"Borat Is Much Funnier then Ali G."

Rating: 7/10 (21 November 2006)

Borat is a Kazakhstani television personality who heads to USA, the so called "greastest country in the world". In an attempt to learn more about the country to bring to Kazakhstan, Borat manages to upset almost every single person he encounters. While in America he develops an unhealthy obsession with Pamela Anderson and begins a quest to become her husband.
I have to say this right off the bat, I hate Ali G with a passion. That character is not funny one bit and every time I hear his voice I feel like punching a baby in the face. Now, Borat is another story. I've seen some of his skits on television and guess what...no punching of babies. In fact I smiled every once and while I yes a chuckle did happen. Once I saw the trailer for Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, again a smirk or two and a chuckle. Then all these reviews came pouring in: Funniest Comedy of the year, A fearless comedy, Riotously funny, and so on. So does BORAT make it as one of the funniest films of all time? Is it full of side-splitting laughter? Or is it just over-hyped?
Much like Snakes on a Plane, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, has you laughing at the title alone. Without even seeing the film you knew it would be funny and it is, although I do have to say that hype killed it. It is nowhere near the funniest film of all time. Of the last five years maybe? Well, I would put it high on the list, but I still find The 40 Year Old Virgin to be funnier, maybe because it was a smarter comedy.
The one problem with Borat is that while it claims all be set in "reality" it's quite obvious that some scenes are staged, the best example would be the final ten minutes of the film, with Pamela Anderson. While it is indeed funny, it takes away from the rest of the film because it immediately takes you out of it's reality. Yes, it is a film with a story to tell, even if that story is buried deep under it's randomness, but the feel of the film goes all over the place.
It's offensive, but in this day and age almost everything is. At no point did I think anything in the film was over-the-line or in bad taste. The film is on the heels of Jackass II for being crude. It's one more step towards what is excepted in the eyes of the movie going public. Both films contain male nudity, and in both cases they get laughs. In Borat, the nude wrestling match had me on the floor. It was definitely the highlight. Whether or not THAT particular scene was staged is debatable, if it were, you might ask yourself is it still as funny.
I found myself laughing off and on with Borat, more times it was a chuckle that a gut buster. Cohen does a good job at staying in character throughout the entire film, which is a short one by the way and ends faster then you can say the whole title. It does make for an entertaining watch, just don't go in thinking that it is the funniest thing ever cause you will be disappointed.