts and minds, he who laughs wins.
Will Pfeifer writes about DVDs for the Register Star on Saturdays. Contact him at wpfeifer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1244. Read his blog at blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/.
The film follows four would-be suicide bombers planning to attack the London Marathon. In most movies, the main characters of this story would be the brave secret agent who uncovers their scheme and manages to stop it at the last possible second. In “Four Lions,” the bombers are the main characters, and there’s no brave secret agent in sight.
Unsettling? You bet. But part of the bold brilliance of “Four Lions” is how Morris and his cast strike a precarious balance between horrifying you with what these men are planning to do and amusing you with how they’re going about it. Because, like all great comedies, “Four Lions” gets its laughs from simple human moments, like the guys recording their videos or using a kids computer game to communicate. Admittedly, when those simple human moments are set against the background of international terrorism, the laughs are a bit tougher to come by, but “Four Lions,” against all odds, succeeds.
The main characters are classic comedy types. There’s Omar (Riz Ahmed), the nice guy and family man trying to keep his four associates on task and under control. Then there’s his friend, Waj (Kayvan Novak) a not-so-bright guy eager to follow along. Handling the explosives — but not quite well enough — is Fessal (Adeel Akhtar). Adding a touch of youth is Hassan (Arsher Ali), a would-be rapper who is even more clueless than the rest about what exactly they’re getting into. Finally, Barry (Nigel Lindsay) is the most fanatical of the bunch, shouting slogans and encouraging everyone to strap on the bombs until its too late to call off the plan.
To the films’ credit, the plan never is called off. If you’re making a comedy about a gang of hapless terrorists, the easy way out would be for them to (a) come to their senses or (b) be stopped by that secret agent I mentioned earlier. But as “Four Lions” heads into its last act, the guys are rigged with explosives, wearing crazy animal costumes and are all set to blow up London.
For me, that’s where “Four Lions” stopped being a smart, sharp comedy and approached the level of “Dr. Strangelove.” Stanley Kubrick’s classic cold war satire had the guts to follow through on its promise and actually destroy the world. Chris Morris’ modern day version does the same thing, and it takes itself seriously, too. This is no shockfest that finds dark humor in senseless deaths — just the opposite, in fact. By the end, you’re gasping in disbelief more than you’re laughing, but that’s OK. The best comedies aren’t always funny.
Back in the days immediately following the 9/11 attacks, pop culture was in such a nervous state that images of the Twin Towers were removed from the poster for “Spider-Man” and the movie “Zoolander.” The idea of making a movie — let alone a comedy — about terrorism seemed more than tasteless, it seemed borderline treasonous.
But now, almost a decade later, “Four Lions” has not only been made, it’s now available for home viewing in the good ol’ U.S. of A. And that’s a very good thing. Because in the real war on terrorism, the one for the hearts and minds, he who laughs wins.
Will Pfeifer writes about DVDs for the Register Star on Saturdays. Contact him at wpfeifer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1244. Read his blog at blogs.e-rockford.com/movieman/.
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