Borat ★★☆☆☆

In this new American adventure, Borat returns to the States looking to make amends. After some years interned in a Kazakh labour camp—due to the displeasure the Kazakh authorities had for the first movie—he is sent to America to deliver gifts to the elite. His only daughter, Tutar (played by Maria Balkova), tags along for the journey, finding it hard to unite the ludicrous doctrines of her father with the liberal values of the USA. 

Now, to be upfront, I’ve never been much of a fan of the original movie or of the character of Borat himself; however, I recognise that many people do love him. With that said, I think the two most important questions are: a.) did I think it was funny? and b.) was it as scathing a satire as was advertised? Firstly, I didn’t find it particularly funny, or at least not any funnier than the first movie. The joke writing in Borat II (as I’ll call it) is mainly focussed on shocking you, interspersed with nostalgic catchphrases and familiar Borat beliefs. For me the jokes seemed desiccated and thoroughly squeezed of their gold; whatever humour was bound up in them originally has long-since fled. What I did like about Borat I was that Cohen made the objects of his satire stick out more than his own ridiculous character in many ways; Borat was merely the spark to ignite reactions that, while seemingly normal in a room next to Borat, had some sting when they were considered in isolation. For me, Borat II didn’t have the bite or the wit I wanted given its political targets, and I very much doubt that it will be the cultural nuke that Cohen anticipates it to be heading in to November 3rd.