The major values and ideologies of this production, overall cast a negative light on the Muslim society. This film seems to stereotypes all Muslims to be crazed terrorists. This enables the audience to assume that, although watching a comedy, the religion of Islam is corrupt- enforcing racism within society- adding to recent commotion about silly political highlights and past terror attacks, such as 7/7 and 9/11.
The film aims to teach the audience that even though extremists may exist in certain religions- the non extremists whom are law abiding are wrongly being persecuted for crimes they are not committing, however are still stereotypically being cursed for.
Sunday 12 September 2010
Narrative
the narrative of the film is in chronological order as it shows the journey travelled by the five men to blow themselves up in the name of their god. as they decide how they going to die, one of the men die by accident, from there the film takes its title- four lions. this also structures the film as it enables the audience to start a countdown as to whom will die first, how and when.
you could say that the terrorists claim to be the heroes in the eyes of their religion, but in reality they are the villains. they cause the damage in the name of their god- although having been told not to, in addition, at one point one of the men plans to bomb his own local mosque- the on he visits- whilst his friends father is inside.
in terms of the protagonists and identity, as the men plan to kill themselves to please each other, some decide they no longer wish to waste their life and that they should no longer deserve to be pushed into an act they are so deadly against. with hesitancy being a theme toward the end of the film from the protagonists- alienation starts to take place. this has the same effect in the audience- should they forgive the men knowing these acts happen in reality, or should the audience be relieved that they doubt themselves and die an unfortunate and unwilling death.
sounds such as police sirens going off causes panic- however especially when a few bombs have gone off before, this along with the fast paced editing and cuts emphasises the panic and need of stability for the audience watching, but especially for the terrorist attack victims. these effects in any other film would cause distress but due to the film being of the comedy genre the audience are re assured that a harmless ending will entail.
you could say that the terrorists claim to be the heroes in the eyes of their religion, but in reality they are the villains. they cause the damage in the name of their god- although having been told not to, in addition, at one point one of the men plans to bomb his own local mosque- the on he visits- whilst his friends father is inside.
in terms of the protagonists and identity, as the men plan to kill themselves to please each other, some decide they no longer wish to waste their life and that they should no longer deserve to be pushed into an act they are so deadly against. with hesitancy being a theme toward the end of the film from the protagonists- alienation starts to take place. this has the same effect in the audience- should they forgive the men knowing these acts happen in reality, or should the audience be relieved that they doubt themselves and die an unfortunate and unwilling death.
sounds such as police sirens going off causes panic- however especially when a few bombs have gone off before, this along with the fast paced editing and cuts emphasises the panic and need of stability for the audience watching, but especially for the terrorist attack victims. these effects in any other film would cause distress but due to the film being of the comedy genre the audience are re assured that a harmless ending will entail.
media languages and forms
the characters as a whole, along with the themes of the film connote that all terrorists are madly in love with religion despite knowing deep down what they do is bad. admittedly, they agree that murder is a sin, however calling a murder a sacrifice makes it OK.
the process of the bomb making and the props, for example, raw materials denote that the characters are pursuing to cause damage. also, actions that occur through out the film denote that they don't actually know what they are doing- and therefore this connotes disaster. basically, on that fact alone lies the connotations of the whole production. it is a hap hazard guide to stupid criminals whom believe they are god.
Having already touched upon the silliness of the characters this is also connoted by the characters facial expressions when fazed by questions. for example, one character takes a picture of his face to re assure him self the is not showing his ' not confused face'- as he calls it. in terms of clothing, the majority of the public can identify the ethnicity of the protagonists and then further to learn of their religion. this deliberate hint for the audience denotes that the men are Muslim as they prey at a mosque and wear their religious robes.
the significance of the mise en scene enables the audience to identify with the problem of terrorism due to past events such as 7/7. London is a place where the production is shot and thereof ore evokes enigma codes from the audience, for example, is the point of this production to focus mainly on 7/7? Additionally, the language used in some of the scenes also encourages the audience to guess the religion and nationality of the characters- backed by the clothing and stereotypical props.
in terms of the soundtrack it is Avril 14th by Aphex Twin. this causes binary oppositions to occur as the film is about destroying places, lives and happiness- and therefore such a peaceful song encourages emotions of happiness and sadness to unite whilst watching this humorous tragedy.
camera angles are more or less used to show the humour of the tragedies when bombs are going off or when unfortunate events are about to unfold. some camera tricks such as night vision add a sense of police environment. additionally, the start of the film is recorder through a hand held camera. this is shown ton purpose as the audience soon realise that the men are terrorists with guns and the typical sheet behind them- as shown in real life terrorist films.
the process of the bomb making and the props, for example, raw materials denote that the characters are pursuing to cause damage. also, actions that occur through out the film denote that they don't actually know what they are doing- and therefore this connotes disaster. basically, on that fact alone lies the connotations of the whole production. it is a hap hazard guide to stupid criminals whom believe they are god.
Having already touched upon the silliness of the characters this is also connoted by the characters facial expressions when fazed by questions. for example, one character takes a picture of his face to re assure him self the is not showing his ' not confused face'- as he calls it. in terms of clothing, the majority of the public can identify the ethnicity of the protagonists and then further to learn of their religion. this deliberate hint for the audience denotes that the men are Muslim as they prey at a mosque and wear their religious robes.
the significance of the mise en scene enables the audience to identify with the problem of terrorism due to past events such as 7/7. London is a place where the production is shot and thereof ore evokes enigma codes from the audience, for example, is the point of this production to focus mainly on 7/7? Additionally, the language used in some of the scenes also encourages the audience to guess the religion and nationality of the characters- backed by the clothing and stereotypical props.
in terms of the soundtrack it is Avril 14th by Aphex Twin. this causes binary oppositions to occur as the film is about destroying places, lives and happiness- and therefore such a peaceful song encourages emotions of happiness and sadness to unite whilst watching this humorous tragedy.
camera angles are more or less used to show the humour of the tragedies when bombs are going off or when unfortunate events are about to unfold. some camera tricks such as night vision add a sense of police environment. additionally, the start of the film is recorder through a hand held camera. this is shown ton purpose as the audience soon realise that the men are terrorists with guns and the typical sheet behind them- as shown in real life terrorist films.
Saturday 11 September 2010
media institutions
The film four lions is produced by film4, therefore, it is of a low budget. because of this there are no star actors in the film. four lions comes across as a film with an art house feel, and in addition, this enables the audience to relate with the film and its themes and days such as 7/7 still haunt us. the audience can identify with some scenes in London and other cities such as Sheffield- however some mistakes with the production have been mistakes for example, in Sheffield bus' are not red- like in London.
the film is of a low budget, commercial background. this makes problems for a wider distribution as there is less of a budget- less is spent on advertisements. therefore the film has been released in the same year of production on DVD and blue ray. this also affects the distribution of the film and makes it less likely to make a good profit. however, being an art house film- profit is not the motivation or idea of the production.
the film is of a low budget, commercial background. this makes problems for a wider distribution as there is less of a budget- less is spent on advertisements. therefore the film has been released in the same year of production on DVD and blue ray. this also affects the distribution of the film and makes it less likely to make a good profit. however, being an art house film- profit is not the motivation or idea of the production.
Genre
Four lions is a comedy drama. it has actors who have worked for television before and have some little experience in comedy. the real hero of this production is the director- Christopher Morris. A man with a legendary bad reputation for offending the nation with his crude humour and racist jokes.
Includes a groups of friends whom target each other with jokes and attacks of bad language. Other factors which add the humour is when a terrorist kills a sheep by accident, and as a consequence blows him self up too. Similarly, the same man attaches a bomb to a crow and wishes it to fly and blow up near people so he can truly call him sell a terrorist. In reality this is purely stupid, however with the concept of the movie, ideas like these are gelled together, and in turn, this makes the audience identify with the characters. Enigma codes are raised where the audience resemble their friendships and the acts of those friends and compare them to the bombers.
With regards to iconographic there are many icons in this film which resemble the genre of comedy and the theme of terrorism. for example, on of the protagonists is dancing with a neighbour whilst building a bomb (an activity which should be done secretive).
The characters themselves are shown to be stupid, and then once the group of friends have been established the audience can see who really is the biggest idiot. for example, you can have a convert, but a convert should surely be able to read his holy book, other wise his existence in that religion is pointless. also, the same man is forced to punch himself in the face until he breaks his nose and bleeds- what grown men would do this? but it is for this reason that the comedic values of the serious themes make the film a pleasure to watch.
Irony plays a huge part in this film. it is amazing to watch grown men whom cannot even sit down for 30 seconds without fidgeting like toddlers, becoming terrorists. a perfect example of this is when the American plane must be attacked but one of the men point the rocket launcher the wrong way, and ends up killing osama bin laden- ironically a result for the world.
Includes a groups of friends whom target each other with jokes and attacks of bad language. Other factors which add the humour is when a terrorist kills a sheep by accident, and as a consequence blows him self up too. Similarly, the same man attaches a bomb to a crow and wishes it to fly and blow up near people so he can truly call him sell a terrorist. In reality this is purely stupid, however with the concept of the movie, ideas like these are gelled together, and in turn, this makes the audience identify with the characters. Enigma codes are raised where the audience resemble their friendships and the acts of those friends and compare them to the bombers.
With regards to iconographic there are many icons in this film which resemble the genre of comedy and the theme of terrorism. for example, on of the protagonists is dancing with a neighbour whilst building a bomb (an activity which should be done secretive).
The characters themselves are shown to be stupid, and then once the group of friends have been established the audience can see who really is the biggest idiot. for example, you can have a convert, but a convert should surely be able to read his holy book, other wise his existence in that religion is pointless. also, the same man is forced to punch himself in the face until he breaks his nose and bleeds- what grown men would do this? but it is for this reason that the comedic values of the serious themes make the film a pleasure to watch.
Irony plays a huge part in this film. it is amazing to watch grown men whom cannot even sit down for 30 seconds without fidgeting like toddlers, becoming terrorists. a perfect example of this is when the American plane must be attacked but one of the men point the rocket launcher the wrong way, and ends up killing osama bin laden- ironically a result for the world.
Media Audiences
target audience:
15-50
male and female
demographics- C2, D, E
physogrpahics- reformers, succeders, strugglers
middle class
Due to the themes of the film it targets a niche market, this obviously limits its success and therofre conntoes that it maybe an art house production. The films audience clearly demonstrates that they seek escapism from a world that laughing at death and terrorism is frowned upon. therefore this film enables the audience to experience laughter in which they are not judged, for their dark humoured personality- so status and and class remains unaffected.
Four lions contains themes of death, terrorism and bad language therefore the films 15+ certificate seems to limit the under age viewings. however, these themes are constantly in the news and so in effect youngsters are not always sheltered form the harsh reality.
personally i believe that this film is great. it offers laughter at dark and unlawful acts. the production offers a new insight to the life of some terrorists, rather that just their acts. this enables us to dig deeper within society and realise that terrorism is just a foolish acts by crazed extremists whom don't understand the value of life and so they destroy happiness.
if the audience are form a multicultural background and dependant on their views on religions this productions can offer many laughs and bring people together in a sense that, all people from one religion are not judged to be mad. in contrast, religious people may take offence as the film targets only the Muslim religion and portrays all Muslim men and women in a negative media spotlight, in addition to the rel life crisis of racism already living, for example- national burn the Koran day- also supported by non Muslim extremists.
15-50
male and female
demographics- C2, D, E
physogrpahics- reformers, succeders, strugglers
middle class
Due to the themes of the film it targets a niche market, this obviously limits its success and therofre conntoes that it maybe an art house production. The films audience clearly demonstrates that they seek escapism from a world that laughing at death and terrorism is frowned upon. therefore this film enables the audience to experience laughter in which they are not judged, for their dark humoured personality- so status and and class remains unaffected.
Four lions contains themes of death, terrorism and bad language therefore the films 15+ certificate seems to limit the under age viewings. however, these themes are constantly in the news and so in effect youngsters are not always sheltered form the harsh reality.
personally i believe that this film is great. it offers laughter at dark and unlawful acts. the production offers a new insight to the life of some terrorists, rather that just their acts. this enables us to dig deeper within society and realise that terrorism is just a foolish acts by crazed extremists whom don't understand the value of life and so they destroy happiness.
if the audience are form a multicultural background and dependant on their views on religions this productions can offer many laughs and bring people together in a sense that, all people from one religion are not judged to be mad. in contrast, religious people may take offence as the film targets only the Muslim religion and portrays all Muslim men and women in a negative media spotlight, in addition to the rel life crisis of racism already living, for example- national burn the Koran day- also supported by non Muslim extremists.
Media representations
MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS
Male muslim extremists are represented to be uneducated and shown to be stupid. this is shown, for example, when a bomb is put on a crow, or when a grown man refers to chickens as rabbits repeatedly.
i suppose the extremists are represented like this to show the directors points of view or alternativley the mainstream audiences strong hatred towards terrorism. also, as terrorism is a danger to a wide audience, therefore very serious aspects of death are shown to be in a humour filled light. this helps demonstrates key concepts of death in an easy way to understand and one which chooses not to offend but to educates in a unusaul way.
however, this film does portray only a small group of muslims in society to be threats towards the world. the directors have been very specific when establishing this theme as it is repeated through out the film and binary oppositions are shown between the extremists and good, law abiding muslims (who ironicalyy are blamed for the terrorist attacks).
with regards to self representation, this media has no resemblence to me in any way. however, it appeals to me purley because it is humurous and does make easy veiwing for such important, real-life threatening situations.
Male muslim extremists are represented to be uneducated and shown to be stupid. this is shown, for example, when a bomb is put on a crow, or when a grown man refers to chickens as rabbits repeatedly.
i suppose the extremists are represented like this to show the directors points of view or alternativley the mainstream audiences strong hatred towards terrorism. also, as terrorism is a danger to a wide audience, therefore very serious aspects of death are shown to be in a humour filled light. this helps demonstrates key concepts of death in an easy way to understand and one which chooses not to offend but to educates in a unusaul way.
however, this film does portray only a small group of muslims in society to be threats towards the world. the directors have been very specific when establishing this theme as it is repeated through out the film and binary oppositions are shown between the extremists and good, law abiding muslims (who ironicalyy are blamed for the terrorist attacks).
with regards to self representation, this media has no resemblence to me in any way. however, it appeals to me purley because it is humurous and does make easy veiwing for such important, real-life threatening situations.
Thursday 9 September 2010
empireonline's review
Sundance 2010: Four Lions blows everyone away!
Posted on Sunday January 24, 2010, 10:55 by Damon Wise in Under The Radar
It's late at night, so I'll skip Teenage Paparazzo and Howl for now to concentrate on the world premiere of Chris Morris's directing debut, Four Lions, which premiered tonight at the Egyptian theatre. I won't keep you on tenterhooks, I thought it was great; it's a slow burn to start, but I think that once it has bedded in, Four Lions will prove to be one of the most original, provocative and enduring comedies of the early 21st century. I'll admit now that I haven't always been a diehard Morris fan. The Day Today, with its flashes of brilliance, often left me cold, and, to be honest, I'm not sure I ever saw a second of Jam. Brass Eye, though, got my attention, and I must be the only person in the world that loves Nathan Barley. Like, really, really, really loves Nathan Barley.
So, in a nutshell, I didn't go in thinking of Morris as the second coming, and I feel comfortable in saying that if you had high hopes for this film, I really don't think you'll be disappointed. For me, the closest equivalent I can think of is a classic Ealing movie, something like Kind Hearts And Coronets, or, to a lesser extent, The Ladykillers. People think nowadays of Ealing comedies as quaint, starchily witty affairs, but far from it: though those films professed to have very rigid ideas of right and wrong, part of the fun of them was the murkiness of the shades of grey in between. My favourite example of this is in Kind Hearts, when the vengeful Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) murders the nicest, most gentle member of the D'Ascoyne family (all played by Alec Guinness), simply because he has to. We, the audience, know this, and even though we feel sympathy for his victim, the first impulse we get when we see his shed blow up is not to feel shocked – it's to laugh.
The genius of Ealing was that the viewer's conscience was always allowed back into the room later, like an intellectual backdraft. And this is what Morris is working with here. Though it's not technically very flash, Four Lions has an intelligent and emotional subtlety that could be risky for its immediate commercial appeal. Morris doesn't labour his satire, he concentrates on character, just as Ealing did, with the result that Four Lions is the most engaging and fuzzy-warm film about people who want to kill you that you'll ever see. They are clumsy, vain, moronic and misguided, yet for all their faults, these are people that are actually fun to spend some time with. And even at the end, when their jihadi plans threaten to reach a kind of fruition, it's quite uncomfortably hard to stop caring for these unlikely brothers as they take their terrorist plot to the streets of London.
Because, oh yes, Four Lions really is a film about terrorists, and not in a pussyfoot way. Though the style is low-key and the comedy deadpan, what these guys are about is absolutely real: nail bombs, explosives, collateral damage, the whole nine yards. But the genius of this film is to take us into their world; we don't know what the motives are, or how they came to be radicalised, but we do know that they've assembled into a half-arsed cell by the time we meet them. Led by Omar (Riz Ahmed), a middle-class security guard who lives with his wife and kid, the group includes the mouthy white radical Barry (Nigel Lindsay), the idiot Waj (Kayvan Novak) and the borderline vegetable Fessel (Adeel Akhtar). Recruited by Barry while Omar and Waj are away on an abortive trip to a Pakistan training camp, Hassan (Arsher Ali) rounds out this bickering yet strangely loyal quintet.
I'm being deliberately vague on story here; I don't want to spoil too much other than to say not only is Morris's film a deliciously subversive comic ride, it truly gunges up the synapses with so many conflicting emotions while the one-liners are flowing that the only thing you can do is give in to its demented logic and laugh, all the while praying that you'll get your moral compass back when this whole thing is over. But my saying that this isn't just the usual pandering to Morris's envelope-pushing prowess: it's also thanks to a brilliant cast, notably Ahmed, who really shows a brave and mature talent here. I have a feeling that broadsheets and tabloids alike will take potshots at this film for its more out-there moments (Omar openly shares his martyrdom fantasies with his wife and young son), but the reason I think this film is so important is that its British-Asian actors – these are not outside insurgents, they're homegrown northerners – are so within Morris's world, and so up to speed with his humour, that it articulates an inclusive viewpoint on suicide bombers in which the whole notion of 'them and us' does not just boil down to race: it boils down to them, the idiots, and us, the people who only see horror in extremism.
The traditional, liberal way to deal with anything as bold and brilliant as this is to look for the flaws, to find that bit of the canvas that isn't quite shaded and say, 'Look! There's a bit missing!' Or it's to side with the establishment outrage and pretend to be different by saying, 'For all it's immaturity, there is something significant here.' Personally, I think Four Lions is a creeping, under-the-skin classic, a comedy that will reward viewing after viewing and might ultimately best last year's In The Loop for quotability. And by the year's end, who knows what the result will be? Either Chris Morris will be in hiding in Salman Rushdie's broom cupboard or the phrase “Fuck Mini Babybel!” will become a national treasure. If there is a God, an Allah, whatever, it must surely be the latter.
Posted on Sunday January 24, 2010, 10:55 by Damon Wise in Under The Radar
It's late at night, so I'll skip Teenage Paparazzo and Howl for now to concentrate on the world premiere of Chris Morris's directing debut, Four Lions, which premiered tonight at the Egyptian theatre. I won't keep you on tenterhooks, I thought it was great; it's a slow burn to start, but I think that once it has bedded in, Four Lions will prove to be one of the most original, provocative and enduring comedies of the early 21st century. I'll admit now that I haven't always been a diehard Morris fan. The Day Today, with its flashes of brilliance, often left me cold, and, to be honest, I'm not sure I ever saw a second of Jam. Brass Eye, though, got my attention, and I must be the only person in the world that loves Nathan Barley. Like, really, really, really loves Nathan Barley.
So, in a nutshell, I didn't go in thinking of Morris as the second coming, and I feel comfortable in saying that if you had high hopes for this film, I really don't think you'll be disappointed. For me, the closest equivalent I can think of is a classic Ealing movie, something like Kind Hearts And Coronets, or, to a lesser extent, The Ladykillers. People think nowadays of Ealing comedies as quaint, starchily witty affairs, but far from it: though those films professed to have very rigid ideas of right and wrong, part of the fun of them was the murkiness of the shades of grey in between. My favourite example of this is in Kind Hearts, when the vengeful Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) murders the nicest, most gentle member of the D'Ascoyne family (all played by Alec Guinness), simply because he has to. We, the audience, know this, and even though we feel sympathy for his victim, the first impulse we get when we see his shed blow up is not to feel shocked – it's to laugh.
The genius of Ealing was that the viewer's conscience was always allowed back into the room later, like an intellectual backdraft. And this is what Morris is working with here. Though it's not technically very flash, Four Lions has an intelligent and emotional subtlety that could be risky for its immediate commercial appeal. Morris doesn't labour his satire, he concentrates on character, just as Ealing did, with the result that Four Lions is the most engaging and fuzzy-warm film about people who want to kill you that you'll ever see. They are clumsy, vain, moronic and misguided, yet for all their faults, these are people that are actually fun to spend some time with. And even at the end, when their jihadi plans threaten to reach a kind of fruition, it's quite uncomfortably hard to stop caring for these unlikely brothers as they take their terrorist plot to the streets of London.
Because, oh yes, Four Lions really is a film about terrorists, and not in a pussyfoot way. Though the style is low-key and the comedy deadpan, what these guys are about is absolutely real: nail bombs, explosives, collateral damage, the whole nine yards. But the genius of this film is to take us into their world; we don't know what the motives are, or how they came to be radicalised, but we do know that they've assembled into a half-arsed cell by the time we meet them. Led by Omar (Riz Ahmed), a middle-class security guard who lives with his wife and kid, the group includes the mouthy white radical Barry (Nigel Lindsay), the idiot Waj (Kayvan Novak) and the borderline vegetable Fessel (Adeel Akhtar). Recruited by Barry while Omar and Waj are away on an abortive trip to a Pakistan training camp, Hassan (Arsher Ali) rounds out this bickering yet strangely loyal quintet.
I'm being deliberately vague on story here; I don't want to spoil too much other than to say not only is Morris's film a deliciously subversive comic ride, it truly gunges up the synapses with so many conflicting emotions while the one-liners are flowing that the only thing you can do is give in to its demented logic and laugh, all the while praying that you'll get your moral compass back when this whole thing is over. But my saying that this isn't just the usual pandering to Morris's envelope-pushing prowess: it's also thanks to a brilliant cast, notably Ahmed, who really shows a brave and mature talent here. I have a feeling that broadsheets and tabloids alike will take potshots at this film for its more out-there moments (Omar openly shares his martyrdom fantasies with his wife and young son), but the reason I think this film is so important is that its British-Asian actors – these are not outside insurgents, they're homegrown northerners – are so within Morris's world, and so up to speed with his humour, that it articulates an inclusive viewpoint on suicide bombers in which the whole notion of 'them and us' does not just boil down to race: it boils down to them, the idiots, and us, the people who only see horror in extremism.
The traditional, liberal way to deal with anything as bold and brilliant as this is to look for the flaws, to find that bit of the canvas that isn't quite shaded and say, 'Look! There's a bit missing!' Or it's to side with the establishment outrage and pretend to be different by saying, 'For all it's immaturity, there is something significant here.' Personally, I think Four Lions is a creeping, under-the-skin classic, a comedy that will reward viewing after viewing and might ultimately best last year's In The Loop for quotability. And by the year's end, who knows what the result will be? Either Chris Morris will be in hiding in Salman Rushdie's broom cupboard or the phrase “Fuck Mini Babybel!” will become a national treasure. If there is a God, an Allah, whatever, it must surely be the latter.
Chris Morris's terrorist comedy premieres at Sundance
A British comedy about a group of aspiring suicide bombers has premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Four Lions was created by satirist Chris Morris, who was behind the controversial Channel 4 show Brass Eye.
He said the film shows "the Dad's Army side to terrorism", as four incompetent jihadists plan to attack London.
Early reviews described the movie as "deliciously subversive", but suggested that a shift in tone from satire to thriller in the second half fell flat.
"As a satire on terror, Four Lions seems to be a missed opportunity precisely because of those tonal shifts," wrote Jeremy Kay in The Guardian.
Film magazine Empire was more positive, noting that the movie "articulates an inclusive viewpoint" in which the "notion of 'them and us' does not just boil down to race: It boils down to them, the idiots, and us, the people who only see horror in extremism".
Arsher Ali, who plays one of the would-be terrorists, told the BBC that the film is first and foremost, a comedy.
"It's a dynamic of a bunch of guys who get together and mess everything up," he told Radio 4's Today programme.
"Terrorism is in the news almost every day, but there are little stories within those things that are inherently comic and inherently human.
"A film like this is obviously a very strong counterpoint to the very serious side of it, which none of us condone, but there are human stories that need to be told, which can be quite touching."
But the British-funded film is guaranteed to cause controversy, according to David D'Arcy from Hollywood trade publication Screen International.
"It will offend all sorts of people," he said. "It will offend the British, it will offend Muslims, it will offend jihadists.
"But if satire doesn't offend people, it is not satire."
'Foolish'
Morris has refused requests for interviews, but addressed the Sundance audience following the premiere, telling them the film was inspired by an account of a botched terror attack he read five years ago.
"It was like an Ealing comedy," he said. "I felt there was a missing link and these guys were pretty foolish."
Four Lions is just one of several films at Sundance to touch on contentious contemporary political and social issues.
One documentary looks at the Mormon church's influence on the 2008 ballot which banned gay marriage in California, and many other dramas are set against the backdrop of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of them, Buried, became the first movie to find a buyer at the festival.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, it is a claustrophobic thriller about a civilian truck driver trapped in a coffin in Iraq. The film takes place almost entirely underground.
Film studio Lionsgate snapped up the rights to the movie for $3.2m (£1.98m) after it screened to near-universal approval on Sunday.
The Sundance festival runs until 31 January in Utah.
A total of 113 movies from the US and around the world are screened at the annual event, organised by film star Robert Redford.
Four Lions was created by satirist Chris Morris, who was behind the controversial Channel 4 show Brass Eye.
He said the film shows "the Dad's Army side to terrorism", as four incompetent jihadists plan to attack London.
Early reviews described the movie as "deliciously subversive", but suggested that a shift in tone from satire to thriller in the second half fell flat.
"As a satire on terror, Four Lions seems to be a missed opportunity precisely because of those tonal shifts," wrote Jeremy Kay in The Guardian.
Film magazine Empire was more positive, noting that the movie "articulates an inclusive viewpoint" in which the "notion of 'them and us' does not just boil down to race: It boils down to them, the idiots, and us, the people who only see horror in extremism".
Arsher Ali, who plays one of the would-be terrorists, told the BBC that the film is first and foremost, a comedy.
"It's a dynamic of a bunch of guys who get together and mess everything up," he told Radio 4's Today programme.
"Terrorism is in the news almost every day, but there are little stories within those things that are inherently comic and inherently human.
"A film like this is obviously a very strong counterpoint to the very serious side of it, which none of us condone, but there are human stories that need to be told, which can be quite touching."
But the British-funded film is guaranteed to cause controversy, according to David D'Arcy from Hollywood trade publication Screen International.
"It will offend all sorts of people," he said. "It will offend the British, it will offend Muslims, it will offend jihadists.
"But if satire doesn't offend people, it is not satire."
'Foolish'
Morris has refused requests for interviews, but addressed the Sundance audience following the premiere, telling them the film was inspired by an account of a botched terror attack he read five years ago.
"It was like an Ealing comedy," he said. "I felt there was a missing link and these guys were pretty foolish."
Four Lions is just one of several films at Sundance to touch on contentious contemporary political and social issues.
One documentary looks at the Mormon church's influence on the 2008 ballot which banned gay marriage in California, and many other dramas are set against the backdrop of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of them, Buried, became the first movie to find a buyer at the festival.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, it is a claustrophobic thriller about a civilian truck driver trapped in a coffin in Iraq. The film takes place almost entirely underground.
Film studio Lionsgate snapped up the rights to the movie for $3.2m (£1.98m) after it screened to near-universal approval on Sunday.
The Sundance festival runs until 31 January in Utah.
A total of 113 movies from the US and around the world are screened at the annual event, organised by film star Robert Redford.
Four Lions film boycott urged by 7/7 families
Some families who lost relatives in the 2005 London bomb attacks are appealing to cinemas not to show a British comedy about four aspiring suicide bombers.
Four Lions, created by satirist Chris Morris, focuses on four men travelling to London to target the marathon.
Graham Foulkes, whose son was among the 52 killed on 7 July 2005, said that, with the tragedy still raw, the film was too closely aligned to real events.
The film's producers said they "did not seek to cause any offence".
'Very specific'
Mr Foulkes, whose 22-year-old son David was on the Tube train targeted at Edgware Road, told BBC Radio 5 live that parody and satire had a part to play in examining serious issues
"But here, what he's done, he's taken a specific attack," he said.
He said the film was about "four lads from the north, all with strong Yorkshire accents - and the bombers were from Yorkshire - travelling down to London".
"It's very specific. It's very aligned to what happened in 2005 and they talk about bombing in London.
"That's not parodying or being satire about terrorists. It's making money about a specific attack."
Mr Foulkes, who said he had watched clips of Four Lions online, said he and other relatives of victims were calling on cinemas to boycott the British-funded film.
Makers Warp Films said in a statement: "The film does not mock or trivialise the suffering caused by bombings.
"We sympathise with those affected by the events of 7 July and did not seek to cause them any offence."
Chris Morris, who was also behind the controversial Channel 4 series Brass Eye, says the film shows "the Dad's Army side to terrorism", as four incompetent jihadists plan an attack.
The think-tank Demos said by ridiculing the aims of terrorists, the film was a "critical weapon in the fight against terrorism".
'Denting brand'
Jamie Bartlett, author of The Edge of Violence, said it was "understandable" if families of victims of 7/7 were offended, but the film had a "very serious point at the heart of it".
"Many homegrown terrorists are not far removed from the film's characters: incompetent, narcissistic, irreligious.
"It is important that they are seen as such - as it can play a role in denting the brand of al-Qaeda. Satire has long been recognised as a powerful tool to do this," she said.
In January when the film was premiered, Arsher Ali, who plays one of the would-be terrorists, told the BBC the film was first and foremost a comedy.
"It's a dynamic of a bunch of guys who get together and mess everything up.
"Terrorism is in the news almost every day, but there are little stories within those things that are inherently comic and inherently human.
"A film like this is obviously a very strong counterpoint to the very serious side of it, which none of us condone, but there are human stories that need to be told, which can be quite touching."
Last week, many of the relatives' families attended a pre-inquest hearing. The full inquests are due to be held in October.
Four Lions, created by satirist Chris Morris, focuses on four men travelling to London to target the marathon.
Graham Foulkes, whose son was among the 52 killed on 7 July 2005, said that, with the tragedy still raw, the film was too closely aligned to real events.
The film's producers said they "did not seek to cause any offence".
'Very specific'
Mr Foulkes, whose 22-year-old son David was on the Tube train targeted at Edgware Road, told BBC Radio 5 live that parody and satire had a part to play in examining serious issues
"But here, what he's done, he's taken a specific attack," he said.
He said the film was about "four lads from the north, all with strong Yorkshire accents - and the bombers were from Yorkshire - travelling down to London".
"It's very specific. It's very aligned to what happened in 2005 and they talk about bombing in London.
"That's not parodying or being satire about terrorists. It's making money about a specific attack."
Mr Foulkes, who said he had watched clips of Four Lions online, said he and other relatives of victims were calling on cinemas to boycott the British-funded film.
Makers Warp Films said in a statement: "The film does not mock or trivialise the suffering caused by bombings.
"We sympathise with those affected by the events of 7 July and did not seek to cause them any offence."
Chris Morris, who was also behind the controversial Channel 4 series Brass Eye, says the film shows "the Dad's Army side to terrorism", as four incompetent jihadists plan an attack.
The think-tank Demos said by ridiculing the aims of terrorists, the film was a "critical weapon in the fight against terrorism".
'Denting brand'
Jamie Bartlett, author of The Edge of Violence, said it was "understandable" if families of victims of 7/7 were offended, but the film had a "very serious point at the heart of it".
"Many homegrown terrorists are not far removed from the film's characters: incompetent, narcissistic, irreligious.
"It is important that they are seen as such - as it can play a role in denting the brand of al-Qaeda. Satire has long been recognised as a powerful tool to do this," she said.
In January when the film was premiered, Arsher Ali, who plays one of the would-be terrorists, told the BBC the film was first and foremost a comedy.
"It's a dynamic of a bunch of guys who get together and mess everything up.
"Terrorism is in the news almost every day, but there are little stories within those things that are inherently comic and inherently human.
"A film like this is obviously a very strong counterpoint to the very serious side of it, which none of us condone, but there are human stories that need to be told, which can be quite touching."
Last week, many of the relatives' families attended a pre-inquest hearing. The full inquests are due to be held in October.
The winner
A comedy about British-born suicide bombers starring Riz Ahmed and Fonejacker prankster Kayvan Novak is by no means a sure thing at the UK box office. Hence, executives at Four Lions' backers Optimum posted messages of excitement and relief on Facebook over the weekend as the impressive numbers came rolling in: £609,000 from just 115 screens.
The site average of £5,292 was the highest of all the new releases, and double most of them. The result also compares favourably with the most obvious reference point: In the Loop (debut of £469,000 from 104 screens), released by Optimum in April 2009. The films share two writers – Jesse Armstrong and Simon Blackwell – and boast directors with reputations for edgy TV. But whereas Armando Iannucci's In the Loop benefited from brand value and cast elements from The Thick of It, Chris Morris's Four Lions began with a blank page. Clearly the Brass Eye creator's name, married to the controversial comedic concept, resonated with audiences. Four Lions is now set to expand on to significantly more screens.
UK top 10: 7-9 May
1. Iron Man 2, £3,214,776 from 522 sites. Total: £15,090,463
2. Furry Vengeance, £1,778,050 from 428 sites (New)
3. Nightmare On Elm Street, £1,342,837 from 354 sites (New)
4. Hot Tub Time Machine, £904,959 from 396 sites (New)
5. The Back-Up Plan, £710,201 from 279 sites (New)
6. Four Lions, £608,608 from 115 sites (New)
7. How to Train Your Dragon, £516,120 from 450 sites. Total: £16,405,622
8. The Last Song, £336,815 from 321 sites. Total: £1,552,278
9. Date Night, £336,345 from 330 sites. Total: £3,520,884
10. Clash of the Titans, £291,352 from 300 sites. Total: £19,938,794
A comedy about British-born suicide bombers starring Riz Ahmed and Fonejacker prankster Kayvan Novak is by no means a sure thing at the UK box office. Hence, executives at Four Lions' backers Optimum posted messages of excitement and relief on Facebook over the weekend as the impressive numbers came rolling in: £609,000 from just 115 screens.
The site average of £5,292 was the highest of all the new releases, and double most of them. The result also compares favourably with the most obvious reference point: In the Loop (debut of £469,000 from 104 screens), released by Optimum in April 2009. The films share two writers – Jesse Armstrong and Simon Blackwell – and boast directors with reputations for edgy TV. But whereas Armando Iannucci's In the Loop benefited from brand value and cast elements from The Thick of It, Chris Morris's Four Lions began with a blank page. Clearly the Brass Eye creator's name, married to the controversial comedic concept, resonated with audiences. Four Lions is now set to expand on to significantly more screens.
UK top 10: 7-9 May
1. Iron Man 2, £3,214,776 from 522 sites. Total: £15,090,463
2. Furry Vengeance, £1,778,050 from 428 sites (New)
3. Nightmare On Elm Street, £1,342,837 from 354 sites (New)
4. Hot Tub Time Machine, £904,959 from 396 sites (New)
5. The Back-Up Plan, £710,201 from 279 sites (New)
6. Four Lions, £608,608 from 115 sites (New)
7. How to Train Your Dragon, £516,120 from 450 sites. Total: £16,405,622
8. The Last Song, £336,815 from 321 sites. Total: £1,552,278
9. Date Night, £336,345 from 330 sites. Total: £3,520,884
10. Clash of the Titans, £291,352 from 300 sites. Total: £19,938,794
Length:
101 mins
Certificate:
15
Production companies:
Film4
Wild Bunch
Optimum Releasing
Warp Films
Distributors:
Hopscotch Films (2010) (Australia)
Optimum Releasing (2010) (UK)
Paradiso Entertainment (2010)
Future Film (2010) (Finland)
Midget Entertainment (2010)(Denmark
Teleview International (2010) Lebanon)
Other Companies:
Film4 - funding
SDD Global Solutions - legal services
SmithDehn - legal services
Vehicles in Vision - action vehicles supplier
Release date:
7 May 2010 (UK), 23 Jan 2010 (USA)
Genre:
comedy, drama
Plot:
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. In a storm of razor-sharp verbal jousting and large-scale set pieces, Four Lions is a comic tour de force; it shows that-while terrorism is about ideology-it can also be about idiots.
In a British city, four men have a secret plan. Omar is disillusioned about the treatment of Muslims around the world and is determined to become a soldier. This is the most exciting idea Waj has ever heard. Better still it's a no brainer because Omar does his thinking for him. Opposed to Omar and everyone else on earth is the white Islamic convert Barry. He'd realize he joined the cell to channel his nihilism - If he had half the self knowledge of a duck. Faisal is the odd man out. He can make a bomb - but he can't blow himself up just now coz his sick dad has "started eating newspaper". Instead he's training crows to fly bombs through windows. This is what Omar has to deal with. They must strike a decisive blow on their own turf but can any of them strike a match without punching himself in the face?
Awards nominated for: Grand Jury Prize, 2010
101 mins
Certificate:
15
Production companies:
Film4
Wild Bunch
Optimum Releasing
Warp Films
Distributors:
Hopscotch Films (2010) (Australia)
Optimum Releasing (2010) (UK)
Paradiso Entertainment (2010)
Future Film (2010) (Finland)
Midget Entertainment (2010)(Denmark
Teleview International (2010) Lebanon)
Other Companies:
Film4 - funding
SDD Global Solutions - legal services
SmithDehn - legal services
Vehicles in Vision - action vehicles supplier
Release date:
7 May 2010 (UK), 23 Jan 2010 (USA)
Genre:
comedy, drama
Plot:
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. In a storm of razor-sharp verbal jousting and large-scale set pieces, Four Lions is a comic tour de force; it shows that-while terrorism is about ideology-it can also be about idiots.
In a British city, four men have a secret plan. Omar is disillusioned about the treatment of Muslims around the world and is determined to become a soldier. This is the most exciting idea Waj has ever heard. Better still it's a no brainer because Omar does his thinking for him. Opposed to Omar and everyone else on earth is the white Islamic convert Barry. He'd realize he joined the cell to channel his nihilism - If he had half the self knowledge of a duck. Faisal is the odd man out. He can make a bomb - but he can't blow himself up just now coz his sick dad has "started eating newspaper". Instead he's training crows to fly bombs through windows. This is what Omar has to deal with. They must strike a decisive blow on their own turf but can any of them strike a match without punching himself in the face?
Awards nominated for: Grand Jury Prize, 2010
ACTORS AND DIRECTORS
Directed by
Christopher Morris
Writing credits
Jesse Armstrong - writer
Sam Bain - writer
Simon Blackwell - additional writing
Christopher Morris - writer
Benedict Cumberbatch ... Ed
Kayvan Novak ... Waj
Nigel Lindsay ... Barry
Riz Ahmed ... Omar
Preeya Kalidas ... Sophia
Julia Davis ... Alice
Arsher Ali ... Hassan
Chris Wilson ... Police Inspector
Adeel Akhtar ... Fessal
Alex MacQueen ... Malcolm Storge MP
Darren Boyd ... Sniper
Craig Parkinson ... Matt
Kevin Eldon ... Sniper
Will Adamsdale ... Alex
Adil Mohammed Javed ... Nabil
Danny Ashok ... Phone Shop Assistant
Wasim Zakir ... Ahmed
Marcus Garvey ... Marathon policeman
William El Gardi ... Khalid
Mohammad Aqil ... Mahmood
Toby Longworth ... Noxious man
Ian Hughes ... Security Guard
Karl Seth ... Uncle X
Jonathan Maitland ... Newsreader
Mike Friend ... Pret Server (uncredited)
Mark Morrell ... Security Guard (uncredited)
Christopher Morris
Writing credits
Jesse Armstrong - writer
Sam Bain - writer
Simon Blackwell - additional writing
Christopher Morris - writer
Benedict Cumberbatch ... Ed
Kayvan Novak ... Waj
Nigel Lindsay ... Barry
Riz Ahmed ... Omar
Preeya Kalidas ... Sophia
Julia Davis ... Alice
Arsher Ali ... Hassan
Chris Wilson ... Police Inspector
Adeel Akhtar ... Fessal
Alex MacQueen ... Malcolm Storge MP
Darren Boyd ... Sniper
Craig Parkinson ... Matt
Kevin Eldon ... Sniper
Will Adamsdale ... Alex
Adil Mohammed Javed ... Nabil
Danny Ashok ... Phone Shop Assistant
Wasim Zakir ... Ahmed
Marcus Garvey ... Marathon policeman
William El Gardi ... Khalid
Mohammad Aqil ... Mahmood
Toby Longworth ... Noxious man
Ian Hughes ... Security Guard
Karl Seth ... Uncle X
Jonathan Maitland ... Newsreader
Mike Friend ... Pret Server (uncredited)
Mark Morrell ... Security Guard (uncredited)
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