Four Lions (2010, Dir: Chris Morris)

Patiently waiting for this film to start in the Civic theatre in Auckland, I was amazed at the number of white-haired cinema patrons sat around me. I wasn’t sure if they were in the wrong venue or if they were simply pulled in by the allure of a British comedy on a cold Friday night (probably the latter). Either way, I bet Mrs. Popcorn Logic that they wouldn’t make the duration of the film. I’ve been exposed to a fair bit of Chris Morris’ comedy, and if there’s one understatement to make, it’s that he doesn’t really make the sort of comedy to please older people.

However, it seems that I overestimated how extreme this film was going to be. As long as you can get past the initial thrust of the film – that it’s a farce about four moronic British Muslims who decide to become suicide bombers – then its relatively easy going. Although you would expect Morris to up his game, freed from the constraints of television, he doesn’t really use the power of the silver screen to shock. Instead, his debut feature isn’t too far from the wholesome television comedy that Britain is famous for.

We open on the four in Sheffield (although I’m sure any Northern England mill town would have been a suitable stand-in) and a half-botched attempt at filming a home-made video to proclaim themselves as Jihadi terrorists. After a failed training trip to Pakistan, and the inclusion of a fifth member of the group, things get slightly more serious as they blunder into one situation after another.

It’s pretty hard to review a comedy and give enough sense of the film without giving the jokes away. Hence why it’s always a very bad idea to watch trailers for comedies. All I will say is that the film goes where other comedies dare not tread, without going too far.

(By the way, I lost the bet – the white-hair brigade stayed until the very end and seemingly enjoyed every minute).