America’s favorite Kazakhstani reporter returns to the “US and A” for the first time in 14 years to learn more about Western culture and to complete spontaneous missions along the way. As a precaution, I want to stress that this review may contain spoilers.

“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is more proof that there is no statute of limitations to movie sequels. Some other films that come to mind are “Doctor Sleep,” a sequel to “The Shining” (1980), released last year, and “Bill and Ted Face the Music,” the third film in the “Bill and Ted” series, released in late August. No one really asked for these sequels, but critics and audiences alike are pleased that these films came to fruition.

Like its predecessor, ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is so crass, graphic and outrageous that I cannot necessarily recommend this movie to just anyone. It is extremely difficult to articulate and discuss the subject content in detail because of its crude humor. As for the Rudy Guiliani scene, he may have merely been “tucking in his shirt” in the hotel bedroom next to the young female reporter he just met, as he claims, but it still looks horrible, completely inappropriate and indefensible on the former New York City mayor’s part. With that being said, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is still one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

If you consider yourself easily offended, I especially do not recommend this film to you. Borat Sagdiyev is a bigot, most notably towards Jews, women, Uzbeks and Romani people. No, I do not require you to “get over” this type of humor. However, it is extremely comforting that Sacha Baron Cohen, the Jewish actor and creator of Borat, has shown time and time again that he does not hold the same views as his character.

If you are an American who wants to return the favor and learn more about Kazakhstani culture, then you are totally out of luck. The scenes set in Kazakhstan were actually filmed in Romania. Borat and his daughter speak to each other in Hebrew, and the foreign written language that is shown is in Russian. Some Kazakhstanis have spoken out against both of Baron Cohen’s films for its unjust national recognition. 

Although Borat is a “stupid foreign reporter” living in the age of information, Sacha Baron Cohen is a genius for knowing that this is also the age of misinformation. Borat is duped into believing several ridiculous lies such as the Clintons drinking the blood of children, the Holocaust being a hoax and Vice President Mike Pence being the most notorious womanizer in American history. This is not the first time we have seen comedians try their hand at journalism only to come up very short. 

What separates this mockumentary from the likes of Jiminy Glick, “The Chris Farley Show” and “Between Two Ferns” is how raw and uncomfortable the interactions are with real people. If you are truly cognizant of what is happening in the scenes, and in the country, many of the bits feel as if they are inside jokes that only you and Baron Cohen know. It’s Christopher Guest on crack, and Alex Jones on sedatives.

Surprisingly, what is most shocking about this film is that it contains several genuine heartwarming moments. Borat learns to shed his anti-semitism after a long conversation with two “Very nice!” Jewish women in a synagogue. Borat’s daughter, Tutar, is taught a long overdue lesson that she can become anything that she wants to be and is not limited to only “making sexy time” with powerful men.

Is it better than the first “Borat” film? Probably not. First impressions matter, especially in shock humor, and many of the previous movie’s pranks will be regarded as more timeless. The sequel is still fun to watch with its highly entertaining scenario of Borat trying to survive and thrive in 2020. If painful memories of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Trump administration will be ingrained in your mind for years to come, then much of this movie’s comedy is catered to you. Watching it may create new painful memories, but it is just as likely to help you cope during such a difficult time in our lives.

With astonishing and jaw dropping improvisational skills, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is a well crafted motion picture and is certainly deserving of “great success!”