I usually avoid movies I know will be explicit and include crude humor because it's just not my cup of tea. So, right off the bat I was expecting this movie to be absolutely horrible... I do not know if it was my low expectations before the screening, but I actually enjoyed this movie very much. In order to enjoy this movie, however, you do have to somewhat detach yourself from thinking too much into the wealth of racist and crude humor contained in the movie. Nevertheless, The Dictator is satire, it is a movie making fun of the real world, and if you let it be, it makes you aware (while laughing) at the racist thoughts and stereotypes ordinary people have everyday. Yes, it has its strange and explicit scenes, but overall, I think it has substance and it was very funny. Put your "Victorian" influences aside for a night and have a good laugh. Watch it.
Add a Review
-
eshin5511 May 2012
-
bowmanblue3 March 2015Ali G, Borat, Bruno. If you've seen any of them, then you probably know what to expect from Sacha Baron Cohen. Vulgar, crude, politically INcorrect are just some of the terms you could use - depending on your opinion.
Basically, if you're easily offended, you probably won't want to watch the tale of an evil Middle Eastern Dictator who finds himself lost in America amidst a plot to oust him from power.
However, there are still plenty of people who find this sort of humour funny (and I'm one of them). Personally, I didn't think it was as good as Borat or Bruno as the second half seemed a bit forced. The film lasted just under the typical hour and a half mark, but probably could have got away with being an hour long. It would probably have been a pretty funny hour - if you like that sort of thing.
The major criticisms being thrown at The Dictator is claims of racism (just like Borat and Ali G, not to mention claims of homophobia at Bruno) and whether the film mocks Middle Eastern stereotypes, or whether it actually attacks those who impose the stereotypes. The film has also come under fire for being too 'pro-Jew' too anti-American and generally too liberal. Maybe that's true, maybe it's not. It's one of those arguments where if you're looking to use this film to support or challenge your own political viewpoint or religious beliefs there are arguments for and against.
The bottom line is that it's quite funny. Quite. Not as good as Borat or Bruno, but still there are plenty of silly and vulgar (and I should emphasis the words 'silly' and 'vulgar' because they're the backbone of this film) moments to make you laugh out loud. Probably not a classic, but entertaining nonetheless. -
I went to see this movie with my friend. I would consider that we both have a good sense of humor and are open to all sorts of jokes. I have seen other movies by Sacha Baron Cohen, like Bruno and Borat. I found Borat to be hilarious, but Bruno was a bit over the top for me. This movie strikes a balance between the two, but leans more towards (my personally favored) Borat side.
The comedy in this movie is both hilarious and uncomfortable at times. It has the same LOL- quality as it did in Borat, but there are scenes where the comedy is so crude that it is almost uncomfortable watching/listening to it. The movie is definitely funny, but you will not enjoy it if you do not find jokes about racism and stereotypes funny.
The plot is your typical Sacha Baron Cohen plot; a person from an entirely different culture travels to America and you watch how incompatible the two cultures are. Also, just like most of Sacha Baron Cohen movies, there is a love story intertwined. It's not the dramatic and sensitive kind of love story though. The plot itself is not very immersive, and I believe that its only purpose is to lead you to the funny parts.
I will say this though, the ending speech of this movie given by 'The Dictator' really impressed me. It made me realize how well Sacha Baron Cohen understands politics and stereotypes. You have to hear it for yourself.
If you're looking for a movie with consistent but crude laugh-out-loud comedy, but do not look for a serious and powerful plot, then you will enjoy this film. On the other hand, if you cringe at racist and stereotype jokes, you will be covering your ears virtually the entire movie.
Approach with an open mind. -
oxley186716 May 2012I'm a little perplexed having read a couple of user reviews - one of them said this was movie was unbelievable and unconvincing due to the fact that it had a love theme going on? huh? I suppose the film 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' is unbelievable too? In fact, how many movies are believable? 'The Dictator' is a comedy, nothing less and nothing more than that, and that was the intention. Whether it's believable or not is irrelevant. The movie had plenty of laugh out loud moments.
I'm glad this movie headed in a different direction from his previous efforts. Had the film continued in the same fashion as the reality TV way, then I don't think it would have stood any chance of working, not with this new character anyway. So to those who are expecting and hoping for something similar to Bruno and Borat you may be left a little disappointed, but for those who wouldn't mind seeing something slightly different, and can take a movie for what it is, then you should enjoy this, as I did. -
theycallmemrglass11 May 2012I saw a preview screening of this in London.
As expected from Sacha's previous outings and trailers, this film is in extremely bad taste with plenty of filth, blatant offence (disguised as naivety) of every race, gender, age, animal, disability, sexual orientations, terrorism and politics. Sacha gets away with it because no one is left out. No one, including white folks and straight men. Actually, I lie. I don't know how the hell he gets away with it. The important question is, though, is it funny? Yeah...mostly.
There are enough roll in the isle moments to make this worth the ticket but there are also plenty of misfired jokes too, some of which really makes you groan but that's to be expected for a relentless joke firing machine which incidentally has (perhaps mercifully) a short run time of 84mins.
Another burning question I ask myself, while watching this is do I feel guilty laughing at some of the offencive jokes? Yes I do, my guilty conscience raises its ugly head but then I realise (or perhaps I'm just making excuses) that I am laughing at the Dictator's naivety and hilarious sense of misplaced morality while others around him frown at his demeanours.
This is a departure from the Borat, Ali G, and Bruno stable. With those previous films, real people are sought after and ridiculed by scrutinising their reactions and moral bases. This film, however is purely fictitious, Naked Gun style comedy very much similar to Eddie Murphy's Coming to America with obviously a lot lot less subtlety. However, Sacha's Dictator has pretty much the same political correctness that Borat has but with more hilarious Dictatorship cravings such as executing anyone that annoys him.
A good supporting cast thankfully gives this zany film a little bit more variety, particularly Anna Francis, comically playing off the Dictator's character who frankly dominates almost every frame (as I guess a dictator would). John C Reilly also gives a short but hilarious turn. And then there are a few special cameo celebrity guest appearances (or victims, rather) sprinkled around.
There are a couple of moments political satire that stands out in hilarity and I wish there was more of it. Alas, it seems vulgarity is more favoured.
So if you have no guilty conscience, welcome vulgarity and all things "un-pc" with open arms, do not despise Sacha Cohen Baron and are willing to kiss his armpits (last one is optional), then I reckon you will enjoy this film. For me, filthy films are not my normal cup of tea, nevertheless I did enjoy this but I need a long shower after watching it. -
Just to note i haven't watched "Borat" or "Bruno",so i only kinda knew what to expect from the movie.
In short it's a really great film,filed with great humour and great actors,that doesn't take itself too seriously and it shouldn't be taken seriously from the audience around the globe.It's lighthearted comedy for those who have a hour or two to spare.
The main problem for me (as noted in the title) is that the trailer gave away maybe 70% of the really really funny parts.I remember seeing the trailer for the first time i laughed for a good 5 minutes after it ended.The second time i saw it,it actually convinced me to go and see the movie later on,expecting much more from it.
In the end i can't say i was disappointed i still think it's a great movie,just with a trailer that gives away less of the really funny moments it would have been a much,much more memorable experience.But i guess that's my mistake since i know that trailers usually give away 50% of the comedies these days. -
I'm revisiting various comedies from the 2000s and 2010s to answer one question: why do American comedies taken such a nosedive as of late?
The Dictator may not be one of the decade's greatest comedies and was widely viewed as - to use a contemporary term - quite mid. Not too bad, nothing amazing. Yes, Baron Cohen has made better films and more enduring, interesting characters. Oddly, General Aladeen (the titular Dictator) comes off as a relic of a time past: we really don't have dictators quite like Muammar Gaddafi or Saddam Hussein - two men who are obvious inspirations to Cohen's eclectic, offensive, and frankly, hilarious character - anymore, do we?
There's also this tongue-in-cheek, "we can be offensive as we want" energy that I kind of love about this movie. Nowadays, even Cohen himself seems mindful of causing too much offense to the wrong groups. But back then, it really didn't matter: anyone was fair game. That, along with the film's anti-authoritarian leanings, makes it a celebration of free speech and expression. So much so that the film (intelligently) manages to criticize the democratic world and the United States in particular quite mercilessly.
There are some truly hilarious gags involving bodily humour to, as per Cohen's style. He can be very sophisticated and satirical, but go for a good masturbation or body hair or...um...phone inside a woman giving birth joke as well. This is not a movie that "elevates" itself from the things we all know are really funny, deep down.
The supporting cast is also really good here. Ben Kingsley was the perfect choice, Anna Faris has that face that conveys well meaning stupidity unlike any other actress in Hollywood, and Jason Mantzoukas...man, you could've told me he was an Iranian nuclear scientist and I'd believe you. I cannot accept that he's of "100% Greek heritage" (although, apparently he's long has an interest in the Middle East and has lived and studied there).
The movie isn't perfect. It gets a little silly at times and the jokes sometimes overstay their welcome. Its brand of humour isn't for everyone either. It also lacks the staying power of Cohen's other films and I think part of that has to do with the - likely studio - insistence that it be a romantic comedy. It doesn't really work, even if it is really funny.
Lesson Learned: Even a "mid" comedy from America's Comedic Golden Age is better than most comedies today. The Dictator is willing to piss everyone off and it ages like fine wine. -
I wish there were more comedies like that - crossing over the political correctness line, but not over the line of good taste, so as to make a movie hard to watch.
The film is quite pointy, it is for a moderate audience and will make all kinds of extremists quite unhappy. The plot is well thought out and funny. It'll nail you to the screen.
I like the unorthodox character of this film, Sacha Baron Cohen's movies are definitely one of the kind. I wouldn't consider the humor crude, but it is certainly honest. Some of the unthinkable things you see are likely to have happened in reality. -
ironhorse_iv4 January 2013The Dictator doesn't have the same charm as Borat, and it's way below Charles Chaplin's Great Dictator in scope of being funny and important in society, but still it's interesting to watch. I personally thought this movie was a giant heap of Aladeen. The movie starts out a back story of Admiral General Aladeen (Sasha Baron Cohen) and how he became the leader of the small North African nation of Wadiya. For years Admiral General Haffaz Aladeen been treating his people as a lewd, childish, misogynous, anti-democracy and antisemitic who refuses to allow Wadiyan oil to be sold internationally and is secretly working on developing nuclear weapons. He has been getting help from his Uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) on running the day on day operations of the country while Tamir is secretly trying to overthrow him so Wadiya can be open for the world oil companies. When the U.N calls for him to speak to the UN Headquarters in New York City, Admiral General Aladeen goes to the mock them, for only to have himself kidnapped by Clayton (John C. Reilly), a hit-man hired by his uncle to kill him. Aladeen escapes after Clayton accidentally burns himself to death, but his huge beard has been shaved off by Clayton, making him practically unrecognizable, while Tamir sports a double as Aladeen to the public. Yeah, I know, just go with it. He meets, boyish-looking, hairy arm-pitted, activist Zoey (Anna Faris), at a Anti-Aladeen rally and they befriend each other while he hides under the name of Allison Burgers. Zoey offers Aladeen a job at her grocery store who is catering the event in which his double is staying. At first, he get the job only to get pass the security, but in later scenes it doesn't really play a factor into his plans. He encounters Nadal (Jason Mantzoukas), a exile Nuclear scientist whom working at Apple type store. I really like Jason Mantzoukas, his straight man approach works great against the out-there Aladeen character. Nadal helps Aladeen only if he can regain his old job as a nuclear scientist. There are two versions of this scene, the part where he meets Nadal. In an alternative scene, Aladeen approaches Nadal at work and one in a bar type restaurant. Slowly Aladeen becomes to warm up to both Nadal and Zoey, which turns the character around and question if he should still allow Wadiya to be under a dictatorship. There is a unrated cut of The Dictator runs an additional 15 minutes from its original 83-minute theatrical version. Much of the added material is additional sexual content and dialogue. There is a scene following Aladeen falling asleep in the back of the store where one of his bodyguards, Etra, tries to kill him by beating him with her enlarged breast. The film has a lot of gross out humor that doesn't work, and much of it wasn't really need for the plot. The movie can also be too offensive to some people. this movie is making fun of all racist stereotypes. If anyone actually thinks that all Muslims are like that, they are really stupid. The rapes jokes were really not that funny. I found the film a bit too juvenile at times. Sasha Baron Cohen sort of had his finger on the cultural pulse in terms of knowing which buttons to push, in order to criticize the attitudes and beliefs of people. I think the problem was, that Aladeen had too many funny things to do and say throughout the movie, so that after half an hour you're so familiar with the comedy, he says than you might grin and chuckle and want to laugh, but you can't because deep down you expected it. Iwill give him that he's a phenomenal actor, a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to developing a character; however, the jokes was already stale because he play that part in Borat. The jokes feel like unused Borat jokes. What made Borat so funny was that the people in that movie don't know it's fake. They actually think it's real. He's that kind of comedian. In this, you know it's not real. You know, it's a similar character to Borat and audience can be disappointed because it's not Borat type of material in humor. So it's too bad that The Dictator features far more gross out gags, than his usual dark, satirical comedy, that could have made it a smart film. Still there is lots of obscenities, and his speech in the end, parody Charles Chaplin in the Great Dictator, but Sacha Baron Cohen was overshadowing everyone and not giving any room for anyone else to be funny. It's still watchable. "The Dictator" has offensive, dirty, and everything you've come to expect from a Sacha Baron Cohen movie and that somewhat works.
-
I really cannot believe the reviews I am reading about this film, how funny it is, an instant classics etc... Let me first begin by saying I am a huge Sacha b Cohen fan, I love his stuff, Ali G, Borat & Bruno. All hysterically funny, some what very unnerving to watch at times, but that a massive part of the appeal... They were below the belt humor, especially Bruno, that you really hadn't seen before and didn't know how to react to it, which made it hysterical.
The dictator was non of that. It had brief funny bits in, that were really obvious as well, throughout the film. I was so disappointed as the trailer looked funny and being an avid fan could not wait for the release. But like i say, it wasn't, it was just obvious lets make quick money Hollywood nonsense that so many films seem to be these days.
I actually started to think, "is it me, am I getting too old for this sort of stuff?". I'm 48 and went to see the film with my 20 year old sons who also thought the film was rubbish!!
What is it with so many films these days that they seem to of lost all sense of character? I love a film, I love a good comedy, but I haven't seen anything decent in a long time because there always seems to be something missing or lacking from the the films these days. Has all the writers run out of ideas, or has everything just been done to death now?
Get your act together Sacha, you know your better than this Hollywood bulls**t, don't let those idiots ruin what and who you are!!
That's the truth right there pal, despite all the hype I bet you agree with my comments!! -
I re-watched it and it is not as great as borat but it has lot of amazing parts the comedic timing is also good It has re-watch potential sacha is such good actor in comedy movies.
-
namashi_121 August 2012Sacha Baron Cohen is a Master Actor! No two options on that! His range as a performer, is undeniable & indeed terrific. With his latest box-office hit 'The Dictator', Sacha delivers a yet another masterful performance, that exhibits his potential to the optimum.
'The Dictator' Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.
'The Dictator' is funny & entertaining, but its obviously not logical. It has moments that are so absurd, that you might feel repulsed, but 'The Dictator' at least stays true to its genre. The Screenplay Written by Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer & Sacha himself, is funny, but crass & overtly crude, but it never loses pace. Larry Charles's Direction is adequate.
Sacha embodies Admiral General Aladeen & is simply masterful in here. A Versatile, Marvelous Actor, who once again delivers beyond expectations. Here's an actor who needs to be taken more seriously. Being so good in a silly film such as this, proves how good he can get in a film that offers a stronger background.
On the whole, 'The Dictator' isn't the finest comedy you'd see, but its entertaining nonetheless. -
The latest outing from Sacha Baron Cohen follows the experiences of an eccentric dictator named Aladeen (Baron Cohen) who strives to prevent democracy being introduced in his home country of Wadiya. After travelling to the US to make a speech he's kidnapped, de-bearded and replaced by a brain-dead double. Breaking free, he's taken in by a vegan, liberal activist (Faris), and begins to hatch a plan to prevent Wadiya becoming a democracy.
Comparisons of The Dictator to recent outings such as Borat and Bruno are slightly misleading. The genius of his previous work was melding bizarre fictional characters with unknowing bystanders. Using these exuberant creations, such as Borat, he was able draw reactions out of members of the public that were often shocking, and sometimes hilarious. This is not evident once in The Dictator, which moves away from away from the documentary style and feels like 83 minutes of filler, with no end reward. Instead the audience is subjected to what is in essence a very poor, gross-out comedy, which relies almost entirely on its ability to shock. It harks back to the Ali G IndaHouse era, which few will think of as Baron Cohen's golden age.
There are some comical moments, such as Aladeen and a friend taking a helicopter ride with two American tourists and, while gesturing innocently, appear that they are about to commit a terrorist attack. However these brief flashes are not enough to save a disappointing third outing, which will survive primarily due to the kudos established by previous titles, and the hype Baron Cohen once again masterfully orchestrated. If another Baron Cohen character is created it will surely need more substance than The Dictator has to offer. -
SoumikBanerjee19967 November 2020With Sacha Baron Cohen in the lead, "The Dictator" displays coarse humour in his own idiosyncratic way. Despite having a middling storyline; the drolly punchlines, jocular dialogues & ludicrous character interactions outshining everything else.
'Admiral General Aladeen', most likely one of the memorable comic characters you would ever witness! An egoistic, misogynistic person, played by Sacha with enough conviction; and that too with so much ease. From his accent to his mannerisms, Mr. Cohen grasping the nuances of a character; and making it his very own! So the case with every role that he chooses.
On the technical front, there is absolutely nothing to bemoan about. The same remarks go to its modernized Soundscore. Quite fitting, if you ask me! Story wise; it's formulaic, yet scrappy. Only savior being its overboard humor, alongside few astutely penned facetious interactions, that Aladeen had with the others. If only those characters had much subsistence to begin with.
Lastly, for Cohen admirers; this one's a must watch. Also for those who adore satirical setups mainly based upon political affairs! Apparently with a few infrequent similarities, it is still not quite upto Borat's level.
Keep your expectations on check! -
Following last year's impressive performance in Martin Scorsese's critically-acclaimed Hugo (2011), British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is back doing what he does best with yet another satirical caricature to add to his ever growing list. For his latest endeavor, The Dictator (2012), Cohen has once again reunited with director Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno), in a film that benefits much from an uncharacteristically straightforward narrative.
The Dictator's narrative is a little bit more scripted than Cohen's previous efforts, which saw him interact with real people - often with hilarious results. In addition to the riches-to-rags story beat, there is also a Rom-com element to the film as Aladeen is helped along his journey of redemption by Zoey, which makes for some humorous moments.
You needn't worry about it being too scripted though; Cohen's unique brand of offensive humor is on full display from the outset as sexist, racist, and vulgar gags abound. Saddled in-between are a number of outrageous, cringe-worthy sequences that have long been Cohen's trademark. These often occur with scientist turned partner-in-crime Nadal, and the chemistry between Cohen and Mantzoukas is evident.
Admittedly, not all the jokes hit their mark - the celebrity cameos (including Megan Fox) don't have the intended impact, but the audience reaction is for the most part well-calculated. The hilarious usage of overblown music tracks such as Moment Like This is just one example of the excellent comedic timing which permeates The Dictator throughout.
If you don't take Cohen's latest role too seriously, you may likely find Admiral General Aladeen to be another fantastic character to add to Cohen's catalogue. Assuming you're not easily offended, The Dictator is laugh-out-loud comedy at its best. -
bobbyxie19849 June 2012For those who are offended by this movie, you have no business watching a Sasha Baren Cohen movie. You're probably the same type who thinks Tarantino's movies are just about violence. Sasha Baren Cohen is a Jew playing an Islamic dictator; what were you expecting?
I didn't really like Borat and I hated Bruno but this movie was genuinely funny. Sasha once again shows how he can be so offensively funny. Yes, he pushes the boundaries with his comedy and he does go over board a lot of the time but this one was actually done well.
This is the type of movie where you'll need to listen to every line spoken because so many jokes are thrown at you at times, it's hard to recognize all of them. Definitely 10 times better than I thought it'd be. LOL even the music is done hilariously.
1 thumb up -
Possibly one of the greatest satire comedies ever made. Similar value to the film "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood", for calling out the democratic state America is in for the things it is commonly criticized for, its comedy and message is top tier.
If satire comedy easily offends you (for instance you dislike shows like Family Guy), this movie obviously isn't for you and is never advertised as such. It has a decent amount of dark humor and there are no-holds-barred. Jokes ranging from racist, sexist, political, etc. Are all vulgar and crude, but that's the point of such jokes. For its satirical and comedic value, as well as its filmic presentation, the film stands above Cohen's others (such as Borat) and should stand the test of time.
Only con is that some jokes can be a bit far, but as a viewer it is necessary to realize that all of them are jokes and meant to be crude in fashion and, as soon as realizing this, can go back to laughing once it's over. The pro to this is that (if you're a fan of satire), while some jokes might not land, there is almost a guaranteed belly laugh at some point.
It's always nice to see a satire comedy that has more than just jokes, but a meaningful message behind its story. -
SnoopyStyle17 August 2013Haffaz Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is the tyrannical ruler of the Republic of Wadiya. His uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) schemes to take over. Aladeen escapes and loses his identity. He has trouble fitting in as a nobody in New York and hippie store owner Zoey (Anna Faris) gives him a job.
Sacha Baron Cohen is at it again with another character. There's definitely a lot of Colonel Ghaddafi in this personality. I LOVE Borat. It is one of the most brilliant comedy in recent memory. On the other hand, I HATE Brüno and Ali G is watchable only in short bursts. Why? It's hard to explain but funny is sometimes very personal. I like The Dictator. -
ssbra1 May 2012After watching the trailer and waiting weeks for the movie to come out, I finally had my chance when i got tickets to the advance screening and having watched all the other Sacha Baron Cohen movies I didn't expect this to be such a disappointment.
I weren't give away any spoilers or any vital bits but certain lines and scenes in the trailer don't appear in the film , whilst some scenes where funny overall most of the jokes lack fizz and fall flat and the accent isn't portrayed well. The story line was set up well and this could have been a great movie but it just seems like it was rushed and just a film to get another pay check.
So my advice is to save your money and wait for the Uncut version to come out as it seems it might just make this film worth it. -
tim71223 October 2020As my title, suggests, there is no bad movie starring Sacha Baron Cohen. This is simply brilliant in comedy, story and dark humour. It's an example of the perfect comedy formula: story, iconic characters, funny moments and a little bit of dark humour (in this case A LOT!!), if you're a fan of the dark stuff.....watch this!!
-
This movie is pretty funny at times, but it's a bit just too conventional for Cohen and it's not very well directed. The jokes should be funnier, the comic timing is off (early in the film especially), and the grossness veers into Adam Sandler land. Actually, that's a bit of an insult to Adam Sandler since You Don't Mess With the Zohan is not only funnier than this film, but as a satire Zohan is maybe more mature and politically pointed.
Sacha Baron Cohen is a brilliant guy, but this film is rather middling and comes off as kind of rushed. The jokes sometimes work, but sometimes they seem like they were probably funnier on paper. Other things are just kind of head-scratching (like the perverted ambassador from China; now a perverted IMF boss from France would have been funny).
Worth seeing but maybe save your money and get it on Netflix. Speaking of Netflix, better movies along the same lines are Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator and Woody Allen's Bananas. Those are really funny and very unique films about "dictators". The Dictator has its moments, but I guess I expected more from SBC. -
This is up there with one of the worst movies I have ever seen. And I loved Borat and Bruno. To me it's lazy and completely predictable. With none of the shock elements of his previous movies. I can't tell you how bad this movie was. But what I am amazed is it got 6.7 so far in IMDb which now makes me doubt this site. Overall the core problem is that the subject matter ie dictators just does not offer the same scope nor the opportunity to give you that real scenarios where the main character is causing caos. This to me was Sasha with a bigger budget not knowing or caring of the outcome. Brutal. Every joke was obvious. The accents were terrible. It just like any originality. I sat there with a sense of disbelief about some of the scenes. Really really disappointing. But then the trailer didn't suggest much. Butni thought given it was Sasha that it would be great. Brutal
-
philipjcowan-119-6466026 September 2012This film is crass, stupid, offensive, childish, crude, and very very funny. It is if Team America and There is Something About Mary both got drunk, ended up in bed together and this is their brat of a kid out in the streets of New York running wild.
There is something here to offend everyone, but it is especially offensive to anyone from the Middle East or Muslim. You could argue that Sacha Baron Cohen is making some point about the West's regard for Middle Eastern dictators, but I suspect he just wants to make the audience laugh and so produce a box office success.
A guilty pleasure. -
Hellmant23 May 2012'THE DICTATOR': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Sacha Baron Cohen co-wrote and stars in this political satire about a fictional Third World dictator fighting to overcome a plot to turn his country into a democracy. Larry Charles, who also directed Cohen in 'BORAT' and 'BRUNO', directed the film but this is not a mockumentary (for a change) like those films. It was co-written by Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer and co-stars Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley. The film is very funny at times with spot-on political commentary but it also misfires with laughs, frequently.
Cohen plays General Hafez Aladeen, the dictator of the fictional Republic of Wadiya. He has kept the people in oppression there while reaping all the countries' resources and building nuclear weapons. While visiting the UN Headquarters in New York, about his countries' suspected nuclear weapons, Aladeen is kidnapped by a hit-man (John C. Reilly) hired by his uncle Tamir (Kingsley) to kill him. After surviving the assassination attempt he discovers that his uncle has plotted to have a double (also played by Cohen) sign a document which would democratize Wadiya in order to make it's oil fields available for business. Aladeen befriends an activist named Zoey (Faris) and takes refuge at her co-op while he plots to stop his uncle's plan.
Like I said the comedy is hit and miss, some of it is hilarious while other parts are just dumb. The political commentary is witty and humorous but many of the film's grotesque jokes misfire and are just disgusting to watch and boring. I'd like to see Cohen branch out a little and try his hand at comedy that's not so dark and full of violence and dick and fart jokes. If he could pull off something more lighthearted and still be humorous that would show real talent. This movie offers more of the same styled jokes that filled his previous two films but to less successful results. Not having real people in mockumentary style situations might have hurt the film as well. Still the commentary on America and the film's main message about how were as much of a dictatorship as most Third World countries really works and Cohen's efforts are still admirable.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4CvTM3jrK4 -
jaxbubba17 August 2012Sacha Baron Cohen's newest persona, "The Dictator", has to be, by far his most politically incorrect individual/character to date. This film's leading character is so blatantly disrespectful and uncouth, that it's so incredibly comical to hear the words that are actually being spewed from his mouth. To take this film serious for even one second would be depriving yourself the genius that is this movie; however, if that was not the intention of this film, then every copy should be gathered up and burned, because it's just that offensive to OH SO MANY!!!!! If you have an opinion on any one or perhaps several political agendas, then I can almost guarantee than you will become very offended sometime throughout this film. I just chuckled, and kept watching . It was actually mesmerizing and almost hypnotic with every slanderous/bigoted statement, I was saying to myself, "OMG, he didn't just go there " and the comments just kept coming, and coming, and coming . To the point that the lunacy/obnoxiousness, became quite hilarious, and you were sitting there just waiting for the idiot ("The Dictator") to say sometime even more over-the-top, more insane, more ridiculous, more ludicrous than his last statement. I have to admit that I found the film very entertaining.
Aladeen (Cohen) is the dictator of the oil-rich country of Wadiya. He is self-centered, egomaniacal, ruthless, hypersensitive and overbearing. He rules his country with an iron fist; however, when he comes to America to address the United Nations council, he is kidnapped and replaced with a simpler, dim-witted impostor. His trusted and loyal head of security, Tamir (Ben Kingsley), has plans to turn Wadiya into a Democracy, and simultaneously strip-mine the country of all its natural resources for a price of course. Aladeen is befriended by Zoey (Anna Faris), a local tree-hugging, vegan, hippie protester; who just so happens to also have the contract to cater the Wadiyan meals while they're in NYC.
Plot of the story is too predictable; you already know what's going to happen in this film before you press play on your DVR/DVD player. But it's the Sacha Baron Cohen character, it's the goofy soundtrack of all the songs that you know by heart; however, sung in Wadiyan, it's sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next preposterous statement to be uttered, that is why you are watching this film. DEFINITELY NOT FOR EVERYONE!!!! However, if you are NOT easily offended, then by all means take a chance on this film. It's not as good as Borat, but way better than Bruno. If you are a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen's humor, then you will enjoy this film . However, if you are not a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen, then this film will definitely not convert into being one. SEE MORE OF MY REVIEWS ON FB @ "THE FARIS REEL"