‘Ali G: Who Iz I?’ Rotten Tomatoes Score Lands in Rotten Territory as Critics Split Over Sacha Baron Cohen’s Return

Sacha Baron Cohen has spent decades building a gallery of characters that make real people squirm, and few are as recognizable as Ali G. His return to the big screen was always going to be a talking point, and the early ‘Ali G: Who Iz I?’ reception has already turned into one of the more divisive stories of the fall.

The comeback was a surprise. Cohen was reported to have shot a new Ali G movie in secret, returning to the role after two decades, and the film marks his feature directorial debut. It follows ‘Ali G Indahouse’ from 2002, which earned a little over $23 million against a budget of $6.65 million.

Now the numbers are in. The comedy currently sits at 42% on the Tomatometer, based on 33 reviews, which puts it firmly on the Rotten side of the scale. The Popcornmeter doesn’t show a score yet, with fewer than 50 verified ratings, so the audience verdict is still unfolding.

That is a slide from its opening. On release weekend, the film held a 50% critics’ score based on 18 reviews, and Metacritic gave it a 38 out of 100, a result that signals generally unfavorable reviews. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus calls it a scattershot comedy with some amusing pranks that mostly shows Ali G’s faded satirical value.

The plot is simple by design. After 20 years of “chillin’, tokin’ and bonin’,” Ali G is shocked to discover that his long-term girlfriend, Julie, played by Morgana Robinson, is eight months pregnant. With another mouth to feed, he heads to America to reclaim his former glory.

Unlike the first film’s conventional narrative, this one unfolds as a mockumentary closer to ‘Da Ali G Show’. Cohen also brings back characters from ‘Who Is America?’, including Dr. Nira Cain-N’Degeocello and Erran Morad, and the film includes scenes with American political figures who don’t know they’re being featured.

The harshest verdicts treat the film as a creative step backward. Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail called it a “deeply depressing full-circle moment” for a once-sharp satirist. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman found a few scattered giggles but called it dawdling and far less relevant than it believes.

Others were kinder. Ed Potton of The Times gave it a fresh score, admitting the plot is flimsy and not every gag lands, but arguing that the ones that do are hilarious. Nick Schager of The Daily Beast also scored it fresh, finding it mildly amusing and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny despite its easy targets.

The film also faced backlash before it opened. Reports point to criticism of outdated and problematic jokes, and a campaign urging theaters not to screen it. In the second trailer, Cohen even had Borat take aim at that controversy.

Some reviews say the shock value that once defined Cohen has lost its edge. One review argued the film can’t escape the fact that his shtick is well past its prime, even while admitting a shocking climax.

He iz back. We ain’t liable. Ali G: Who Iz I? only in dem cinemas October 23. #AliGWhoIzI https://t.co/u0OCOsgqgJ

— Sony Pictures UK 🎬 (@SonyPicturesUK) August 25, 2026

Viewers have been more generous than critics so far. One Metacritic user called the movie hilarious and outrageous and argued that people leaving bad reviews aren’t its target demographic. Another said it isn’t their funniest film but that everyone in their theater was laughing.

That gap between critics and fans is typical for Cohen’s work, and it may explain why the audience score will matter as it fills in. The film had a short theatrical run before moving to Prime Video on October 28, so many viewers will now judge it at home.

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