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Lonely Planet San Francisco

Lonely Planet, Sara Benson, Alison Bing and John A. Vlahides

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Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet San Francisco is your...

Lonely Planet the Italian Lakes

Lonely Planet, Anthony Ham and Paula Hardy

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Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet The Italian Lakes is your...

Shonishin: Japanese Pediatric Acupuncture: A Text and Video Guide

Stephen Birch

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In a concise manner, Birch manages to capture the essence of meridian therapy-no mean feat. --...

Strategic Modelling and Business Dynamics: A Feedback Systems Approach + Website

John Morecroft

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Insightful modelling of dynamic systems for better business strategy The business environment is...

Security and Usability

Lorrie Faith Cranor and Simson Garfinkel

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Human factors and usability issues have traditionally played a limited role in security research and...

BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm (2020) in Movies

Apr 19, 2021

Nice Try

I have to admit that I never watched the 2006 BORAT film, but when it’s sequel BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM was nominated for 2 Oscars(!) - including Best Supporting Actress - I knew I would have to check this one out.

I have heard the following words and phrases used to describe the BORAT films: daring, ingenious, hilarious, cringe-inducing, smart, dumb, original and important. I would add one other word to this list:

Boring.

Sitting on the screen for and hour and a half like a Saturday Night Live skit that is being stretched too long, BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM held my attention for about the first 15 minutes where I thought that it was kind of funny and clever. And then it went on…and on…and on…running the same “sabotage” joke into the ground, pulling unsuspecting innocents into the outrageous world of Borat (though, I have to admit that most of these “unsuspecting innocents” knew exactly what was going on and were playing along).

Sasha Baron-Cohen is a smart filmmaker, writer and performer and he has earned the right to do whatever he feels like he wants to do. I prefer him in such movie fare as SWEENEY TODD, LES MISERABLES and the recent TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO SEVEN. But, if he feels like he wants to do things like Borat, who am I to argue. He certainly puts his all into the character, the scenarios and the guerilla film-making that is required, so good for him.

Maria Bakalova is nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar as she plays Borat’s daughter who accompanies him on his journey across America. It is a “fine” performance and brings something that this film sorely needs - heart. But Oscar worthy? I don’t think so.

I must also give credit to the filmmakers for pivoting when the pandemic hit. They were in the middle of creating this (obviously) anti-Trump political farce of a film when Covid-19 forced them to pivot - and pivot they did, making this film as much about the virus than it is about politics.

Ultimately, this is a case where I can admire the attempt, the art, the craftmanship and skill and talent needed to pull this movie off. But as a film, it just didn’t go anywhere and I found myself looking at my watch wondering when this film would be over.

And…no…I don’t think I’ll go back a “catch-up” on the first BORAT film.

Letter Grade: C+

5 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)