"I always keep a stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy" - W. C. ...
"I always keep a stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy" - W. C. Fields
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It’s all been a bit quiet from Trey Parker and Matt Stone in recent years. Since they offended mothers everywhere with their foul mouthed “South Park” cartoons, UK audiences haven’t heard a great deal from them. Indeed, even US audiences haven’t had a great deal, with their sitcom being a flop and their last major newsworthy event being an appearance in dresses at the 2000 Oscars.
Fans of their earlier work, which includes most people who like swearing, will have been waiting anxiously for “Team America: World Police”, particularly after “South Park” took a downturn in later seasons. Do Parker and Stone still have what it takes to cause outrage?
The answer is an emphatic “yes”. Nothing is sacred where this film is concerned. From “X-Men” to “Pearl Harbor”, every action film from recent years is spoofed all using puppets in the traditional “Thunderbirds” style. Politicians and public figures don’t get an easy ride, either with Hans Blix, Michael Moore and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il coming in for some especially harsh treatment. The American inability to see a world beyond their borders, excepting their tendency to think of every Arab as a terrorist and their “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread” approach to foreign policy has fun poked at it. And if you’re a member of the Screen Actors Guild and use your position to attack your own country then you’re really going to think you’ve been harshly treated.
For the rest of us, though, it’s a lot of fun. In Paris, several thousand miles East of America, a young
boy spots a meeting between Osama Bin Laden and some other terrorists. On raising the alarm, the terrorists take action, but they’re stopped by Team America who shoot the terrorists and blow up most of Paris in doing so. Of course, in the greatest traditions of action films, the one member of Team America with most to live for is the sole casualty.
From here on, it’s action movie cliches all the way. Team America gets a new member, who one of the team immediately hates and one falls in love with. Their first objective fails, leading to some soul searching by a member of the team. There are setbacks and there are triumphs. Watch any action film, and you’ll see essentially the same plot over and over again.
But you won’t see it like this. For one thing, Parker and Stone are doing this deliberately. There are no actors, only “Thunderbirds” style puppets, which makes the whole thing seem ridiculous. Of course, that’s exactly what they intended. The Matrix take-off fight scenes look very silly, although there’s perhaps a little more blood and guts than you might expect from puppets, although even that is played for laughs. Even the obligatory sex scene adds to the fun, being the funniest sex scene since the “Naked Gun” films. There are so many films being spoofed that the overall effect is very much “Loaded Weapon” meets “Thunderbirds”. Indeed, it’s only “Star Wars” that gets an easy ride, with those segments seeming more homage than mickey take.
The soundtrack is in much the same fashion, with every cliché in its right place, but all very funny. From the soft rock style of “America, Fuck Yeah” through the pro-American fake country sound of “Freedom Isn’t Free” to the big pop ballad “Pearl Harbor Sucks and I Miss You”, everything you would expect to hear at any given point in the film is there. The one thing that doesn’t seem overly cliched is Kim Jong-Il’s big number “I’m So Ronery”, but even this brings to mind Satan’s “Up There” from “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut”, thanks to the character singing it and the lyrical content. However, every single one is worth listening to carefully, as you’ll not have heard lyrics this intentionally funny since the last “Weird Al” Yankovic album.
Perhaps the one down side to the film are the voices. Admittedly, with only two people doing most of the voices, some are likely to sound similar, but they are the weak link. There are points where the film tries to spoof real actors and their voices aren’t terribly well mimicked, although the puppets do look similar enough that you know who they are supposed to be. Some of the characters voices, however, sound a lot like “South Park” characters which does take some of the edge away from things. Kim Jong-Il sounded like a cross between Eric Cartman and how Saddam Hussein sounded in “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut” and I was expecting him to say “You will respect my authorita!” at several points. I’m still not sure whether his not doing that was a good thing or not. It’s only a small thing, but it did take the edge off what was otherwise a wonderful film.
I say it was a wonderful film, but that was just for me personally. It’s cliched, it’s politically incorrect and it’s got a fair amount of foul language in it. If “Team America” has attempted to take itself even vaguely seriously at any point, it would have been an abject failure. But it doesn’t – it glories in its own naffness and plays on every cliché it can find for laughs. And laugh you will, many many times. This is assuming that you’ve seen some of the films spoofed. If you don’t tend to watch action films, many of the clichés will go over your head, and it will look like a badly done film. However, the satirizing of American attitudes will mean that there is still enough here to entertain, even if you don’t get the full benefit if some of the jokes.
If you’re not the kind of person who enjoys seeing American attitudes put to the sword, you’re not likely to enjoy this. If you don’t have a slightly juvenile sense of humour and aren’t amused by bottom jokes and rude language, you’re going to hate this. If you’re offended by the stereotyping of foreigners, you’re going to be hugely upset. But if you can laugh at bad jokes, toilet humour and seeing a lot of films having the mickey taken out of them, you’ll laugh until you wet yourself.
It’s the rude language, as well as that puppet sex scene that makes this a 15 rated film. I can see why that may be, but given how most 13 year olds know more about sex and foul language than most adults these days, that a 12 rating might not be inappropriate.
This is a film best seen with a group of mates when you’re ready to have a laugh. We saw it on a friend’s birthday when the mood was light and we were all set for a fun night, which was the ideal way. If you go in expecting a serious film, you’re going to be seriously disappointed. It’s perfect for a late showing on a weekend after a few beers and with a bunch of mates. It will be the ideal Saturday night film when you’ve got nowhere else to go.
Beers, a pizza and “Team America” will soon be a great way to spend a night. But do yourself a favour and don’t wait that long. Right now, a large Coke, popcorn and “Team America” is a great way to spend a night and the £6.00 or so ticket fee is well spent indeed.
If you don’t laugh, you’re probably too busy being offended. If you’re not laughing and you’re not offended, then I have bad news for you – you’re probably dead!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
I really didn't like this as much as I thought I would - everyone kept hyping it up and when it came down to it I didn't find it that funny. Excellent review though!
salem_witch 04.04.2006 04:06
I thought this was hilarious although I don't remember it all. I watched it on a night off and I had only had a few hours sleep. It's just my type of humour though :D
Team America, an international police force dedicated to maintaining global stability, ... more
learns that a power hungry dictator is brokering weapons of mass destruction to terrorists. The heroes embark upon a harrowing mission to save the world.To infiltrat...
Advantages: Funny, Great Story, Catchy Songs, Inspirational, Makes you want to save the world!! Disadvantages: Reminds you that there are terrorists out there!
exceptional by (22%):
very helpful by (78%):
