Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen) has aged pretty well for someone who’s spent the last 14 years imprisoned in a gulag for embarrassing Kazakstan in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. This is where Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan begins; the same satire in a radically different world.
It’s worth mentioning that the real Kazakhstan is supposedly a pretty nice place; the country’s tourist advertisements have even adopted “Very nice!” Anyway, this new mockumentary sees Baron Cohen’s anti-Semitic journalist return to ambush the American public (or at least try to). Now that Borat is an established international character, has the shtick aged well? In this edition of Mandatory Movie Battles, we pit Borat’s first theatrical outing against his straight-to-streaming second.
Twentieth Century Fox/Amazon Prime Video
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borat v borat
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Premise and Plot
Shockumentries hinge on the marriage of reality and fiction. The first Borat follows its titular character to the United States, making a documentary about what makes America great (that sentence hasn't aged well). Once Borat sees Baywatch, his focus shifts to (kidnapping) Pamela Anderson, and that’s essentially the story.
In Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, Kazakh authorities release Borat because the country’s leader wants to be considered as illustrious as leaders like Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump. Borat’s mission (which he chooses to accept): present Mike Pence with a porn star monkey/teenage girl to gain Trump’s favor. If Borat fails, he will be torn apart by cows in a Braveheart-esque manner. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Winner: Borat Subsequent Movie Film
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Sidekick and Supporting Cast
In the first film, Borat is accompanied by his producer, Azamat Bagatov (Ken Davitian), the perfect Russian cliché. In the second film, his traveling companion is his 15-year-old daughter, Tutar, played by Maria Bakalova. While Azamat is very much a sidekick (albeit a hilarious one), Tutar is arguably a more important character than Borat. Her storyline, which sees her go from (essentially) a caged animal to a realized woman, confronts Borat with his bigoted nature and results in some surprisingly poignant moments (if we can call them that in this movie). Bakalova’s performance is a strong one. In addition to the two headliners, Tom Hanks shows up to contract COVID-19 from Borat in Sydney...oh yeah, it turns out Borat was patient zero.
Winner: Borat Subsequent Movie Film
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Wildest Scenes
Precursor: don’t confuse “wildest” with “funniest.” While Pamela Anderson’s scene was “shocking” during filming because of all of the headlines it provoked (as well Anderson’s subsequent divorce), it wasn’t that wild to see on screen (it was staged). A lot of things about Borat were wild (i.e. a packed stadium cheering on Borat as he suggests George W. Bush should "drink the blood of every single man, woman, and child of Iraq"), but they take a momentary back seat to Borat Subsequent Moviefilm's sporadic ambition.
At one point in the film, Borat crashes a right-wing rally dressed as a Klansman, changes into a Donald Trump costume, and offers up his daughter to Pence as the VP addresses COVID-19 cases (eerie). The most talked-about scene is the one in which Tutar, now a journalist, sits down for an interview with Rudy Giuliani, an interview that then leads to the bedroom (a perfect climax if you will). Regardless of whatever tucking or not tucking occurred, these scenes have both made headlines and are prompting real-life fallout. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm reinforces the idea that satire is an effective tool.
Winner: Borat Subsequent Movie Film
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Political Climate
Nowadays, our leaders are unapologetically politically-incorrect. In a way, shocking is par for the course in 2020. Take away the two aforementioned scenes, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm just isn’t as daring or fun as its predecessor. The fact that the film was released a week before the U.S. presidential election sort of sours it even further; in a sense, this pulls the curtain back. It effectively ties in COVID-19, idiotic right-wing radicals (that are weirdly warm towards Borat?), and feminism, but it doesn't mock anything we haven't seen mocked innumerable times this year.
Ultimately, the second film will be overshadowed by the shitshow that ensues on Nov. 3—the prank to (hopefully not) end all pranks. Borat was fresh and subversive in 2006. This is not to say that the political climate was perfect (not even close), but it wasn't as divisive as it is now (and that's saying a lot). Borat’s handling of certain subjects was less transparent and repetitive (i.e. One of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’s end titles reads “vote now or you will be execute.”).
Winner: Borat
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Laughs
From chickens escaping suitcases in New York City subways and naked fighting at a San Diego conference to praying at the UPC Camp meeting in Mississippi, Borat was funny. While humor is subjective, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm has its moments courtesy of fake abortion visits and mobile pornography, some of its humor comes off as juvenile and contrived (the period/dance sequence?). The successor, which is more focused than funny, just doesn’t tickle as frequently as its predecessor.
Winner: Borat
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Novelty
The candid-camera pranking strategy has not aged well. Borat’s fame forced Baron Cohen to disguise himself in a range of ridiculous outfits to pull off certain schemes. Also, the presence of a camera prompts much more caution than it did in 2006. It’s a miracle they pulled off the things that they did; however, you can tell that a lot of the “everyday” Americans in the film are on edge and suspicious. The ones that aren’t suspicious, you wonder why they’re not. Mockumentaries aren’t new. The idea that anything and everything could be staged sort of takes you out of it.
Winner: Borat
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Execution
It was extremely difficult for Baron Cohen and company to film his “retired” character and COVID-19 didn’t help; everyone had to adjust their game plan on the fly. Against all odds, the film works, proving satire is still very much a thing, but it’s so much a product of its time that it’s unlikely we’ll go back to it in 2034. The first Borat was as offensive as it was funny, and it’s still good for a laugh today. Laughs versus legendary laughs? No contest.
Overall Winner: Borat
