Paramount Pictures
Let me say right up front here that I have always had a major dislike for South Park, which was created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Over time, I have come to reluctantly recognize its entertainment value to others, just not to me.
In 2004, Trey Parker and Matt Stone were, with Pam Brady, also the folks behind Team America: World Police. Needless to say, I didn’t exactly rush to the theater to see it when it opened. I was intrigued, though, and figured I would eventually watch it.
“Eventually” has finally come to pass here twenty years later…and I like it, for the most part.
Modern viewers probably have a hard time believing that there were actually once hit television programs that starred puppets and marionettes but there really were!
Lots, in fact!
My personal childhood favorites in the 1960s were Fireball X-L 5, Stingray, and Supercar, all creations of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Their biggest hit was Thunderbirds, which generated a ton of merchandising in the UK and even two feature films—none of which played around the area where I grew up. I discovered Thunderbirds via the magic of DVD box sets many years later.
From what I’ve read, Trey Parker and Matt Stone weren’t that familiar with Thunderbirds, either, and yet with Team America: World Police they’ve managed to craft a dead-on re-creation as well as a very over-the-top adult parody of same.
I recall the movie took a lot of critical grief for its marionette sex scenes when it was new, and nearly had to settle for an NC-17 rating! The montage, lasting a minute or two is all, is amusing and without doubt unprecedented in mainstream film but it’s naked puppets, people, complete with all their joints and strings on display! A second, darker but more discreet power play sex scene shows up later.
And what the heck is it with the trend of vomiting in films? Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life came out way back in 1983 and it seemed that nearly every modern comedy movie after that felt the need to try to one up Terry Jones’ ultra-excessive “Mr. Creosote.” This one comes close…sadly. I don’t know about you but instead of laughing, when such scenes occur, I have to concentrate on not adding to the problem in real life!
Those are my caveats, though. Otherwise, I found Team America: World Police to be a pretty faithful and loving homage considering its creators really hadn’t grown up with the original. The premise is the same—a group of highly trained fighters with state-of-the-art vehicles and weapons operate from a hidden base (in this case in Mt. Rushmore!) to defeat terrorists all over the world. Remember, this was just after 9-11.
Hilariously, they give no cares about what damage they inflict along their way, such as destroying international landmarks left and right!
Speaking of left and right, the film’s POV seems to be neutral as it skewers both the left and the right, with particular and specific attacks on the Hollywood political and social activism that was growing at the time of release. Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, and Samuel L. Jackson are among the famous names (none playing themselves and many of whom don’t make it out alive). The film’s Big Bad, though, is North Korea’s then-leader, Kim Jong-Il, portrayed as a stereotypical Bond villain. I’m sure the real-life dictator, now deceased, was thrilled.
If I had to describe the film in one word, it would be “vulgar.” The vulgar climactic speech is one for the ages but the vulgarism continues throughout, as do the literally gruesome scenes of violent death more associated with Kill Bill than with puppets! There are a dozen catchy musical numbers and, yes, they’re vulgar, too.
Extras include featurettes, deleted/extended scenes and outtakes, and trailer.
Parker and Stone handle the voices of main characters and secondary characters alike, with cartoon voice veteran Daran Norris (Fairly Odd Parents) channeling the already late Phil Hartman as the organization’s head.
The strings are out there in plain view, the “messages” are heavy-handed, the humor hit-and-miss, the detail impressive, the twin “black panthers” brilliant, and overall, an enjoyable, impressively made late and very adult addition to puppet show history.
And it’s way better than South Park.
Booksteve recommends.
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