Alright, lets make this 2 cents quick and dirty. Dictator was directed by Larry Charles who we know from his extensive career directing movies such as.... uh.... Well.... he did do Borat. Not that I watched that. I had to do some research to discover his extensive profile directing pretty much nothing. His career started writing for Seinfeld, and started directing with Masked and Anonymous. Never heard of it either, so dont worry, you're not alone. Unless you had heard of it, then yes, you are indeed alone.
Taking a quick glance at his movie careers, Larry Charles seems infatuated by directing for over the top absurd movies. Just looking at the cover of Religulous and its cover poster involving monkeys in religious attire, one can quickly assume Dictator is well in his safe zone.
With a $65 million dollar budget, it's miraculous to me that not only did this movie break even, but it went on to earn over $177 million. Upon seeing the trailer in the theater when I was out to see another movie, I found my palm securely fastened to my face over how absurd this movie appeared. Upon first impressions, this movie appeared to be racist, sexist, over the top terrible humor. Finally after months of avoiding it, I at last took the moment to watch this train wreck of a movie and discovered my first impressions were completely correct.
No stereotype is spared, no summer comedy trope goes unused, and no racist and sexist remark goes unmade. That is the beauty of Dictator. It takes your average summer comedy movie where a bastard of a person meets new friends, realizes those he's done wrong in the past, and learns to be a better person himself before losing it all. Typical movie, well, it would be if it wasn't based on the Dictator of a african country known as Wadiya threatening nuclear holocaust. Every racist sterotype of middle easterners is taken and exaggerated a hundred folds. Building up this stereotype, the writer then follows up by of course, stripping him of his position and leaving him on the streets of New York City, where he can learn his wrong doings and become a better man while getting together with the obligatory girl love interest.
Haffaz Aladeen, the Dictator, is played by Sacha Baron Cohen, a British actor who you might know from Borat where he played the titular Borat, or Sweeney Todd where he was the self proclaimed “King of the Barbers”. Besides Sacha Cohen is Anna Faris who plays the movies obligatory love interest, Zoey. Zoey is every stereotype of the organic modern hippie rolled together, including the funny smells and lack of armpit shaving while somehow managing a organic produce store. Badly.
The comedy of this movie derives primary from satiring both politically correct and incorrect stereotypes, never once taking itself too seriously except when it's making fun of other movies for taking such scenes seriously. One instant for example comes when a woman spontaniously drops down into labor where our “hero” comes and delivers the baby in a manner most unhelpful, which involves him accidentally reaching into the wrong hole for the baby. Repeatedly. Of course this touching scene brings the two love interest together, while the woman in labor yells at the two to enjoy the moment some other time.
Characters: 5/10
The characters beauty of this movie is the characters existing as every politically incorrect stereotype. While this by no means make ANY of the characters a good character, let alone a likable character, it served the purpose of the movie without becoming distracting in itself.
Plot: 5/10
Take summer comedy movie and make it the most racist politically incorrect story about a Dictator. That pretty much sums up this plot. It's typical, and granted it's satirizing the genre, doesn't separate it from being in fact apart of the genre.
Fun Factor: 9/10
This can go either way. If you can enjoy racist and politically incorrect humor as long as it's satire, then you'll love this movie. Otherwise, expect to leave the box office in heavy rage.
Directing & Casting: 9/10
Everyone was well cast, and a movie of this tongue in cheek satire could of gone either way. To me, I felt it very carefully threaded the line of being racist and being satire, horridly, which oddly enough was perfect for this type of movie. Had this movie actually attempted going through with the trope of a jerk reaching redemption or actually tried making our protagonist with any shred of redemption, my opinion on this movie could easily be in the opposite end.
Overall: 7/10
This movie is bad. It looks as bad as the trailers and even worse. If you can enjoy this type of humor then it has my recommendation. While it's nothing particularly amazing, it's not too long, standing at only a hour and a half, while being enjoyable dumb fun.
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