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The Dictator

Play trailer Poster for The Dictator R 2012 1h 23m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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56% Tomatometer 219 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Gen. Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) has ruled the oil-rich North African country of Wadiya since the age of six, when 97 stray bullets and a hand grenade killed his father in a hunting accident. After an assassination attempt takes the life of yet another body-double, Tamir (Ben Kingsley), Aladeen's uncle and most trusted adviser, convinces Aladeen to go to New York. Unfortunately, Aladeen has a less-than-friendly reception from exiled Wadiyans, who want their country freed from his despotic rule.
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The Dictator

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Critics Consensus

Wildly uneven but consistently provocative, The Dictator is a decent entry in the poli-slapstick comedy genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator I think I can feel it disappearing from my mind even as I am trying to remember it... It's Baron Cohen going at 50mph rather than 100mph. Sep 1, 2018 Full Review J. Hoberman Tablet The problem is that, unlike Ali G, Borat, and Brno, Aladeen is less a force of nature than a scripted performance. May 3, 2016 Full Review Jenny McCartney Daily Telegraph (UK) Both the laughter and the satire had crawled off and quietly died. Rated: 1/5 Jun 1, 2012 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Laughs are few and far between, which comes as a surprise given how Borat and Brüno managed to be two of the most riotously funny movies you’ll ever see. Rated: 1.5/4 Oct 19, 2022 Full Review James Croot The Post NZ Overall The Dictator lacks the wit, invention and spontaneity of Baron Cohen's earlier work... Feb 7, 2022 Full Review Owen Nicholls NME (New Musical Express) The over saturation of marketing stunts certainly didn't help the appeal but politically and comedically you'll find more to think about and laugh at during a single half hour on The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. May 13, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Monic Kenya M Some hilarious moments at the beginning, then it collapsed a bit. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/21/25 Full Review Audience Member Wii terrorist Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/22/25 Full Review zagros T. one of the best comedy films Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/27/25 Full Review Vasqu3z V One of the funniest movies ever made Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/03/25 Full Review Jack L Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator is arguably his best work, delivering an incredible satire that skewers traditional dictatorships, Middle Eastern oil barons, and the U.S. oligarchy with equal precision. Its bold commentary on America's flirtation with dictatorship and the absurdity of nuclear posturing in the Middle East has aged remarkably well. While the film occasionally veers into overly crass territory, it remains unapologetically sharp and relentlessly funny. Beneath the outrageous gags lies a surprisingly biting political critique that still resonates today. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/01/25 Full Review Justin W Really reminds me of Adam Sandler, it will absolutely better with him and his nude comedy. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/25/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Dictator

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Cast & Crew

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Larry Charles

Director

Sacha Baron Cohen

Gen. Aladeen

Anna Faris

Zoey

Ben Kingsley

Tamir

Jason Mantzoukas

Nadal

Kevin Corrigan

Slade

Movie Clips

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The Dictator

The Dictator: Official Clip - The Vegan Jihad The Dictator: Official Clip - The Vegan Jihad 1:42 The Dictator: Official Clip - The Aladeen Law The Dictator: Official Clip - The Aladeen Law 1:22 The Dictator: Official Clip - Nuclear Nadal The Dictator: Official Clip - Nuclear Nadal 2:12 The Dictator: Official Clip - Death to Aladeen The Dictator: Official Clip - Death to Aladeen 2:12 The Dictator: Official Clip - Delivering Love The Dictator: Official Clip - Delivering Love 2:13 The Dictator: Official Clip - Seducing Megan Fox The Dictator: Official Clip - Seducing Megan Fox 1:44 The Dictator: Official Clip - You're Making a Fool out of Me! The Dictator: Official Clip - You're Making a Fool out of Me! 2:13 The Dictator: Official Clip - You Need to Touch Yourself The Dictator: Official Clip - You Need to Touch Yourself 2:13 The Dictator: Official Clip - A Snag on the Zipline The Dictator: Official Clip - A Snag on the Zipline 2:02 The Dictator: Official Clip - The Helicopter The Dictator: Official Clip - The Helicopter 2:10 View more videos

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The Dictator

Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen in "The Dictator." A scene from "The Dictator." Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen and Anna Faris as Zoey in "The Dictator." A scene from "The Dictator." Sacha Baron Cohen (center) as General Aladeen in "The Dictator." Anna Faris as Zoey and Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen in "The Dictator." A scene from "The Dictator." Anna Faris as Zoey and Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen in "The Dictator." Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen in "The Dictator." (L-R) Ben Kingsley as Tamir and Sacha Baron Cohen as General Aladeen in "The Dictator." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Gen. Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) has ruled the oil-rich North African country of Wadiya since the age of six, when 97 stray bullets and a hand grenade killed his father in a hunting accident. After an assassination attempt takes the life of yet another body-double, Tamir (Ben Kingsley), Aladeen's uncle and most trusted adviser, convinces Aladeen to go to New York. Unfortunately, Aladeen has a less-than-friendly reception from exiled Wadiyans, who want their country freed from his despotic rule.
Director
Larry Charles
Producer
Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer, Anthony Hines, Scott Rudin, Todd Schulman
Screenwriter
Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Scott Rudin Productions, Berg Mandel Schaffer, Four by Two Films
Rating
R (Language|Brief Male Nudity|Some Violent Images|Strong Crude & Sexual Content)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 16, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$59.6M
Runtime
1h 23m
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