Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Name a follow up movie that is better than the one before it.  We have all talked about this at parties at one point, it is a short list.  There are the tried and true answers of Terminator 2, Aliens, Godfather Part II and The Empire Strikes Back… but then it gets difficult from there.

Well friends, we can now add Borat Subsequent Moviefilm to that list.  I enjoyed the first one, however the sequel was much more bold and funny then the original.  Honestly, I was amazed that such a controversial movie like this was made this day and age.  This comedy is dark and takes risks in a time when we need it the most.

If you forgot, Borat is a reporter from a very strange (fictitious) foreign nation called Kazakhstan.  In 2006 he was sent to “the great US of A” to learn about all things America.  This is the classic fish out of water story which made a splash, it became an instant Comedy hit.  Sacha Baron Cohen returns as Borat who is sent back to America on a very important mission.

In Borat 2, he is sent by his beleaguer third world country, to the United States to give a bribe to someone high in the ranks of the Trump administration.  Yes, politics is a part of this movie, more so than the first.  But that is just a fervent and dire response to our time.  What is brilliant about Borat 2 is that it said a great deal by just letting reality speak for itself.

Much of the comedy derives from simply holding up a dark mirror to America and seeing it all through the eyes of an enthusiastic foreigner.  Our narrative is simple, yet well paced.  We are quickly taken along on this most glorious comedic journey.  These elements come together in the ending in a fun and impactful way.  The movie has cameos from Tom Hanks, Mike Pence and Rudy Giuliani that I am sure everyone will be talking about.  And you do not want the FOMO do you?

It is worth noting some elements and scenes from the trailers were cut from the movie.  I find this to be a great idea because moments like this always become less funny when you watch the movie, because you are seeing it for a second time.  This movie also has a comedic bend on gender issues, the 2020 Pandemic and the role of social media in our culture.

Simply put, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is the levity we all need today.  It is a shared laugh in a time defined by division, an experience to bring us together during a year of crippling isolation and strife.  To that I say, very nice!

The Borat sequel is now streaming on Amazon Prime.  Do you agree that it is better than the first? After you watch it this debate can be settled on the all knowing beacon of truth, the facts machine we call the internet.

– Curt Wiser is the Writer/Director of the Suspense movie Cam-Girl. He is happy to review the work of other filmmakers and share them with the world, especially if it is a surprisingly funny sequel.