The Dictator – Overall Positive Response!
‘The Dictator’ has been quite well-accepted by critics who have by now agreed that Sacha Baron Cohen has been funny enough to entertain the audiences with his role of a oppressive ruler of a fictional North African nation, Republic of Wadiya; a combination of funny characters in and out and a comedic practice on the big screen, carried on by Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers and Woody Allen!
Sacha Baron Cohen has also co-written the film. According to distributor Paramount Pictures, the film tells the story of a dictator who leaves no stone unturned to ensure that democracy doesn’t come to the country. Director of The Dictator, Larry Charles, has directed two of Baron’s films, Bruno and Borat. In the film, Cohen is co-starred by Ben Kingsley and Anna Farris.
Plot of The Dictator
Admiral General Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is ruling Repulic of Wadiya for forty years. He is a lustful, anti-western and racist tyrant who likes to be guarded by female bodyguards and has a desire to create nuclear weapons. The United Nations Security Council passes resolution for military interference, on which he visits the UN Headquarters in New York to give a speech at the council. When he is in New York, a hit-man kidnaps and shaves him. The hit-man has been hired by his uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) who is treacherous and wants to snatch the rule from Aladeen to give it to a political decoy whom he can influence to sign a paper about democratizing the country and further use the oil wells of the country for business.
Aladeen manages to escape and then comes across an activist Zoey (Anna Farris) who tells him to get employed in her co-op. Aladeen takes the advice of his friend Nadal (Jason Mantzoukas) and accepts the job, because Zoey’s staff is permitted in the UN Headquarters.
Aladeen penetrates the headquarters and tears up Tamir’s paper before the UN delegation. He sees Zoey in the room and along with declaring his love for her also declares to democratize his nation.
Aladeen returns to the country of Wadiya and marries Zoey; however he gets a shock when she pounds a glass and discloses that she is a Jewish.
Response to the Film
The film is getting overall positive responses. Roger Eberty has remarked that the film is funny, and obscene, scatological, disgusting, crude, vulgar, etc. etc. Slant Magazine remarks on the film to be one of the biggest comedy letdowns of the year. Rotten Tomatoes have given 66% score to the film.
