Read Negative User Reviews for The Dictator

3

tkobirdMay 23, 2012

A real missed opportunity... surprisingly jokeless. The best moment is his speech on the U.S. one day being a dictatorship and doing all the things they are already doing... but that was the one joke the audience didn't seem to get. Sad.

12 of 22 users found this helpful1210

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3

ZenRobotMay 17, 2012

I saw this in the theater today, well the 30 opening minutes at least. they were bad enough for me to walk out. and i never walk out of movies. Loved Borat and thought Bruno was okay. But this is no good. The jokes were all either veryI saw this in the theater today, well the 30 opening minutes at least. they were bad enough for me to walk out. and i never walk out of movies. Loved Borat and thought Bruno was okay. But this is no good. The jokes were all either very simple or very stupid. Before this review gets too scathing i'm just gonna end here by saying: don't see it, or see it on video later.… Expand

13 of 24 users found this helpful1311

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3

JamieBlueRMay 18, 2012

I went into this movie expecting light entertainment, and got even less. A few giggles here and there, but for the most part, The Dictator was agonizing to watch.

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

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3

skanteaAug 12, 2012

85% hacky. I love 'purposely stupid' as much anyone else, but these jokes missed the mark way too many times. The ratio has got to be at least one decent joke for every three flat-liners, and the whole first hour of this film belongs in the85% hacky. I love 'purposely stupid' as much anyone else, but these jokes missed the mark way too many times. The ratio has got to be at least one decent joke for every three flat-liners, and the whole first hour of this film belongs in the ICU. It picked up around the beginning of the third act, but by then I was only watching because I was planning this review. I'll put it like this, any adult who grew up watching 80s and 90s cartoons has actually heard most of these jokes or similar enough ones to know whats coming. If you have too much free time, sit down in front of this. Otherwise you can do better very easily.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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2

MB1097May 19, 2012

A meandering, occasionally funny let down from a man who should have known better. I barely chuckled and felt as if my intelligence was being insulted at nearly every turn.

9 of 21 users found this helpful912

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0

DenebKaitosMay 24, 2012

Not a funny movie. It takes a genius to write a movie about morons, unfortunately this is not one of those instances. This is a movie written by a moron and never lands a joke.

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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2

SebBlefariMay 24, 2012

Disappointment soon led to anger. The laughs were few and cheap. The Dictator completely missed the nail by a long shot, only people from ages 12 -15 would find the film amusing.

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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3

HazmarfauzMay 16, 2012

All in all a very disappointing movie, too much hype with the trailer.... It's watchable but would not say I laughed my head off. will not recommend it. American pie and 21 jump street were of a different league of comedy compared to the dictator.

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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2

MarcbackmanJun 5, 2012

I got dragged along to this movie with my girlfriend and her family - I wasn't going to see it otherwise as I feel Sacha Baren Cohen has been on a steady downward spiral since the Ali G days (which seem so long ago now) when he was actuallyI got dragged along to this movie with my girlfriend and her family - I wasn't going to see it otherwise as I feel Sacha Baren Cohen has been on a steady downward spiral since the Ali G days (which seem so long ago now) when he was actually smart, funny, and enjoyable to watch without cringing.

The Dictator is a slapstick gross out film. Nothing more, nothing less. It was one of those films that you feel pressured to laugh at, specially in a movie theater filled with people (many who weren't too impressed with the film, as I heard very few laughs). I feel the move to a scripted comedy was a terrible idea, as EVERYTHING feels forced and pre-conceived. All the jokes rely on being politically incorrect and shocking to get laughs, but considering the fact that none of them are done 'well' at all makes this the films main failure. I love a bit of 'non PC' humour, and it can be done really well to great effect. But in 'The Dictator', EVERY joke is based on racism/sexism/misogynist attitudes that grow stale before they are even said.

Gone are the days of Ali G, where SBC would use his characters as a vessel and tool to show truths from other people, in result showing their ignorance and stupidity. Now all that's left is a Z-grade comedy film that is best suited for 13 year old boys who aren't well accustomed with good humour, and get a good laugh from the political incorrectness. The only redeeming scene in the film is where, after ripping up a new constitution for democracy for his home country Wadiya, SBC goes on a rant saying that 'America should be run by a dictatorship', going on to mention all the 'perks' of a dictatorship, ultimately describing all the ways America has cheated and gone against its democratic constitution. This is a great scene, and if the film was based more on smart tongue in cheek humour like this then the film could have been a success. Unfortunately, it isn't, and it is not a good film in any form as a result.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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1

NickyJ56kSep 8, 2012

Boy, did Sasha Baron Cohen ever miss the mark with 'The Dictator.' Like many others have said, I wanted to like this movie. I paused the DVD about 45 minutes in and debated slogging through the rest of it for the sake of finality. Who knows,Boy, did Sasha Baron Cohen ever miss the mark with 'The Dictator.' Like many others have said, I wanted to like this movie. I paused the DVD about 45 minutes in and debated slogging through the rest of it for the sake of finality. Who knows, maybe it would get better. But boy, it didn't. The majority of the jokes were anecdotal, like "Don't worry, I was the best _______ in Wadiya, I came first place in the Wadiyan _______ competition!" And the other guy, the nuclear scientist guy would reply with "But you were its only competitor! You had everyone else killed or disappeared because you're the Wadiyan dictator and that's what you do you **** Let's do slightly different iterations of this joke about 50 more times throughout this film and hope it's still funny." The jokes were like Family Guy flashback gags without the cutaways. Well, there were some, but that of course doesn't excuse how horribly written and repetitive the jokes in this movie were. Another example would be Anna Faris's hippie co-op store-owner, that Aladeen would constantly make jokes about her not shaving her armpits. Seriously, he must've said that like twenty times, culminating in a scene where he licked the **** things. Again, like other reviewers said, I started getting angry towards the end of this film. Baron Cohen is so much better than this movie. 'Borat' was a lot more intelligent and politically inclined than 'The Dictator', and THAT movie had a naked wrestling scene for **** sake. If you're a Sasha Baron Cohen fan, skip this film. If you've never seen any of his work, don't watch this movie. Cohen is a lot better when he's messing with real people disguised as "Borat" or "Bruno", but now that those characters are so popular, and he himself is famous and recognizable, he can no longer make such movies. But hopefully 'The Dictator' isn't all that's left in his comedic repertoire.

I rate this film 1 out of 10, and it gets rating of 1 simply for the fact that it's a movie.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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1

Bigg_zJun 2, 2012

Have never written a review here, actually signed up just to write this and I have been using Metacritic regularly for a few years now. I had enjoyed Borat, Bruno was poor enough, saw the trailers for this and thought it looked crap, then gotHave never written a review here, actually signed up just to write this and I have been using Metacritic regularly for a few years now. I had enjoyed Borat, Bruno was poor enough, saw the trailers for this and thought it looked crap, then got bribed into watching it, but when I saw the middling metascore I Said I'd go in positive....simply awful film, I laughed once, at the end, at an outtake. Jokes and plot are aggravatingly transparent, acting is poor, characters are painfully stereotypical and although this should be expected in a film like this it just doesn't work anymore.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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2

whyregisterJun 6, 2012

Aaah..Sacha completes the fall from 90% fabulous humor and 10% offensiveness with Ali G ten years ago, to vice versa with the Dictator. He's just not funny anymore.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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0

ChipChaseMay 17, 2012

Just terrible, I had to walk out after about 45 minutes because this is easily the worst movie I've seen in the past few years - and I've seen a lot of bad ones. In order to be a comedy the jokes need to be funny but all of the jokes in 'TheJust terrible, I had to walk out after about 45 minutes because this is easily the worst movie I've seen in the past few years - and I've seen a lot of bad ones. In order to be a comedy the jokes need to be funny but all of the jokes in 'The Dictator' just fall flat. All hype, no substance - stay away at all costs.… Expand

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

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0

gunnyartMay 30, 2012

No redeeming quality whatsoever! I should have known better than to give a Cohen movie another shot. The only positive thing I can say about it is... It's his best movie yet. The bar is just set so low.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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3

AkkharAug 8, 2012

Although The Dictator offers some funny Jocks but with a bad storyline and Script the movie is too hard to like . The Movie delivers delivers nothing lightened. The whole point of the movie is Useless . Sacha Baron Cohen was a bit flat inAlthough The Dictator offers some funny Jocks but with a bad storyline and Script the movie is too hard to like . The Movie delivers delivers nothing lightened. The whole point of the movie is Useless . Sacha Baron Cohen was a bit flat in his role and others were horrible . Saw the Movie and trying to forget it and don't ever wanna see it again . Its a total wast of time .… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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3

hollowficationJun 3, 2012

this movie was funny but it same as his other films his done in past the part in movie which was really funny but the nothing else that was making me laugh rest of flim i watch the bit in it i did laugh that bout it not entirely good moviethis movie was funny but it same as his other films his done in past the part in movie which was really funny but the nothing else that was making me laugh rest of flim i watch the bit in it i did laugh that bout it not entirely good movie but only thing which made it better was when ending credit pop up… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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3

nemesisioMay 25, 2012

Not a great movie. I kept hoping for something really bold and funny. But it's just predictably "shocking". YAWN. The physical gross-out stuff especially had me eye-rolling.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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2

EmptyFilmStockSep 18, 2012

Sasha Baron Cohen's worst **** movie ever. Funny only a small fraction of the time and WTF for the rest. I almost never stop a movie halfway, but this was pure stupidity.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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3

Frederico_LamboMay 29, 2012

I left the theatre trying to recall the funny parts of the movie. There was one involving the nuclear scientist. (Not sure why he wanted to continue with the dictatorship, but that is beside the point). I couldnâ

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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1

joejoJun 2, 2012

This is the most disgusting slapstick drained out comedy movie that one cannot sit thru completely. Its a total waste of time and money. I never walked out of any movies in my life time other than this disgusting crap. I don't know whatThis is the most disgusting slapstick drained out comedy movie that one cannot sit thru completely. Its a total waste of time and money. I never walked out of any movies in my life time other than this disgusting crap. I don't know what the censor board is thinking when they agreed to release these kind. Movies… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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1

cmanthomasJun 21, 2012

If you want to know what it's like watching this movie, picture yourself at a sleezy comedy club watching the first act of the night bomb on stage--that uncomfortable silence/embarrassed for the performer feeling, yeah that's what this movie is...

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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1

EfrainSep 7, 2012

The only redeeming and watchable parts of The Dictator are Bobby Lee's small comedic role. I did have a few giggles at the very least three times. I'll give this some points for its crude and offensive humor which was the second and lastThe only redeeming and watchable parts of The Dictator are Bobby Lee's small comedic role. I did have a few giggles at the very least three times. I'll give this some points for its crude and offensive humor which was the second and last thing I liked about it. What could have been a hilarious comedy failed at even being a simple movie. I did feel like I wasted an entire hour, it is Sacha Baron Cohen's weakest performance. Not funny.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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2

nutterjrAug 9, 2013

Sacha Baron Cohen really tries to extend the shock factor to create comedy, but the method has worked thin and has made me lose interest in his next project.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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3

dubbleqJun 18, 2012

This was actually a horrible movie. The first 30 minutes were completely without a joke. Nothing funny at all in the first 30 minutes, oh yeah, and the rest of the movie. Loved Borat and Bruno, this movie sucks.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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3

TyranianMar 8, 2020

Very difficult to know what to say about this film, you will probably like it if you like gross-out comedy.

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3

SpangleMar 1, 2014

Consistently offensive (to varying effectiveness), The Dictator is funny in spots, but is also filled with jokes that are too stupid to be funny. Now of course this was not trying to be a fantastic film or anything, but I do wish that theConsistently offensive (to varying effectiveness), The Dictator is funny in spots, but is also filled with jokes that are too stupid to be funny. Now of course this was not trying to be a fantastic film or anything, but I do wish that the jokes were way more consistent. In addition, in terms of story, the romantic aspect added to this one did not actually add anything to the movie at all and in fact subtracted from the movie. More dictatorship, less random, forced, and unnecessary romance. At the end of the day, this one is not a trainwreck like I feared it might be and could be a good movie to watch if you want a few good laughs and a hilarious speech on dictatorships, but sadly other than that, there is not much to see. As I said before, this one could have been a lot better if it had been a lot more consistent.… Expand

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3

amheretojudgeSep 3, 2019

It sets the timer off with its own jokes, it is a self created doom, at least there won't be any regrets.

The Dictator I would like to give the credit to the director, Larry Charles and he should get it, for he is managing this entireIt sets the timer off with its own jokes, it is a self created doom, at least there won't be any regrets.

The Dictator

I would like to give the credit to the director, Larry Charles and he should get it, for he is managing this entire project. But I feel like this is his (Sacha Baron Cohen) doing all the way. From start to finish, from low to high points, from head turning away moments to screen shutting moments, he loves zapping you with bizarrely wrong information. That is his kick. That is his humor. Sacha is famous for going against the opinions of.. well, the entire world. He has to be completely wrong. And for that he must know what is actually right. Now, this is where his subtlety and smartness actually pays off.

For his humor isn't just crass or offensive or edgy. It understands the day to day issue that each comic writer goes through while dealing with the obligatory aspect of the storytelling. The obligatory section is where you have to mold the structure of the film in a certain way in order to reach the goal. Now, understanding that very equilibrium gives him leverage over the command that he orders to now distract you.

He is aware of the fact that you are eventually watching a film, a comic one, in particular. And he manages to mock even those elements that not only is just smokes and ashes but is thought provoking and witty. I still don't know what sign was he looking towards when he made up a fake name in front of the police. Another repeating gag is Anna Faris and the way she is dressed in the film. All those references that he uses to describe her will remain the highlight of the film for me. The Dictator is a good anecdote that would work better in a talk show or as a stand up gig than it doea in or as a film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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2

AltMetalNov 6, 2022

All I could think of while watching this is, "Is that supposed to be funny?". Because I get the sense that those moments are meant to elevate the quite frankly painful story. Yet another "Mature" rated Hollywood movie I couldn't finish.

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2

clem666Jul 23, 2021

Oh lord it was so painful to watch. I exactly knew after five minutes what to expect from the rest of the movie in terms of plot, acting skills and quality of humour.

If some (very) few satiric lines do work well in the middle of this mess,Oh lord it was so painful to watch. I exactly knew after five minutes what to expect from the rest of the movie in terms of plot, acting skills and quality of humour.

If some (very) few satiric lines do work well in the middle of this mess, what remains of 'The Dictator' are gross, vulgar, predictable, racist and facist so-called jokes. The great majority of them couldn't even manage to make me smile. It's a total shame because this could have been way better with lighter jokes, less useless nude scenes and with more valuable characters. In the end of the day it feels like this movie is making fun of everyone without ever proposing something new nor interesting. This is the kind of movies that can make you laugh if you are a casual teenager watching it with beers and friends, but as soon as you develop your critical mind you can't enjoy it anymore.

The only things that made me not give it a straight zero out of ten are the artistic direction (including lighting, decor, colours, sequences of plans), some acting skills (especially from Zoey (Anna Faris) and the doctor (Aasif Mandvi) but surely not from the main lousy Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen)), and eventually the soundtrack. So a big congratulations to the many producers, who apparently did their best to prevent this huge cargo filled with excrement from sinking and arriving in a beautiful package before our revolted eyes. All the rest leaves a disgusting taste of preheated dirt and garbage served as the main cold dish.… Expand

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