Twenty years after Ali G last graced our screens, Sacha Baron Cohen is bringing the character back in a big way. His directorial debut, Ali G: Who Iz I?, sees the infamous white poser return to a world that's changed dramatically—and not for the better. The film, which hits theaters for one weekend only on October 23, promises a mix of juvenile humor and sharp satire aimed at today's political extremism, bigotry, and hypocrisy.
In the movie, Ali G learns his girlfriend is eight months pregnant, forcing him to leave his lazy lifestyle behind and head to America. There, he hopes to reclaim his past glory through documentary-style interactions with real people, only to encounter new adversaries who threaten his family. It's classic Cohen: guerrilla comedy that exposes uncomfortable truths.
Collider has an exclusive sneak peek that reintroduces one of Cohen's most memorable personas from Who Is America?—Israeli anti-terrorism expert Erran Morad. The footage is both hilarious and unsettling, as Morad introduces himself to a group of men as a colonel with extensive experience in terror attacks—he even claims to have started two himself. He then questions a Republican Party chairman from El Paso, Texas, about illegal immigration, with the man insisting there's been "huge amounts of terrorism" and gang activity. Morad moves from one working-class American to another, several of whom call President Joe Biden worse than Hitler and claim genocide against white conservatives. Cohen, in character, subtly flips the script, listing jobs immigrants supposedly won't do and concluding, "they're coming to kill you."
Cohen has always used his characters to hold a mirror to society, and Erran Morad is no exception. In a recent TIME article, he explained how each persona is designed to make people drop their guards and reveal their true beliefs. "Erran Morad, a stereotype of a tough-guy Israeli commando—'I've been in 14 terror attacks,' he says in my new movie, 'and started two'—exposes Islamophobia and the ludicrous things people will do when they're gripped by an irrational fear of 'the other.'"
As for Ali G himself, Cohen notes he "works on another level. He's not extreme—he's just extremely dumb. But his absurd questions lead powerful people to underestimate him and answer in earnest, revealing their own biases." The character has faced criticism for being outdated and racist, but Cohen argues that's exactly the point. "All the prejudices my characters are designed to expose haven't just lingered—they've metastasized," he wrote. "They're fueled by the greatest propaganda machine in history—social media—and now by its monstrous child, AI."
The film, co-written by Cohen with Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, Dan Swimer, Dan Mazer, and Keisha Zollar, dives deep into satire over its 90-minute runtime. For fans of Cohen's unique brand of comedy, this is a must-see. And if you're curious about other iconic characters making comebacks, check out our look at SNL UK stars' wildest characters.
With Ali G: Who Iz I? arriving in theaters for just one weekend, it's a limited opportunity to see Cohen's latest social commentary. Whether you love him or hate him, there's no denying his ability to provoke thought and laughter in equal measure. Don't miss the exclusive clip above, and mark your calendars for October 23.
