Borat Subsequent Moviefilm ★★★
Updated: Nov 26, 2020
Jason Woliner
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova, Tom Hanks
We need good satire more than ever. Just like Chaplin with The Great Dictator or Borat with Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, holding a mirror up to the world so that we can have a giggle and a reality check is necessary and sadly less common these days; the quality of the staire can also be patchy at best. So it's with great excitement and, ironically, a sense of warm nostalgia that Borat is back on our screens and away from his life of toll. His missions: to deliver a gift to the "Vice President of US&A" to put Kazakhstan back on the map after he ruined their reputation during his first outing in 2004.
It's honestly like he's never been away. You are reminded of the impact of the original quite early on as nearly everyone recognises Borat when he returns to the US. He quickly learns that a disguise is in order and we're treated to many versions of America that nearly all make Sacha Baron Cohen look like a MAGA patriot. The laughs come thick and fast while the cringe levels are something else. It's been a long while since I've had to look between the gaps in my fingers as I couldn't bear to watch what was unfolding.
This time, Borat is joined by his daughter, played by Maria Bakalova. At first, I wasn't sure if the pairing would end becoming too much of a caricature but in fact it's what made the film and gave it hear (sort of). Bakalova was brilliant and could more than live up to the cringe stakes laid down by Baron-Cohen, and she is rightly given the time to shine as the story plays out.
Some of the jokes did fall flat though and personally I get tired of pranks after a while, so by the end I wasn't laughing as hard as I was towards the start. However, there is a fun ending to this one and you're left in no doubt as to why this movie was released right now.
Definitely worthy to be up there with the original, Borat makes a welcome and timely return. Just brace yourself...
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available now on Amazon Prime