'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
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