Jan 8: Four Lions

"Four incompetent British jihadists set out to train for and commit an act of terror"

    Four Lions is an absolutely genius film. It's a British comedy that follows four idiotic Muslims who attempt to come up with a plan for a jihad and see it through until the end. This movie is pretty much what would happen if you cloned Mr. Bean, gave him an AK-47, and handed him a "Terrorism for Dummies" book. 

   Two of the four "heroes" of the tale are sent off to Pakistan for terrorist training, but within days are kicked out and sent back home for their incompetence. They argue about which direction Mecca is and use cell phones to take souvenir pictures to send back home. That's like Dexter tweeting every time his dark passenger takes another life. 

   @victim #newbloodslide!

   Four Lions is comforting in that you know not just anyone can be a terrorist. The film, in a way, is actually a guide to show you how not to be one. You don't train crows to be your personal bombers nor do you buy massive amounts of ingredients for homemade bombs at your local hardware store, using all sorts of disguises while doing so. Amazon is also a horrible place to buy what you need for your send off to heaven. 

It went something like that

   I really can't recommend this movie enough. In a weird way, you almost root for the guys because of how badly they want to get their jobs done. But then again, you realize how idiotic all of them are and wonder how they even get dressed in the morning. So, in a sense, it's guilt free cheering for them because you know they are so incapable. If this film taught me anything, it's that the idiot down the street talking to the birds with a fake British accent could very well be a terrorist. 

Sight: The film is shot in an documentary style. It's Blair Witch meets Modern Family, but with terrorists!

Sound: There is not a whole lot of music throughout, but there is one awesome use of "Dancing in the Moonlight"

Skill: Hilarious acting and perfect comedic timing, the whole cast brings laughs.

Script: While clever, original and very smart, the dialogue reminds me why British humor is the best humour (see what I did there?).

Overall: 8.9/10

Best Quote:

Omar: "What parts of the car are Jewish?"

Fessal: "Spark plugs."

Barry: "Yeah! Jews invented spark plugs to control global traffic!"