Wednesday, August 07, 2019

Satire isn't dead?

Am I alone in feeling a little underwhelmed by the trailer for Chris Morris' new film The Day Shall Come? In truth, though, Morris' previous creations have set the bar incredibly (perhaps unfairly) high and everything he does is worthy of investigation. It's also unwise to make judgements based on a compilation of short snippets - albeit one that is presumably representative and very much intended to whet appetites. Those who saw the whole film when it premiered at SXSW in March, such as the Guardian's Benjamin Lee, have generally been very enthusiastic in their response.

The storyline certainly makes The Day Shall Come sound like a natural follow-up to Four Lions. While the latter focused on the idiocy and chaos behind many terrorist plots,  the new film - once again based on real-life incidents and accounts - looks at the profound ridiculousness and illogicality of law enforcement operations and tactics.

At a time when satire can hardly keep up with reality, releasing such a film is a considerable gamble - but Morris is a master of the art, so I'm remaining hopeful that he's pulled it off.

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