Honour

I find it a little ridiculous that a few reviews have based their review on their own religious views, g-h-f from London seemed more interested that they are a Pakinstani from England...what that has got to do with an honest critique beats me. The film shows it how it is, anyone with any real life experience will know this movie has portrayed the subject truthfully, there's no 'disrespect' to any religion or nationality, this movie is accurate and at the same time worrying. About time a director told it like it is and not namby pamby around the subject. It is what it is, unacceptable, awful, cruel and disrespectful to women and indeed to society. More films should tell the truth and be direct rather than try to be PC.

HONOUR is a difficult movie to watch. Centering on the idea of honor killings, a practice that not only prevails in Muslim communities but in other cultures as well, it focuses on the way in which Mona (Aiysha Hart), 'transgresses' her family's sense of ethics by falling in love with a Punjabi man Tanvir (Nikesh Patel). Spurred on by her elder brother Kasim (Faraz Ayub), who works for London's Metropolitan Police by day, the family engage a bounty- hunter (Paddy Considine) to pursue Mona and discover her whereabouts. This he agrees to do, while at the same time despising the family, especially Mother (Harvey Virdi), who spends most of her time at home working as a seamstress.

The movie opens explosively with the dénouement, and then goes back to tell the story of why Mona was considered to 'transgress'. The ideas might seem shocking to non-Muslims, but Shan Khan's film shows how important it is for young women - especially - to forge the right marriages, even if it means them being transported back to Pakistan to marry a spouse chosen for them by their family, and agreed upon (normally on financial terms) by the groom's family.

Shot in neo-documentary style around the streets of the London suburb of Southall, a major center for the Asian community, HONOUR makes much of the private/public distinction: by day Kasim spends his time working for an organization that explicitly pursues anti- racist policies (in the wake of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, which exposed large-scale racism in the Metropolitan Police). By night he appears to embrace just the kind of racism that the police try to eradicate, as he abuses Tanvir - and at one point holds him captive. Yet director Khan does not criticize Kasim for this; on the contrary he suggests that this is a way of life for many of London's Asian communities.

The real villain of the piece is Considine's bounty-hunter, who has no sense of belief other than to obtain as much money as possible. He is the true racist in the sense that he makes no effort to understand anybody's motives; all that matters for him is that the job should be done and he should receive due financial reward. It is people like him who help to perpetuate the racist stereotypes that prevent members of different communities from integrating with one another in inner cities - not just in London, but everywhere.

HONOUR offers no comfort of an easy resolution. On the contrary, it suggests that second or third generation Asians living in western capitals have to acknowledge the presence of cultural difference, and observe the conventions laid down by their families, even it that means sacrificing the so-called 'freedom' of the west for a more confined existence. This might seem 'unfair' in Mona's cause, but only because she has been brought up in a culture that supposedly values free will.

I don't have much to add that distracts from my stars or my tag line. Any movie brave enough have 'honour' as its title is asking to be criticised, but with this Honour, such is unnecessary. The director, the cameramen, and the editors here have created a truly professional piece. Its class is shown in the contrast between the cinematography, full of bright clear colour, which shows a modern, happy and vibrant England (like a shopping interlude on a Nigella Lawson show), and the story itself, brilliantly constructed from several person's perspective, before coming together for the dramatic close. It is in this last aspect that the movie truly satisfies as a thriller. It's well cast, wonderfully acted, and keeps the viewer guessing. I highly recommend it as a thriller, as well as the talent on display as a work of cinematic excellence, and of course the enlightened way the writer has presented a terrible evil in our society. Worthy of several awards.

Honour deal with the subject of honour killings in sections of the Pakistani Muslim community although prevalent amongst Hindus and Sikhs.

Mona (Aiysha Hart) is a modern young woman who lives with her mother (Harvey Virdi) and two brothers Kasim (Faraz Ayub) who is a police officer and much younger Adel (Shubham Saraf). Her mother is strict and devout, I would probably add a hypocrite as well.

Mona is going out with another Pakistani Muslim Tanvir (Nikesh Patel). However this is not good enough for her family because he is Punjabi or something. So in effect he is Muslim, he is from Pakistan but the wrong region or caste so not good enough for the family and enough to bring shame to them. You see what I meant when I called her mother a hypocrite.

When the rest of the family hear about her plans to marry this they go off the rails. Kasim threatens Tanvir and frightens him off. For bringing shame to the family they attempt to kill her but she escapes and the family hire a bounty hunter (Paddy Considine)to find her. Considine is happy to take money from Asians although we note he is a racist.

Writer/director Shan Khan mixes the time line to heighten the suspense of what is a straightforward thriller. It works to an extent but too often the film becomes a hysterical melodrama with the focus on Karim the foul mouthed cop turned bad guy as he has been too brain washed by his repulsive mother.

There is a scene where his mother tells him that as a policeman, a pillar of the community, with his family's standing, he is an eligible catch and could marry a top Pakistani girl. His sister'r behaviour has put all this at risk.

At least the film highlights the sensitive issue of honour killings but it needs to have placed more explanation to the viewer as to why Tanvir was deemed to be unsuitable for Mona or else the viewer could be left confused.

The film is set in London but there is a glaring scene of a main road in the Isle of Man which I recognised as it was near where I used to live.

The film addresses the insanity of extremists who are so spiritually void that they believe it is okay to kill a member of their own family if that member wishes to choose their own lover, specifically a lover whom is out of favor with the said extremists. This kind of death-wish upon another is plain nuts and has no place what-so-ever on our planet or in the universe.

Anyone who considers honour killing an acceptable way to behave needs re-education in the ways of logic and compassion.

Crimes of passion will likely always happen, and happen across a variety of cultures worldwide. But when it happens, the appropriate penalties must be applied. It is a shame that in some counties it is tolerated by local authorities, this is the problem.

It is a murderous and sub-human practice. If severe punishment were dispensed to the imbeciles who order these murders, worldwide, then more children will learn the right way.

They will learn that love should not be restricted by race or religion.