Variety
Typically, political correctness couldn't be farther from the filmmakers' mind, and yet, what the picture most sorely lacks is the sort of humanist appeal Chaplin delivered at the close of "The Great Dictator."
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The Dictator
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.
2012Rating: R16, contains offensive language, sexual material & other content that may offend84 minsUSA
Comedy
- Director:
- Larry Charles ('Borat', 'Bruno', 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', 'Seinfeld')
- Writer:
- Sacha Baron CohenAlec BergDavid MandelJeff Schaffer
- Cast:
- Sacha Baron CohenMegan FoxAnna FarisJohn C. ReillyBen KingsleyJ.B. SmooveAdeel AkhtarB. J. Novak
The Dictator / Reviews
Total Film
Outrageous, outlandish and overboard, The Dictator will satisfy Cohen's army of fans. But it never feels as funny, full-on or fresh as "Borat" and "Brüno."
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Time Magazine
Fans of the nasty Baron Cohen may regret his being borderline nice in The Dictator. But we should welcome his decision to stop being the best at something few others dare try and instead to inhabit a more familiar comedy style--just going denser, wilder, better. He pulls it off.
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The Guardian
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.
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Roger Ebert
The Dictator is funny, in addition to being obscene, disgusting, scatological, vulgar, crude and so on.
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Hollywood Reporter
Cohen employs a comic range that ricochets between wicked political barbs and the lowest anatomical farce, to often funny and occasionally hilarious effect.
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Empire Magazine
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.
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Box Office Magazine
A superb vehicle for Sacha Baron Cohen's over-the-top socio-political outrageousness.
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