BORAT
CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN

Starring:
Sacha Baron Cohen and Ken Davitian

Director:
Larry Charles

Running Time:
82 mins

Out to buy on DVD 05/03/04

"Please see my film, or my government will execute"

Jagshemash. Kazakhstan TV reporter Borat Sagdiyev (Baron Cohen) travels to the US of A, with famous Kazakhstani documentary filmmaker Azamat Bagatov (Davitian) to help his government and people understand western cultures. Starting in New York, they travel across America to California, meeting people along the way who will show him things that he never thought were possible, proving he has a lot to learn.

British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen leaves Ali G and the Staines Massive behind to concentrate on his better creation, Kazakhstan broadcast journalist Borat with hilarious results.

After letting his fans down with the lacklustre 'Ali G Indahouse', they will rejoice when they see 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'. Instead of changing the character to suit a film plot like he did with Ali G, Borat does what he does best, interview people to find out about America.

The plot of the movie is very slight. He is sent by the Kazakhstan ministry to find out about the cultural differences between his glorious nation and the US of A. Here he discovers equality between the races, religions and sexes, hotel rooms that are bigger than every house in his village combined, toilets and fresh running water from a tap and even discovers love at first sight. He does this by interviewing members of the American public, how they try and embrace his differences and americanise him.

Sacha Baron Cohen exploits this cultural naivety with supreme skill to provide some absolutely hysterical moments. The Borat character is an exceptional comedic creation and one that has appeal across generations. While he may say offensive and politically incorrect things, nothing is said with malice or hatred but it is just the way that he has been educated and brought up in this country. From degrading women to continual anti-Semitic jokes, it is the shock value and how he delivers these observations and statements with such honesty and confusion as to why the American's don't think the same way as he does. Sacha Baron Cohen gets away with the anti-Semitic statements because he is actually Jewish but the rest he pushes as far as he can go.

The mockumentary style of the film means that it is all about the performance of Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat. He has some support along the way from Ken Davitian as famed Kazakhstani documentary filmmaker Azamat Bagatov but apart from that it is just Borat and the American people he meets on his journey. Because the character isn't that well known in the US, having only appeared on HBO, it is possible for the performer to get away with saying anything to his interviewees and they will just think it is cultural differences. This leads to some hysterical situations at the Rodeo, in New York, in a church, at a dinner party and in the lobby and conference room of a hotel. Each of which will have you almost crying with laugher because some of the time you can't actually believe what he is saying or doing to the people who have agreed to talk to him.

'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan' is one of the best comedy movies to be released in a very long time. Its mockumentary style puts it in the same category as 'This is Spinal Tap' and over time it will become as big a cult classic. With lines that you will be quoting for weeks to follow and situations that will have you giggling to yourself every time you think of them, Sacha Baron Cohen has announced himself to the world and proved that he could be as talented as we knew he had the potential to be. While the film could be a little too controversial for some, especially the country of Kazakhstan, most people will definitely find a moment in this movie that will make them laugh out loud. Niiice!

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with Dolby Digital 5.1 and dts soundtracks, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES

Censored Footage
Entitled 'Dog Pound', 'Massaging', 'Super Market', 'Doctor', 'Policing', 'Rodeo Reports', 'More Footages' and 'Sexy Drown watch', these hilarious deleted or bonus scenes only add to the entertainment.

Global Propaganda Tour (16.39 mins)
Watch Borat appear on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien', 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' and 'Saturday Night Live', as well as appearing at the Cannes Film Festival, San Diego Comic Con and at premieres in London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Berlin, Sydney and Melbourne. We also get to see his statement in Washington and trying to get into the Whitehouse.

Musics Infomercial (1.00 min)
A promotional video for the soundtrack for the movie and music from Kazakhstan

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan' is good but not as good as fans might have hoped for. The extra scenes are hilarious however and the global propaganda tour is just as good but fans might have been expecting a commentary track and even more deleted scenes. It is Niiice but not worth a high five.

DVD

This is Spinal Tap


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