History
Comedy
The Dictator (2012): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Dictator is a 2012 comedy directed by Larry Charles, starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley and John C. Reilly. It runs 1 hour 23 minutes and earned $179.4 million worldwide on a $65 million budget. Critics gave it 57% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10.
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- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 23m (83 min)
- Director
- Larry Charles
- Genre
- Comedy
- Original language
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English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- Budget
- $65M
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
The story
What Is The Dictator About?
The premise of The Dictator without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
General Aladeen, the tyrannical leader of Wadiya, finds his life upended when his loyal body double's actions trigger a series of unforeseen events. Forced into exile, he unexpectedly lands in New York City, far from the opulence and absolute control he’s accustomed to. As he attempts to navigate the unfamiliar world of American politics and evade those seeking to exploit his situation, Aladeen must confront challenges that threaten his legacy and the future of his nation.
The Dictator Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- overalls
- masturbation reference
- overhearing masturbation
- matronizing
- hypocritical woman
- passive aggressive behavior
- passive aggressive woman
- united states of america
- camera shot from inside human body
- learning to masturbate
- watching tv
- beard
+38 more Show fewer
- uniform
- critique
- armpit licking
- pubic hair
- male pubic hair
- satirical
- battle
- torture device
- fictional news show
- satire comedy
- female topless nudity
- nipples
- areolas
- bearded man
- female nudity
- bra and panties
- breast smother
- reference to silvio berlusconi
- 21st century
- 2010s
- woman with armpit hair
- punched in the boob
- kurd
- kurdish
- kurdistan
- dictator
- hotel
- oil
- nuclear weapons
- general
- democracy
- speech
- north african
- new york city
- camel riding
- female female kiss
- scantily clad female
- comedic sex scene
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Cast & crew
The Dictator Cast
Sacha Baron Cohen leads the cast, with Ben Kingsley and John C. Reilly. Directed by Larry Charles; 4 actors are credited in all.
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Director Larry Charles
From the director
More from Larry Charles
More films directed by Larry Charles, best-rated first: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Religulous, Bruno and Masked and Anonymous.
Ratings
The Dictator Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Dictator 57% on Rotten Tomatoes and 58 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10.
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IMDb 6.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 57% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 45%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 58 Metascore
User score 6.5
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 62% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 2.9 /5
792 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.6 /5
See on Movie Insider
Plot
The Dictator Plot Summary
What happens in The Dictator from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The story begins with alarming news about the nuclear threat posed by Wadiya, ruled by the notorious Admiral General Aladeen, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. We are taken back to Aladeen’s troubled childhood, where we witness a tragic event involving his mother. As a young boy, his twisted upbringing is showcased, including a disturbing scene where he witnesses the execution of a clown. Fast forward to the present, and we find Aladeen amidst controversies regarding his nuclear weapons program. In a display of farcical power, he holds a corrupt Olympic Games where he cheats to win gold and has created a ludicrous version of the dictionary, even coining phrases like “HIV-Aladeen.”
Full summary
The whole story of The Dictator, scene by scene
Box office
The Dictator Box Office & Budget
The Dictator grossed $179.4 million worldwide on a $65 million budget, 2.8 times what it cost. $59.7 million came from the US and Canada and $119.7 million (67%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$179.4M
2.8× its budget
- US & Canada
- $59.7M
- International
- $119.7M
- Budget
- $65M
US & Canada 33%
Rest of the world 67%
Videos
The Dictator Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Dictator.
Quiz
How Well Do You Know The Dictator?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the main character who is the leader of Wadiya?
Cars
Cars in The Dictator
29 cars on screen, including the 2007 Chevrolet Express and the Piaggio Vespa ET.
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2007 Chevrolet Express Important role -
Piaggio Vespa ET Important role -
2000 Cadillac DeVille Stretched Limousine Minor role -
2000 Chevrolet Impala Minor role
Details
The Dictator Also Known As
27 alternative titles, including “O Ditador” and “A diktátor”.
- Also known as
-
- O Ditador
- A diktátor
- Dictatorul
- Diktaattori
- El dictador
- Il dittatore
- O diktatoras
- Диктатор
- Ο δικτάτορας
- Le Dictateur
- Der Diktator
- Diktatör
+15 more Show fewer
- Diktatoren
- 独裁者
- Diktátor
- הדיקטטור
- จอมเผด็จการ
- Dyktator
- Диктаторът
- Diktator
- 독재자
- Diktators
- ディクテーター 身元不明でニューヨーク
- 大鈍裁者
- 大獨裁者落難記
- Kẻ Độc Tài, დიქტატორი
- Diktaator
Seen The Dictator?
More like this
Movies Like The Dictator
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Dear Dictator, Ratko: The Dictator’s Son and Hot Shots! Part Deux.
From the blog
Articles About The Dictator
3 articles about The Dictator. The latest: “The Role of Film Archives in Preserving Movie History”.
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GenresExploring the World of Film Satires
Explore the intriguing world of film satires, their impact on society, and how they've evolved in the digital age in our comprehensive guide on What's After the Movie blog. 13 min read -
HistoryThe Role of Propaganda Films in Shaping History
Explore the profound impact of propaganda films on history and their enduring influence on modern cinema in our latest blog post at What's After the Movie. 10 min read
FAQ
The Dictator FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Dictator, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Dictator?
The Dictator runs 1 hour 23 minutes (83 minutes).
When was The Dictator released?
The Dictator was released on May 16, 2012.
Who directed The Dictator?
The Dictator was directed by Larry Charles.
More films by Larry Charles Who is in the cast of The Dictator?
The Dictator stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley and John C. Reilly, among 4 credited actors.
How much did The Dictator make at the box office?
The Dictator grossed $179.4 million worldwide ($59.7 million domestic, $119.7 million international) on a budget of $65 million.
How is The Dictator rated?
The Dictator has 6.5/10 on IMDb, 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, 58 on Metacritic and 62% on TMDB.
Does The Dictator have a post-credit scene?
Yes. The Dictator has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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