The Dictator [DVD] [2012]

In your home country, you are all-powerful, worshipped, albeit forcibly, and seen as God come to Earth. Then, you are abandoned in a country where you’re despised by the public as a whole and must make a living. What do you do? Admiral General Hafez Aladeen (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) has been master of all he surveys in the North African Republic of Wadiya for decades. He’s immature, anti-Semitic, has such poor judgment, and so little control over his libido that his bodyguards are all female and chosen primarily for their looks. In addition, he spends a fortune of his country’s money for the pleasure of Megan Fox’s company in the bedroom. Still, all is not perfect in the world of our conceited ruler. He must face the combined challenges of building his struggling nuclear program and keeping U.N. inspectors from discovering it. All while his right hand and uncle, Tamir (played by Ben Kingsley) grows frustrated with working for such a buffoon. Believing that he rightly belongs in the seat of power, Tamir (Kingsley) hires an American mercenary named Clayton (played by John C. Reilly) to kidnap Aladeen so that he can be replaced a look-alike they employ to foil assassination attempts. The look-alike, (also played by Cohen) is a simpleton and will be much easier to manipulate than the real Aladeen who managed to escape his captors, but not before they’d stripped him of his decorated military uniform and cut off his trademark beard. After meeting him outside the U.N., Zoey, an activist and operator of an alternative lifestyle food co-op (played by Anna Faris) offers Aladeen a job, believing he was a refugee from the oppressive regime rather than the covertly ousted oppressor himself. Now, having not seen Borat or Bruno, perhaps I was unprepared for Cohen’s brand of comedy. The director, Larry Charles, was also behind the camera for Cohen’s previous efforts but I’m only familiar with his work as an alumnus of the Seinfeld writing staff and as the director of the Bill Maher documentary Religulous. I am a fan of both but comparing The Dictator to Seinfeld is like comparing apples to… well, Seinfeld. And the obvious references to eccentricities exhibited by Saddam Hussein and former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi were funny, but the protagonist himself neither funny nor sympathetic. To me, he was rarely, if ever, interesting. Others might enjoy this film, I didn't.

Not the best Sasha Cohen movie...but sends good social message-no digital copy inside

Funny movie but the humor needs to be for you. I can see how this movie would easily offend someone.

this is a movie to definitely keep you laughing. Add this to your movie collection movie buffs. Great price for Blue Ray

Sasha Cohen is nuts, but I like juvenile humor....

The Dictator (Unrated Version) was one of those blind-buy purchases, and it's one of my favorite dark-humor/outrageous comedy titles. Sacha Baron Cohen is hilarious.

Would have never purchased this movie but it was so cheap I couldn't resist. I was surprised to find myself laughing quite a bit through the entire movie.

It was pretty funny, thank god it was on sale. Still a good add for my collection