Satire has existed for as long as stories have been told – whether Jonathan Swift playfully advocated for the consumption of alternative forms of meat, or the nightly talk shows in which writers work around the clock to give their hosts the most up-to-date jokes possible, we have been culturally predisposed to laughing at ourselves and the society in which we exist. Chris Morris has dedicated his entire career to finding the perfect balance between outrageous comedy and thought-provoking commentary, blurring the boundaries between the two over several very impressive television shows in which he essentially helped lay the foundation for contemporary alternative British humour, a movement that he helped pioneer over the years. He did inevitably make the journey to film in the form of Four Lions, in which the director goes in search of something deeper beneath the story of a group of Islamic fundamentalists in small-town Britain, exploring their efforts to become valuable members of the supposed holy war that is being waged by religious extremists, only to find that they are hopelessly out of their depths, leading to a series of hilarious and shocking mishaps which prove that not everyone is cut out for life as a terrorist, especially not those who seem to be so insistent in achieving notoriety without actually realizing the consequences of their actions, and the lack of positive impact made by their supposed heroism. It’s a film that dares to go beyond the conventions in both its style and story, which are interwoven with extremely unorthodox details, but somehow perfectly fit in with the director’s more unnerving approach to this material, which points to his singular vision and unflinching commitment to telling stories that are deeply complex and unquestionably compelling, in ways that we sometimes tend to overlook when it comes to this kind of material, which is usually reserved for more straightforward, dramatic endeavours, but here form the foundation of one of the 21st century’s greatest satires. 

There are many ways to describe Morris and the work he has produced throughout his career, and opinions on his projects tend to be a source of a lot of polarizing conversation, since he has never been one to avoid more challenging subjects, not giving too much thought to those who may take umbrage at his choice of subjects. One aspect that seems to be universally agreed upon, even if only for wildly different reasons, is that he has stood on the bleeding edge of contemporary comedy for decades, being one of the most daring provocateurs in modern humour, and someone whose work is not always given the chance it deserves by those who don’t believe he has anything else to say other than telling very disturbing stories that seek to shock and offend without any hesitation. Watching a film like Four Lions, we are struck by the sensation that this is not a film that intends to offer us anything other than an endless stream of provocative moments, handcrafted by a director with a keen sense of self-awareness, as well as the devil-may-care attitude to follow his instincts, a contradiction that we find works exceptionally well in the context of this film. Morris represents a new generation of satirists, the ones that aim to shock long before they intend to entertain, and humour is a tool more powerful than any weapon, and one that doesn’t necessarily even need to make us laugh, since some of these subjects only deserve mockery, rather than well-written stories fueled by wit and intelligence. Four Lions is certainly not a film that takes its subject matter lightly, but this doesn’t preclude the director from ensuring that every moment is filled with sardonic energy that makes us wonder whether or not what he is doing here is ethical – but considering the amount of work he did to establish a solid conceptual foundation, working closely with those with expertise on the subject, it seems obvious that his intentions, while not necessarily pure, were far more spirited than those more vulgar satirists that just believe outright ridicule is more than enough to make up for such a film.

Four Lions is a film that doesn’t cross the boundaries of good taste so much as it entirely eviscerates it in a way that is both shocking and enticing, since it proves that good satire does not always need to have a happy ending, or even anything close to a neat resolution and that it can actively be unapologetic in its efforts to disturb and provoke, without needing to offer any kind of explanation or justification. Morris set out to make a thornier, more provocative satire, and while there is certainly a version of this film that is more conventional (and perhaps funnier, in a traditional sense), had it followed the rules we may have missed out on one of the most daring, original satires of the past few decades. This film represents a kind of satire that manages to court controversy without being entirely offensive – there are certainly several jabs made at the expense of those who follow religion and dedicate their lives to their faith, but for the most part, Morris is aiming at those deplorable individuals who are driven by violence and vengeance, especially those who use innocent people as the pawns in their efforts to make a statement and take part in a spiritual war, in which violence is the only method of expressing their faith. Four Lions is a very dark satire, one that becomes quite bleak, losing that comical spark that it had at the beginning, and instead becoming quite disturbing, leaving us with a feeling of dread and genuine fear, since it implies that these activities can occur in our communities, and unfortunately likely are, with the idea of do-it-yourself terrorism being a subject that is by no means funny, despite the absurdity of the premise that Morris uses to examine this subject. These ideas all coalesce in one of the most disturbing but brilliant explorations of the darker side of humanity produced in recent years, and all the more proof that Morris is a satirist who knows precisely how to take advantage of his prescient grasp on the collective cultural pulse of modern viewers, manipulating and challenging us in unexpectedly brilliant ways.

Morris’s approach to satire has always been one built on collaboration, and Four Lions is certainly not an exception. Throughout his career, he has acknowledged the importance of a wider set of voices behind his work, and this film makes use of a very gifted cast to tell this story. It isn’t only that he casts extremely talented actors to play these parts, but that they all bring their nuances and understanding to the characters, which make them so rich and compelling, much more than if he had just cast those who were willing to take his provocative script at face value, rather than challenging certain aspects and bringing new ideas to the forefront, which is where the film is most captivating. We have a very early performance from the brilliant Riz Ahmed, who takes on the central role (and perhaps the only logical character in this film, albeit he is also driven by delusions that make him profoundly unlikable), as well as Kayvan Novak, Adeel Akhtar and Nigel Lindsey, who all play his friends and colleagues within this terrorist cell. While most of these actors are predisposed to comedy, they are not unskilled when it comes to dramatic moments, which helps sell the film as much more than just an outrageous comedy. There is genuine depth to these characters, and the perfect collision of a strong script (which in itself was carefully written to be daring but never resorting to stereotypes in how it constructed these characters), and a terrific cast that makes it so thoroughly convincing and meaningful in truly fascinating ways. Despite initially being portrayed as goofy and childish, there is a darkness to these characters that starkly contrasts their ineptitude – they may be extremely dim-witted, but they are still very dangerous and unquestionably volatile, which is terrifying because we often view terrorists as being maniacal and scheming when in reality it is very likely that many are young people that fall under a spell of delusion based on their inflated sense of self-worth, which leads them to believe they are both invincible and worthy of celebration for a cause built on violence. The performances are all uniformly strong, but also deeply unnerving, and it becomes quite remarkable the extent to which these actors are willing to go to examine these themes with the director, bringing new perspectives on the cultural details and experiences of being Muslim in the modern world, which give the film so much complexity and authenticity.

Darkly comedic and often extremely disturbing, Four Lions is unquestionably one of the most provocative satires of its era and one that remains just as daring today as it did over a decade ago. The world was a slightly different place when the film was conceived, but many of the same fears and concerns explored here are not only relevant, they’ve grown in intensity. Morris uses these characters at the heart of this film as a way to reflect the darkness that encompasses the minds of those corrupted by the influence of outside forces that advocate for violence. It is not a surprise none of these characters have a moment of redemption, and that they all end up slaughtered as a result of their actions, which is the fundamental concept that the film is so intent on exploring. It takes us in many directions, some resulting in a more outrageously funny moment, others shedding a light on the darker aspects of humanity, looking at the lives of a group of people who believe their calling is to inflict violence on those that surround them, and to whose lifestyles they vehemently disagree. It’s dark, unsettling and profoundly disquieting, and one of the most fervent examples of a film that aims to be far more than it appears on the surface, and succeeds wholeheartedly. Morris has only made one further film after this, but by all accounts, Four Lions is his main cinematic achievement, a daring and unflinchingly honest portrait of the cultural war being waged, not only by those who dedicate their lives to inflicting terror but also on those who exist in a state of constant fear, which often manifests in outright racism and bigotry, which ultimately radicalizes more people to take revenge by becoming the very individual feared by the general population. Four Lions is not an easy film, and it goes in many different directions, but it ultimately becomes a work of extraordinary complexity, more than just a one-dimensional satire. It is cold, harrowing and the humour is razor-sharp and often too intimidating to even date wielding since it unearths uncomfortable truths. Satire may not always make us laugh, but if it can provoke thought, then it has at least been marginally successful, which is certainly the case with this film and everything that went into its creation.