Armond White on 'The Dictator' – Hollywood's Latest Bush Bash

Just when you thought Hollywood was done bashing George W. Bush, along comes the new Sacha Baron Cohen comedy “The Dictator.”

And, according to film critic Armond White, the film’s Bush bashing is one of many problems in what he calls a “dated” political comedy.

But anyone who knows the Chaplin classic will not recognize its likeness here, especially not in the summary speech Aladeen gives-essentially a routine, anti-George W. Bush attack. Cohen and Charles fall back on Boratisms to shore up their Jon Stewart-Bill Maher niche audience. Their divisiveness provides none of the culture-clash insight of Adam Sandler’s superior “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” ….

Although “The Dictator” is not a timely or accurate political comedy, its worst fault is refusing to address the very concept of dictatorship or cultural intimidation. The filmmakers lack the courage to have Aladeen confront the totalitarian Liberalism of the Occupy Wall Street folly that oppresses all opposition, or to imagine Aladeen fording the tsunaminity of Obama followers-the bias that castigates Obama-skeptics as being non-p.c., glorifying Obama in flip side despotism. We need a real comic intelligence to clarify those issues.

Read the full review for more barbed comments.