Team America: World Police NO STARS
R, 98m. 2004
Cast & Credits: Featuring the voices of Trey Parker (Gary Johnston/Joe/Hans Blix/Kim Jong Il/Carson/Drunk/Tim Robbins), Matt Stone (Chris), Kristen Miller (Lisa), Masasa (Sarah), Daran Norris (Spottswoode), Phil Hendrie (Intelligence), Maurice Lamarche (Alec Baldwin). Screenplay written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Pam Brady. Paramount Pictures presents a film directed by Trey Parker.
I once knew someone, back in my younger years, who did nothing but insult his closest friends. He made fun of everyone, if for no other reason so he could bring attention to himself. A lot of times, I noticed how others laughed at the clown’s insulting jokes with the exception of the person who he was directing them to or others stupidly just joined in. Either way, the more people listened to him, the more he continued to mock others.
Before long, the guy managed to alienate everyone around him so much so that he literally became a pariah.
I associate that person’s childish insulting and, in many ways, mean spirited antics to the stuff seen on screen in "Team America: World Police." Like "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" (1999), the film should have the words “Guaranteed to offend.” I think I laughed once watching "Team America: World Police" and that was when the director/recruiter of this small band (I guess you can call them superheroes in a way) tells his latest recruit, “There is no I in Team America.” Then a few seconds later, a computer says, “Yes there is.”
I am not a fan of filmmakers Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s popular series on Comedy Central called "South Park." I have probably only seen one or part of one episode thanks to someone at work who was watching it on his laptop computer in between taking calls. I was a little offended when I first saw "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" at theaters but I have to admit, the film grew on me. I found the songs clever, and, in a way, they even had a message to say (one song had the characters sing how youngsters should use other words in place of cusswords that start with the letters S and F when it comes to expressing how one feels). I laughed seeing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sing “I can change.”
Despite all the foul language uttered throughout "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut", the one thing I admired about it was the message the film conveyed. The movie came out a few months after two misguided souls went on a killing spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in April 1999. Part of the film’s plot had the obnoxious little tykes sneaking into an R rated film and upon doing so, they imitate everything they saw on the big screen that of course, ticks off the parents.
The Columbine tragedy ignited off the same old debate that happens every time someone goes on a murder spree in high school. There was the usual finger pointing in all directions as to who was to blame from heavy metal rock groups to Hollywood and the National Rifleman’s Association when in reality, the real blame should have been with the parents of the two kids.
"South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" painted a silly picture of how society reacts when Hollywood becomes the target of concerned parents when the real fingers should be pointed at the ones responsible for raising the kids.
Maybe it’s just me but I went in hoping, and perhaps I should now say regrettably thinking "Team America: World Police" would have some message to say about the state the country is in right now given the many issues we are dealing with from terrorism and the war in Iraq to voting on who we think should be president the next four years.
This movie has nothing to say about world affairs. "Team America: World Police" is a vulgar, mean-spirited R rated rendition of the cheesy 1960s sci-fi series Thunderbirds (1965-1966) where the characters are wooden puppets on a string whose secret compound is inside Mount Rushmore. Whenever there is trouble, Team America comes to the rescue ready to battle terrorists to the tune of some heavy metal rock song with the words “American F--k yeah!!!”
The terrorists are taken out along with, as we see in the film’s opening moments that takes place in Paris, the Eiffel Tower and several other historical landmarks. Parker and Stone go after everyone from Hollywood left wing liberal celebrities such as Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, George Clooney and Alec Baldwin to Hans Blix and Kim Jong II all of whom meet grisly deaths. Like Saddam Hussein singing “I can change,” we get a pale rendition of Kim Jong II walking through his vast palace singing how lonely he is.
The nagging question remains though. Why are the filmmakers making such celebrities and world figures their object or ridicule? About the only thing I can come up with is like that loser I knew years ago, they’re mocking these people just to stir up needless controversy.
I know. I know. There is no doubt in my mind this review is going to bring all the ones who give this film their highest recommendations out of the woodwork who will either tell me, “Dude, who pissed in your Wheaties this morning” or “It’s only a movie.” My question to them will be is were they drunk when they saw it? That’s the only way one can possibly laugh at the film’s notion of seeing Alec Baldwin preside over a group of outspoken Hollywood liberals who are members of the Film Actors Guild, otherwise known as F.A.G. Downing a six pack is the only way one could see anything funny about hearing a puppet sing “Everyone has AIDS” on Broadway as the filmmakers way of saying as a result of the world’s ignorance, the AIDS virus is now rampant in every country.
Hell, they’ll probably even cheer watching the Eiffel Tower go up in smoke since we damn red blooded Americans aren’t too happy with the French right now, given their negative stance towards our involvement in the war on Iraq.
The way I see it, this film appeals to only one group of individuals who, should we have another September 11 style attack on our shores again, will flock to their local video stores to rent a film like "Team America: World Police" so they can feel good about themselves watching the puppets blow away Osama bin Laden and his recruits.
The only thing I will walk away remembering is the many levels of vulgarity "Team America: World Police" stoops to as in the scene where a male and female puppet have sex in numerous positions (note-I am willing to bet the one reason why the Motion Picture Association stopped short of giving it an NC-17 rating was because the male puppet had no male anatomy). Then there is the speech, which I cannot print here but you can find the quote on www.imdb.com that puts Americans in three different categories. All I am going to say is of the three terms, one belongs to a female, one belongs to a male and both humans have both.
I have seen more than 60 movies at the box office this year. I enjoyed most of them. Some I liked marginally. A few I didn’t like at all. "Team America: World Police" is the first movie I have seen this year where I actually wanted my money back.
Is this movie bad? Let me put it to you in terms the World Police speak of, “F--k yeah!!!”
©10/15/04
R, 98m. 2004
Cast & Credits: Featuring the voices of Trey Parker (Gary Johnston/Joe/Hans Blix/Kim Jong Il/Carson/Drunk/Tim Robbins), Matt Stone (Chris), Kristen Miller (Lisa), Masasa (Sarah), Daran Norris (Spottswoode), Phil Hendrie (Intelligence), Maurice Lamarche (Alec Baldwin). Screenplay written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Pam Brady. Paramount Pictures presents a film directed by Trey Parker.
Before long, the guy managed to alienate everyone around him so much so that he literally became a pariah.
I associate that person’s childish insulting and, in many ways, mean spirited antics to the stuff seen on screen in "Team America: World Police." Like "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" (1999), the film should have the words “Guaranteed to offend.” I think I laughed once watching "Team America: World Police" and that was when the director/recruiter of this small band (I guess you can call them superheroes in a way) tells his latest recruit, “There is no I in Team America.” Then a few seconds later, a computer says, “Yes there is.”
I am not a fan of filmmakers Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s popular series on Comedy Central called "South Park." I have probably only seen one or part of one episode thanks to someone at work who was watching it on his laptop computer in between taking calls. I was a little offended when I first saw "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" at theaters but I have to admit, the film grew on me. I found the songs clever, and, in a way, they even had a message to say (one song had the characters sing how youngsters should use other words in place of cusswords that start with the letters S and F when it comes to expressing how one feels). I laughed seeing former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein sing “I can change.”
Despite all the foul language uttered throughout "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut", the one thing I admired about it was the message the film conveyed. The movie came out a few months after two misguided souls went on a killing spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado in April 1999. Part of the film’s plot had the obnoxious little tykes sneaking into an R rated film and upon doing so, they imitate everything they saw on the big screen that of course, ticks off the parents.
The Columbine tragedy ignited off the same old debate that happens every time someone goes on a murder spree in high school. There was the usual finger pointing in all directions as to who was to blame from heavy metal rock groups to Hollywood and the National Rifleman’s Association when in reality, the real blame should have been with the parents of the two kids.
"South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" painted a silly picture of how society reacts when Hollywood becomes the target of concerned parents when the real fingers should be pointed at the ones responsible for raising the kids.
Maybe it’s just me but I went in hoping, and perhaps I should now say regrettably thinking "Team America: World Police" would have some message to say about the state the country is in right now given the many issues we are dealing with from terrorism and the war in Iraq to voting on who we think should be president the next four years.
This movie has nothing to say about world affairs. "Team America: World Police" is a vulgar, mean-spirited R rated rendition of the cheesy 1960s sci-fi series Thunderbirds (1965-1966) where the characters are wooden puppets on a string whose secret compound is inside Mount Rushmore. Whenever there is trouble, Team America comes to the rescue ready to battle terrorists to the tune of some heavy metal rock song with the words “American F--k yeah!!!”
The terrorists are taken out along with, as we see in the film’s opening moments that takes place in Paris, the Eiffel Tower and several other historical landmarks. Parker and Stone go after everyone from Hollywood left wing liberal celebrities such as Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, George Clooney and Alec Baldwin to Hans Blix and Kim Jong II all of whom meet grisly deaths. Like Saddam Hussein singing “I can change,” we get a pale rendition of Kim Jong II walking through his vast palace singing how lonely he is.
The nagging question remains though. Why are the filmmakers making such celebrities and world figures their object or ridicule? About the only thing I can come up with is like that loser I knew years ago, they’re mocking these people just to stir up needless controversy.
I know. I know. There is no doubt in my mind this review is going to bring all the ones who give this film their highest recommendations out of the woodwork who will either tell me, “Dude, who pissed in your Wheaties this morning” or “It’s only a movie.” My question to them will be is were they drunk when they saw it? That’s the only way one can possibly laugh at the film’s notion of seeing Alec Baldwin preside over a group of outspoken Hollywood liberals who are members of the Film Actors Guild, otherwise known as F.A.G. Downing a six pack is the only way one could see anything funny about hearing a puppet sing “Everyone has AIDS” on Broadway as the filmmakers way of saying as a result of the world’s ignorance, the AIDS virus is now rampant in every country.
Hell, they’ll probably even cheer watching the Eiffel Tower go up in smoke since we damn red blooded Americans aren’t too happy with the French right now, given their negative stance towards our involvement in the war on Iraq.
The way I see it, this film appeals to only one group of individuals who, should we have another September 11 style attack on our shores again, will flock to their local video stores to rent a film like "Team America: World Police" so they can feel good about themselves watching the puppets blow away Osama bin Laden and his recruits.
The only thing I will walk away remembering is the many levels of vulgarity "Team America: World Police" stoops to as in the scene where a male and female puppet have sex in numerous positions (note-I am willing to bet the one reason why the Motion Picture Association stopped short of giving it an NC-17 rating was because the male puppet had no male anatomy). Then there is the speech, which I cannot print here but you can find the quote on www.imdb.com that puts Americans in three different categories. All I am going to say is of the three terms, one belongs to a female, one belongs to a male and both humans have both.
I have seen more than 60 movies at the box office this year. I enjoyed most of them. Some I liked marginally. A few I didn’t like at all. "Team America: World Police" is the first movie I have seen this year where I actually wanted my money back.
Is this movie bad? Let me put it to you in terms the World Police speak of, “F--k yeah!!!”
©10/15/04
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