FILM TRAILER AND REVIEW: Four Lions (Cert 15)

FOUR Lions is a tragic tale of a group of British Asians who have been brainwashed by an unknown source into hating Western culture for unspecified reasons. It s also a comedy at heart, yanking on to the absurdities this gang of men go through to reali

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FOUR Lions is a tragic tale of a group of British Asians who have been brainwashed by an unknown source into hating Western culture for unspecified reasons.

It's also a comedy at heart, yanking on to the absurdities this 'gang' of men go through to realise their muddled fantasy.

Chris Morris, in his usual not-quite-hilarious-but-thought-provoking style, offers a plainly honest alternative view that will ruffle feathers and raise smiles.

The characters weren't as rich as I'd hoped but each play their part right until the end.

It's a smartly written and filmed piece of work. It's filmed in more of a television style than a movie, although that's not to its detriment - it fits the tone perfectly. Not every joke hits the marks and its influence, sadly, will probably be Britain-only as much of the humour is derived from our shores. This may limit the scope of the film which is a possible missed opportunity to have a further-reaching absurd message.

With some scenes playing out as comically iconic, such as when one of the 'gang' plot to bomb a sex shop using a pet crow, this is going to be the most important comedy of the year.

TIM LINCE

4/5 STARS