Running time: 101 mins. Starring: Riz Ahmed, Kayvan Novak, Nigel Lindsay, Adeel Akhtar, Arsher Ali, Preeya Kalidas, Julia Davis, Darren Boyd.

Director: Chris Morris.

Chris Morris has been best friends with controversy for most of his television and radio career.

As the face and co-writer of the BBC2 comedy The Day Today, he mercilessly lampooned the sensationalist British news media, before taking his coruscating brand of satire to new heights on Channel 4 with Brass Eye.

A special edition of the programme devoted to paedophilia and a fictional charity called Nonce Sense drew thousands of complaints and also won a British Academy Television Award.

For his debut feature film, Morris addresses the thorny subject of terrorism with his trademark, scabrous wit.

The script, co-written by Morris, Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, portrays the bombers as clumsy, insecure, funny and loyal friends, who are liable to set off the devices before they ever get to the heart of London.

Omar (Ahmed) is a devout Muslim, who is enraged by the West's treatment of his spiritual brothers and sisters.

He spearheads a terrorist cell in the heart of multi-cultural northern Britain with best friend Waj and a paranoid, white Islamic convert Barry.

Omar brings the men together to pose as charity fun runners in the capital, with the aim of blowing themselves up on the streets and taking innocent members of the public with them.

Four Lions tempers our natural discomfort with some hilarious set pieces such as two police marksmen debating what the Honey Monster looks like so they can be sure they are taking aim at the correct fancy-dressed competitor.

Undoubtedly, some audiences will take offence but Morris's film accomplishes a simple yet vital feat.

It disarms the terrorist’s greatest weapon — fear — and reminds us that though our ideologies and religions may differ wildly, we all hark from the same vast genetic pool and are capable of the sam acts of stupidity and love.

Especially stupidity.