Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Jason Mantzoukas and Ben Kingsley. Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg et al. Directed by Larry Charles.
Sacha Baron Cohen is a phenomenon than just a performer. The way he has absorbed himself and dedicated most of the limelight to his on screen characters (Borat, Bruno, Ali G and now Aladeen) is unmistakably truest of testaments to acting. It is a fact that Sacha's on screen characters are much more popular than he as an actor is. And, I believe, this is the real accomplishment for an actor.
This time Sacha plays the last surviving dictator in the world, Admiral General Aladeen. From the trailer itself, we don't expect the next biggest satire but we do want to roll down on the floor and to be shot with those gazillion gags. But Alas, the film tries to be sensible! I always believe that a film's failure (or success) depends on its level of honesty. If the trailers try to make a different impression than what the film is actually about (for the most part), it is more often than not, going to fail. Not that The Dictator failed completely but if you spent your money for a rib-tickling venture, you will feel cheated.
I've been a big fan of Sacha's array of funny episodes as Ali G, Borat and Bruno but not so much of any of those character based films. And I think this is saying something. Playing gags or trying to bust someone balls by political satires for five minutes is extremely funny, however, films are not formed with gags. They have to move somewhere. The Dictator feels short, choked and longing to breath out something funny but all it ends up as is merely a forced extension of those short episodes. The story is very simply (not that we really want the next inception!) but the screenplay lacks the number of punches, the key word being number. Yes, there are some scenes that are truly Sacha's trademark but they are few in number and far in between.
I personally think The Dictator is a missed opportunity. It could have easily been the funniest of all the Sacha's films, but it's not even a runner up. It seems to lack the stability of a film, tries to unfold too quickly and on the whole it tips towards a romantic-satirical comedy rather than just a comedy with some satire. And what the hell is Ben Kingsley doing in this film? Such a waste of an actor!
** / *****
Sacha Baron Cohen is a phenomenon than just a performer. The way he has absorbed himself and dedicated most of the limelight to his on screen characters (Borat, Bruno, Ali G and now Aladeen) is unmistakably truest of testaments to acting. It is a fact that Sacha's on screen characters are much more popular than he as an actor is. And, I believe, this is the real accomplishment for an actor.This time Sacha plays the last surviving dictator in the world, Admiral General Aladeen. From the trailer itself, we don't expect the next biggest satire but we do want to roll down on the floor and to be shot with those gazillion gags. But Alas, the film tries to be sensible! I always believe that a film's failure (or success) depends on its level of honesty. If the trailers try to make a different impression than what the film is actually about (for the most part), it is more often than not, going to fail. Not that The Dictator failed completely but if you spent your money for a rib-tickling venture, you will feel cheated.
I've been a big fan of Sacha's array of funny episodes as Ali G, Borat and Bruno but not so much of any of those character based films. And I think this is saying something. Playing gags or trying to bust someone balls by political satires for five minutes is extremely funny, however, films are not formed with gags. They have to move somewhere. The Dictator feels short, choked and longing to breath out something funny but all it ends up as is merely a forced extension of those short episodes. The story is very simply (not that we really want the next inception!) but the screenplay lacks the number of punches, the key word being number. Yes, there are some scenes that are truly Sacha's trademark but they are few in number and far in between.
I personally think The Dictator is a missed opportunity. It could have easily been the funniest of all the Sacha's films, but it's not even a runner up. It seems to lack the stability of a film, tries to unfold too quickly and on the whole it tips towards a romantic-satirical comedy rather than just a comedy with some satire. And what the hell is Ben Kingsley doing in this film? Such a waste of an actor!
** / *****
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