Four Lions - A question...

[astrozombie]

Just finished a rewatch of Four Lions, for me it still holds up very well. Brilliant comedy which becomes a tragic thriller in the third act and is still very powerful.

Also, I never noticed before how much the scene where Omar is speaking to his wife and child about being a Martyr and him "going to Heaven before his head hits the ceiling" feels like something straight out of Blue Jam. It's that on the surface, touching family scene with such a dark subject, reminded me of the casual parents sketch.

Anyway. My question. I have seen the film many many times and this bit has always just confused the fuck out of me. It might be a case where I've just not read it properly or retained some bit of foreshadowing. But the ending where Omars brother is being held in that warehouse/unit under the pretense he's in Egypt and the MI5 interrogator says "We know more than you think" and holding up a block of Wheatabix... what does that mean? I have never understood that, it feels like it's something extremely simple aswell.

Anyone know? Or am I not alone in this?

[bgmnts]

I'm remembering the scene and have no idea either. Is it meant to be some nonsense we arent meant to know?

[Sean Ymphs]

From what I remember from a Q&A session, there was originally a scene earlier in the film where Omar mentioned weetabix (can't remember the context), and the interrogator scene is calling back to this. They cut the initial reference from the film, but to Morris' surprise audiences still laughed at the interrogator scene.

For me it works because we the audience know Omar's brother was not involved, so any evidence they have on him is going to be flimsy, and the interrogator holding up the weetabix is a non-sequitur for Omar's brother too.