ALI G: WHO IZ I? (2026)

Remember when Ali G was dangerous? When he used to trick and ridicule actual politicians and highfalutin celebrities, academics and business magnets? It’s been decades since, and our favourite poseur would have certainly found it hard to humiliate the modern-day prestigious and famous, so now he’s a fictional character in a scripted plot, attempting to thwart a cartoonish kidnapping scheme with the last and few unaware unknowns left in between. How times have changed. So what we have is an Ali G that is tapped out and his long-suffering girlfriend Julie is pregnant. Naturally, his financial plan involves flying to America to monetize his “brand” in a world that has completely moved on. At first we liked this approach. Our favourite irony-heavy appropriating rude boy was older, no wiser and primed to make a fool of himself within our current post-woke political climate in order to shame do-gooders and the anti-woke alike. And when the film stops trying to tell a story and lets Sacha Baron Cohen do what he does best – make real people deeply uncomfortable – the brief, unscripted segments with random Americans make for some delightfully deep human moments. But mostly, it’s just too silly. The zany situations and satirical send-ups too-often victimize the truly ignorant, leaving us feeling pity rather than amused. Still, we have to admire the effort. Cohen doesn’t just play Ali G, he also revives a few of his other aliases from the underrated Who Is America? (2018), including the ultra-liberal academic Dr. Nira Cain-N’Degeocello and Mossad agent Erran Morad; and his unwavering commitment to character within the guerrilla-style contrivances still provide some genuine laughs at the overarching absurdity. But, overall it lacks the sharp wit of Borat (2006) and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020), which is sad for all of us who are longtime fans of Da Ali G Show (2000-2004). Ali G used to punch up with wit and fearlessness while feigning ignorance. Here he’s punching down, leaning too hard on nostalgia. His challenge? The world, including America, has moved on and wised up. And so we live in a climate were Cohen is now behind the times. He’s pushing 60 playing a 90s/00s hip-hop caricature, which was funny in itself, but the archaic edge has dulled and the character, unironically, feels stale, dated and out of touch. That being said, we’re watching anything Cohen puts out. Ali G is may no longer be cutting edge, but there’s still life in the old dog yet.

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH