top of page

FILM REVIEW | BORAT: SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

18 | 1h 35min | Comedy | 23 October 2020 (UK)



When Borat hit our screens fourteen years ago, the world wasn't quite ready for the impact this character would have.

The green mankini was made famous, quotes thrown around, but there was more to this creation than just laughs. Sacha Baron Cohen is back with what is his greatest character creation, and with only a month between announcement and press release, it certainly caught many people off guard.


Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm seems to of been made as more of a political movement, but this doesn't take away from the laughs and outlandish moments this character gets up to, although this time he has a sidekick. Going on this journey with him is Tutar (Borat"s Daughter) played by an unknown actress by the name of Maria Bakalova. And in unexpected fashion she is not afraid to put herself out there in front of these unwilling and unknowing subjects, just like Baron Cohen. She's a scene stealer and the star of the film, going from scene to scene with a funny moment at each turn.

It was always going to be a difficult task to follow up the 2006 film, and it showed. Borat is such a well known character across America and throughout they were forced to use costumes to hide the mere character this film was meant to follow. In the first film the laughs felt genuine and punchy, whereas throughout you get more drawn out moments of comedy not quite living up to this characters legacy. But that said, there are moments where the comedy shines through the cracks, and the outrageous events ensue.


This story line was harder feat to pull off. Where in the first film, Borat is attempting to get closer to a celebrity, here he is attempting to get closer to the Vice President, which subsequently means the President. Moments that you may have already seen on the news, moments with dumbfounded Trump followers and unbelievable encounters with top personnel are littered across the duration, how close they manage to get to these people is incredible. Showing the lengths people are to get their voices heard, and to entice these people into revealing their true selves. There is a clear political focus to this film, calling out various scandals within the American hierarchy throughout, which makes it a showcase of the reason why Americans should be out voting.


Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm will not age as well as the first but it shares some comedy moments that made this character as outrageous as we know. Maria Bakalova was the absolute star, getting on the same page as Sacha Baron Cohen. Although the laughs were evident, there feels like there was something missing, like it lost that "Borat" spark due to taking on the more topical story.

By Elliot Lines - Lead Editor

Comments


bottom of page