Sacha Baron Cohen comedy, directed by Larry Charles (Borat, Curb Your Enthusiasm), about a tyrant hell-bent on ensuring democracy never arrives in the country he lovingly oppresses. Co-stars Anna Faris, John C. Reilly and Ben Kingsley.
However, during a tour of the USA, a UN operative shaves off Admiral General Aladeen's iconic facial hair. Dumped on the streets, the unrecognisable Wadiyan leader is forced to live life as an average American.
It’s perhaps wise that Sacha Baron Cohen has ditched the mock-documentary format of his previous satirical efforts Borat and Bruno for something resembling conventional narrative with The Dictator. Whereas the sly trick he pulled off in Borat to needle his unsuspecting subjects into revealing their prejudices seemed fresh and funny the first time round, the novelty had already grown stale with Bruno.
However, his latest socio-political farce, combining Coming to America-like fish-out-of-water comedy with the tasteless anarchy of Team America: World Police, doesn’t quite signal a marked change in quality with the format shift: it’s an expectedly scattershot and sketchy film.
From the opening cheeky dedication to late North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, the primary mission here is to stir as much popcorn-choking outrage as possible via Cohen’s Saddam surrogate Admiral General Aladeen, a cheerful North African tyrant who finds himself in New York trying to thwart an imposter from transforming his nation into a democracy. Some of it works: the idea that Aladeen’s former nuclear physicist is now a Mac drone, the bluntly drawn parallels between the US administration and Aladeen’s dictatorship, and okay, the odd masturbation/toilet gag got me.
But Cohen’s everything-under-the-sun approach also yields some naff stuff, particularly when it goes beyond the pale with queasily protracted child-rape jokes that hang around like a bad stink. And for all its attempts at transgressive humour, the film settles into woefully routine rom-com groove with the unlikely subplot where Aladeen falls for feminist tree-hugger Anna Faris.
By Aaron Yap, Flicks.co.nz
Some will see The Dictator as being one big sick joke, and be offended. Others--perhaps more philosophical in nature--already view life as being a sick joke...you've got the choice to let it throw you at every turn, or ultimately just laugh at the absurdity of it all The latter are the folks who will laugh lustily and without guilt at the humor of Sacha Baron Cohen in The Dictator.
Yet another boundry pushing Sacha Baron Cohen movie! But it certainly is excellent! To enjoy this person movie you must be able to detach yourself from realities problems, and laugh at the awfulness of the world. As my friend said "I didn't want to laugh too loud, in case everyone else thought I was a bad person". But it's alright EVERYONE was laughing! Definitely a GREAT time at the movies and would definitely recommend for those who can take a joke. Even though running time is and hour and 24 minutes, it feels very short. So 4/5!
Sacha Baron Cohen hasn't been one to avoid stirring the pot of controversy with his previous films, even though the biggest draw from these was the reactions he would get from an unknowing public. So does he lose any of the controversy now that the reactions are scripted? "The Dictator" tells the story of Admiral General Hafez Aladeen, ruler of the country of Wadiya and the adventure he ends up taking in the land of America. Surrounded by a competent cast comprising of Anna Faris as the typical love interest, and Ben Kingsley in another role not fitting of his craft, this film is something you would expect from Cohen. Controversial it is, laced with social taboos and crass humour, dealing with material that is currently taking place around the world. While it isn't a game-changing piece of comedic genius, it will provide many a laugh should you go in with a head empty of thought. This is your standard R16 popcorn flick whose best moments come from a fantastically themed soundtrack. If you need a hearty chuckle without having to think, then I recommend "The Dictator".
The Dictator First things first, its a game of two halves, its Sacha Baron Cohen (SBC) so lets face it, either your going to watch this film because you'll love it or you're watching it so you can pick it to pieces. Most things in this flick are of course predictable, yet there are some wonderful gems (like the helicopter ride, and just the colorful way SBC puts people down, great script writing). Totally along the lines of 'Don't Mess with the Zohan' with bits of 'Bruno' & 'Borat' but thats to be expected really. SBC has roped in some pretty good actors in this & soem good cameos too. Genre : Comedy, racist, sexist, etc 1/5 -5/5 : This sits at both complete ends of the spectrum, if you know what you like or hate (I laughed at couple bits so hard I was in tears!) Plus the music is great covers, done by SBC's brother!
A superb vehicle for Sacha Baron Cohen's over-the-top socio-political outrageousness.
The Dictator is funny, in addition to being obscene, disgusting, scatological, vulgar, crude and so on.
Formulaic, yet scrappy, and extremely funny in fits and starts, General Aladeen is the first of Cohen comic creations to get a better vehicle than it probably deserves.
The Dictator isn't going to win awards and it isn't as hip as Borat. Big goofy outrageous laughs is what it has to offer.
Cohen employs a comic range that ricochets between wicked political barbs and the lowest anatomical farce, to often funny and occasionally hilarious effect.
