Erkin and Toilet Humor

FUNNY, OR NOT SO MUCH?

You knew it had to come...it was only a matter of time. "Revenge is a dish best served cold," I think the expression is: whether attributed to various cultures, its standing as a Klingon proverb or the catch phrase of one Mr. Freeze depends on one's level of cultural awareness. Still, it seems appropriate here.
Kazakhstan is seriously P'ed O (really, spell it out...the "ed" comes after the first word in the expression, NOT the second) and is demanding retribution of a movie sort. You had to know it was coming after "Borat" make people from that country appear to be extras left over from "Deliverance." Leave it to Erkin Rakishev to deliver the goods.
The incredibly popular Kazakhstani filmmaker has loaded, primed and fired a distinct shot as Sasha Cohen, and not across the bow, either. This one hits amidships.
His latest film "My Brother" chronicles a visit to Kazakhstan by and American journalist "John" who, having seen the Cohen movie, really wanted to see if Kazakhstan was as backward as it was depicted. Other than the film's opening which shows Borat's fictional brother Bilo in a psychiatric ward joined by George Bush and Osama bin Laden, John finds Kazakhstan to be an extremely modern place--totally unlike its depiction.
While attempting to skewer the Cohen movie, Rakishev stoops rather low, but not "going to such a low level of toilet humor" as the original. I don't know: Bilo getting raped by a donkey and an old woman beating Bilo and John with a stick seem to be stooping rather close to sea level to me.
While admitting an attempt at black humor, Rakishev nonetheless attempts to offer a more realistic version of his country...one that will not leave his countrymen and countrywomen ashamed to travel abroad as they have been for the past few years.
Well, except for the TSA body scan thing.
"My Brother" is definitely a must-see holiday season flick.