There is a scene in Borat that defines the hilarity, the jolt, as well as the film's forthrightness, when the character queues up to have his autograph signed by Pamela Anderson when suddenly he seizes her and tries to shove her into a sack. To other people's eyes, this was violence, a kidnapping attempt, more or less terrorism - but to Borat, it is not. To him it's part of his culture, as what he explains that Kazakhstan wedding involves putting the bride into a massive sack.


Here goes 2006's most controversial, highly-debatable, and mostly offensive film, Borat. It is rude, it is blunt, it is straightforward like a mocking documentary but at the same time, it offers a social, political, and cultural comment to the land that is America and it's never afraid, equallly undaunted, by the future threats that this film will soon face. Borat gathered its fame (or rather became infamous) through the word-of-mouth, and as soon as lips started to flame, media attention was bequeathed to this imperturbable personality. Me myself only heard of this film quite recently when critics and viewers were claiming that this is a film of utter rudeness. So comes my attitude of "judge after watching", and so does Borat has an effect after viewing.


If America would ban this film, it rightfully means it is guilty of Borat's innocent message about clash of cultures, society and gender discriminations, racial issues, political conundrums and etiquette inferiority. It is common knowledge that the more and stronger you ban a film, the more the people would crave to see it.


Borat (played by the British actor Sacha Baron Cohen in an unpretentious comedic performance) is a Kazhakstani journalist pursuing to travel all the way to America to make a documentary. Along his way, portraying an ignorant appeal towards American life, he does the most outrageous things that you couldn't possibly imagine. He talks to people (who scares away from him), he "shits" in the sidewalk (pardon my language), he's terrified of Jews, he's benighted about homophobia, and he kisses men on the cheeks whenever he meets 'em and insults the feminists. It is a kind of film that would surely raise eyebrows and evoke stirring. Borat is not for everybody, especially for those who easily get offended by male nudity, racism, incongruous sexual situations, and making fun of cultures. Even Kazhakstans are booming up to stop this film from coming out to theaters. However, Borat is a film for those open-minded people, who watches film not just for fun but for learning as well, constructively analysing it not in specific details but in a wide, general point of view. Not to mention, this film is as humorous as it is hilarious, filled with laugh-out-loud scenes and sometimes the disgustingly naughty scenes as well.


But asking whether it works as a film, I think this is where Borat slightly falters. Upon watching it, giving it a light documentary effect, you probably won't recognise what is real and what is made up, and you find yourself suddenly believing that it all really happened. The Pamela Anderson scene alone felt so haunting and disturbing that you somehow feel your sympathy to your actress. You just don't know who's acting or not, especially that scene where Borat and his manager enters into a bed and breakfast accomodation run by a Jewish couple. I cracked out loud when Borat did a Blair Witch Project stunt and was so scared when two cockcroaches appeared under their door, claiming that the Jew couple had turned themselves into bugs. Something funny as well when the two guys were angrily wrestling in a hotel bed naked and running around the lobby for goodness sake, the scene was utterly stomach-hitching as well as laughable.


Be warned, don't watch the film if you have a agressive behaviour, such as strong opinions. But for those who want to enjoy some stuff, like raunchy jokes and incredibly unbelievable scenes and stunts, you're in for a treat. There isn't so much of a plot here, and you feel that it's all kind of rubbish stuff - but hey, if you put yourself in Borat's position, being brought up by another culture like the Kazhakstans, would you behave the same? Would you put your poo in a plastic bag in which you have been doing for all your life, or use the toilet in which all the Westerns have been trained of doing? Would you offer your sister to another man to have sex with, in which is part of your culture? Would you seize Pamela Anderson into a sack, which is a part of Kazhakstani wedding ceremony? If you belong of this culture, I think you would do the same. Think of it.


Rating: B+