Debunking Borat (2021) User Reviews

satire

[hryorule · 7/10 · 25 May 2021]

Seeing how many triggered reviews here, the show achieved their purpose.

This is satire at it best.

Watch this as it intended to be, a comedy by borat to show you otherside of the argument.

Truth hurts but don't be bitter, get motivated to be better.

In the end people dont really care what you think, they believe what they want to believe.

This is not Sacha Baron Cohen

[pedromcpires · 7/10 · 28 September 2021]

First episode were funny deleted scenes taken from the Borat movie. The next episodes are totally different,they are much shorter and became more serious, they talk about politics and they try to debunk fake conspiracy theories with those two men who became friends with Borat during the quarentene. Borat only appears in the first episode. Very Nice!

Who or what is this intended for? to convince conspiracy theorists they are wrong?

[paul-allaer · 5/10 · 26 May 2021]

"Borat's American Lockdown & Debunking Borat" (2021 release; 7 episodes totaling 83 min.) is a follow-up of sorts to last year's "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm", and intends to address the many conspiracy theories that have built up the last couple of years, and which are brought forward in the movie.

"American Lockdown" (37 min.) revisits the movie's segments involving the conspiracy theorists Jim and Jerry, and adds some footage that was left out of the movie for one reason or another. The best scenes involve Borat being introduced to Amazon's Alexa, and Borat imagining that Alexa actually is alive and living in the device. There is also more detailed footage of the QAnon rally that Borat ends up addressing. We then go "Debunking Borat" (6 episodes of 7-8 min. Each), in which Jim and Jerry meet (virtually) with various experts who will debunk these crazy conspiracy theories going around about Bill Gates, George Soros, the Clintons, the "Chinese Virus", etc. It all leads up to the very last episode in which none other than Hillary Clinton herself addresses Jim and Jerry (in a taped video message).

Bottom line: I really wonder who all this is intended for. If you've seen "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm", it is because you almost certainly abhor these crazy conspiracy theories and the people that stupidly fall for them, so there is no reason to watch this. If you haven't watch "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" but are curious, by all means watch the film before you spend any time on "American Lockdown & Debunking Borat". And if you are convinced that these conspiracy theories are "in fact" correct, I feel sorry for you (actually I don't).

Forget the politics

[JoeHud · 25 May 2021]

This show consists of the first 40 minute episode, with nothing really new from when Borat 2 stayed with the two dudes, then six more 7 minute episodes of what seems to be a teenage boy narrating over why the two guys silly conspiracies were wrong. I mean ZERO laughs and it's just weird as heck. Skip it, trust me.

Don't bother with the bad reviews

[ross_david_mc · 7/10 · 16 September 2021]

So if you like Borat then you'll like this series. It's just pure satire. A lot of Americans can't understand satire and the US in general make politics their life. So when you remove the satire you're left with Borat just making politics and conspiracies look silly. Almost all the reviews that are 1 star are anger because of this. They make it evident in what they say. Political agendas and all this when it's just a satirical comedy.

So just ignore them and try it.

Trump voters should like this

[horst69 · 6/10 · 28 May 2021]

I don't know Is it real or staged ; but if it's fake, it's done pretty well .

The absurd extremist beliefs of the hosts reflect those of a significant minority of US citicens .

And while most of them are all bark and no bite, and mentally and physically the least capable and most dependent members of society, they do pose a real danger to democracy .

At the same time , those two guys are being portrayed as likable, hospitable and quite tolerant despite supporting the most outragous lies spread im mainstream Western politics since the 1930s .

Maybe this piece is about all the core principles and common decency most people still might have in common, even when some subscibe to Qanon or Milita rethoric .

I personally don't belive that to be true, not after the damage done from Oklahoma City to January 6th by rigth wing milita cells and the individuals and groupings related to them .

But a nice effort to ask people to get along .

This series clearly had a goal, and they completely missed it.

[nicksurfs · 2/10 · 26 May 2021]

I've always had a fascination with cults, extreme beliefs, radicalization, terrorism etc. I'm so interested in them that I studied them at university. Yes I was a very strange child.

While the goal of this series might have been noble, in that it shared alternative views on divisive topics. It did so in a way that studies have shown only increase polarization and radicalization. These methods only push both sides further away from each other. These radicalization studies aren't new or secret. So i'm only left wondering if this series is intentionally or unintentionally contributing to the problems it calls out.

Shameless

[whubaddum-12799 · 1/10 · 28 May 2021]

Anybody claiming this series to be comedy clearly hasn't watched past the first episode, which itself is possibly the most begrudgingly half hearted effort of Mr. Cohen's career.

The remainder consists of short videos parroting establishment talking points, featuring appearances by NGO spokespeople and Hillary Clinton itself, practically devoid of appearances from the Borat character.

So low effort I wouldn't recommend this even to people gleefully following the mainstream media narrative on every issue.

1 episode of deleted scenes and 6 episodes of preaching.

[mastermixdisaster · 4/10 · 28 May 2021]

I should start by saying I lean neither right or left in politics, and I've been an avid Borat fan since the first movie.

I found this series to be not worth my time, and honestly rather annoying. I was excited to see a series showing us more of the time Borat spent with the two guys during lockdown.. but what we got instead was 1 episode containing very little new material, and 6 episodes of preaching to us about the jokes they made.

This series is a blatent cashgrab.

The reviews are pretty funny too

[GreyHunter · 10/10 · 26 May 2021]

Amazing to see so many reviewers who are suddenly "politically in the middle" yet can't even make it to the end of a five sentence review without going full right-wing conspiracy theorist. That's less self-control than my preteen kids exhibit.

This piece isn't really particularly necessary and the humor isn't particularly incisive compared to the two full-length Borat movies. It doesn't break new ground, just treads the same ground as Subsequent Moviefilm. It's amusing enough, but watching two inane hicks (who, to be fair, seem like patient enough people when they're not spouting hateful nonsense) repeat the same old tired conspiracy theories that the reviewers here are repeating just can't really sustain a 40 minute runtime. That said, if you're a Borat fan, this will need to be on your watchlist for at least one viewing. Based on my critique here, I'd rate this a 7, but with so many snowflakes rating it a 1, I figure rating it a 10 will provide a balance.

Terrible

[ccarroll-94202 · 1/10 · 25 May 2021]

Couldn't make it through first episode. SBC is so annoyingly dumb and not funny at all. The country boys having to talk sense into a really dumb Borat doesn't work. Maybe if you've never seen Borat before it's funny but the character has gotten annoyingly cliche.

Straw man at it's best

[b4blue · 1/10 · 26 May 2021]

To be honest, I watched only one episode. I picked one where I had the most knowledge on what happened, all documented and checked. I understand anything connected to Borat's character is supposed to be comedic in nature, but I think if that is how the whole thing started on Ali G Show, today this can't be further from the truth. It is always a straw man argument, but here they find people that best fit the straw man, people that can't really defend their arguments which are poorly researched, in order to debunk something that is far more complex, well documented and is far from a conspiracy theory. They really work hard on displacing the subject far from its core so that it looks like a conspiracy theory. A true journalistic mind would investigate the roots of those "conspiracies". Everything makes much more sense when you actually care about the subject at hand, not when you only want to appear smarter than a certain group of people. It's really easy to do the later. Sasha found a great way in getting more money from making fun of stupid people. There are no challenges in that. This shows his mental capacity for comedy. It's basic. It's practically on the same level as Lary the cable guy, when you think about it.

This didn't age well.

[clk264-649-716463 · 1/10 · 27 May 2021]

The show was released two before my review and it hasn't aged well.

The show pushes Sacha's own political beliefs while clubbing over the head two working class Americans. Considering now we know that Joe Biden's team is investigating the origins of the coronavirus, half of the show goes in the direct opposite of its intentions. The other half "debunking" doesn't debunk more than put down the two leads.

I understand Mr. Cohen has gone political in the last few years, but perhaps he should stick to comedy.

Very funny, pause, not!

[Hitting841 · 2/10 · 28 May 2021]

Feels like it's just deleted scenes from the movie which are all terribly bad. Skip this.

It's Comedy Folks, Not CNN Or Fox News

[Sunsphxsuns · 9/10 · 26 May 2021]

Come on people! Embrace the satire. This isn't CNN Or Fox News. It's Borat. 2020 was a terrible year for the world. If we can't laugh at ourselves then we're truly lost.

Thank God for Borat

[Insickness · 1/10 · 25 May 2021]

Thank God we have Sasha Baron Cohen to allow us to see the truth in unpopular political opinions, told through a carefully-edited studio lens. I so enjoy watching people with differing opinions to mine get pilloried. These people are such fools! Borat is so clever!

this guy was funny once (first time) but now he's just gross

[cristscu · 1/10 · 1 June 2021]

I stopped it when the two Montana guys were telling him about the "Wuhan virus". And he came up with the Illuminati logo on screen (again).

Well, dude, now even your progressive-woke-whatever fellows have to admit this was NOT a conspiracy theory, at all. So stop promoting movies made for China in America, it's just disgusting.

Excellent portrayal of the dumbing down of America

[oldz-18896 · 10/10 · 26 May 2021]

The film documents the ignorance and stupidity rampant in today's American society. It's a coincidence those profiled are politically conservative; or is it? Do the math!

Biased Far-left tripe. What happened to you, Sasha?

[Tel_A_Clark · 3/10 · 24 June 2021]

I've been a Borat fan since the 90s. Not anymore. This poor excuse for comedy is really just cringeworthy, obvious, heavily edited, left-wing political propaganda which is trying to suggest that anyone who doesn't agree with the far-left narrative are basically crazy conspiracy theorists like the two guys Borat lives with. These guys had some very odd opinions indeed, but they don't represent everybody that doesn't lean to the left. Maybe Borat should have lived with some Antifa members and gone to their rallies too to add some nuance. But that would be exposing the far-left for what it really is and Sasha obviously doesn't want to do that here. So he just exposes the far-right with zero nuance or tact. Cant believe the people giving this 10 out of 10 are unable to see this for what it really is. I used to be left leaning myself, but ever since the nuance disappeared and this sort of over-biased, politically charged crud started filling our screens, I can't say I'm left anymore. Hopefully this phase of political garbage filling our screens will be gone soon.

Not worth watching

[jnnytalbert · 1/10 · 12 June 2021]

I don't know who actually find this series entertaining. The only people I see giving any credit are those that are using these reviews as political. I'm glad I don't let politics run my life at least. It's a waste of time to watch this.

Facile

[Al_Zinya · 2/10 · 26 September 2021]

A mere shadow of the character that once was funny. Heavily political and extremely biased. Borat RIP.

If You Like The Borat Character, This Is A No-Brainer

[genious-35413 · 9/10 · 25 May 2021]

But if you buy into the hooey that is American politics and don't realize that it's all professional wrestling, you'll probably not like this.

There's nothing funnier to me than seeing a couple of guys who aspire to be cast members of Duck Dynasty (who, again, are actors playing a role), explain how certain people drink the adrenal gland fluid of children as well as the blood of children.

It's a very entertaining show that enlightens us to the idiocy of the dumb sector of America. Enjoy it.

Terrible

[paulbuck-06503 · 2/10 · 1 September 2021]

This could have been good but it not, it's a load of rehashed clips from the film and a lot of set ups, Borat was satire at its best but now it's just sad and not funny these people whether you agree with their politics or not invited him into their home in a time of emergency and Sasha Baron Cohen had basically made a load of money taking this piss out of them and setting them up to fail you can see that they just want to help him out in a time of need and he back stabs them it very hard to watch, I used to like his comedy now he just makes me cringe.

Like a common flu shot during COVID

[samkaner · 8/10 · 25 May 2021]

Love or reject him, Borat is who he is created for. Unnecessary yet you can't take your eyes off him.

Appearing a tad sciolistic this time around, Sasha takes on America yet again and created another very watchable satire amidst the chaos of COVID to highlight some uncomfortable truths on the mentality of an average American everybody.

This century's Monty Python, playful yet heavy handed with something to offend everyone. Just watch it, have your drink and shut up.

Speaking for and to the sane end of the spectrum.

[Opacus_Music · 10/10 · 25 May 2021]

Anything that serves the purpose of shedding light on the insanity epidemic of conspiracy theorist deserves visibility, respect and support and especially when done with the satirical blend of humour that only Sacha Baron Cohen know how to deliver. If you are of the sane portion of the world population who is sick of putting up with the mental pollution that the conspiracy theorist keeps trying to force upon us and need some release or if you are part of the problem and need some educating, this is definitely for you.