BORAT
A Film Review By
Le Chupacabra
Age Rating: 18+
Genre: Comedy/Documentary
Borat: Although Kazakhstan a glorious country, it have a problem too: economic, social and Jew.
Pause yourself, open wide and breathe.
That’s something you’ll clearly forget to do while watching this film! Why? Simply because you’ll either be laughing to the point of suffocation or coughing out every bit of your life in utter revulsion.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan or more commonly (and painlessly), Borat is a documentary-style film that takes our loveable Kazakhstani reporter on a cross country romp through the USA. On the way, laws will be broken, social morals will be shattered and the fabric of society will unravel as Borat Sagdiyev attempts to learn about American culture while giving offering a bit of his own in return.
At its heart this film is a pretty well-disguised satire that liberally takes a few jabs, if not full-fledged punches, at the face of American society. Of course, if you don’t want to think too much about the hidden, postmodern agenda of Borat, it still happens to be one that’s utterly hilarious and oh-so-wrong at every step of the way.
While a lot of the humour seems to be exceedingly crude, it’s also quite ingenious and hides a subtler message in its facets. Simultaneously, it’s also extremely blatant and in-your-face when it comes to touchier (oh the irony) topics such as anti-Semetism and rights against feminism. Sacha Baron Cohen is a man who knows how to write up excellent satire whereas Borat is one who says anything on his mind – together we have a character who knows he’s wrong but doesn’t give a damn and all the while, drags the audience along for a rollercoaster ride of endless laughter. There’s something brilliant about the way the ridiculously accented Borat just manages to bring about the most brazen emotions from people who would otherwise think twice before hooting and hollering to something like “May George Bush drink the blood of every man, woman and child in Iraq!”.
There are numerous points in the film where you’ll just burst out – even though that little voice at the back of your mind is tutting away. While being extremely funny, there are also moments that will make you cringe, if not completely writhe, in absolute disgust. You’ll know what I’m talking about… trust me! (Dear god, the memories burn….)
A little warning here seems fair: if you are one who takes offence quite easily (oh and trust me, Borat will take any and all opportunities for that) then you would be better off avoiding this film. Even though I find this absolutely hilarious, there were still portions that were just plain wrong.
In the end however, you’ll still come out a giggling mess of flesh and bone that’ll stop chuckling only to quote a random one-liner and thus reducing yourself to hysteria yet again. Just make sure you’ve got some like-minded friends with you on this journey! Ah, good times…
