|
|
| .. |
|
TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE
Unrated Special Edition
Review by Michael Jacobson
Voices:
Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller, Masasa, Daran Norris
Director: Trey Parker
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Studio: Paramount
Features: See Review
Length: 98 Minutes
Release Date: May 17, 2005
"Promise
me you'll never die."
"You
know I can't promise that."
"If
you did that, I would make love to you right now."
"I
will NEVER DIE."
Team
America: World Police was, for me, the hands-down funniest film of 2004...so much so, that I
couldn't wait for the DVD to come out, just so I could replay my favorite parts
over and over again. And my
favorite parts pretty much constitute the entire movie.
From
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Team America is a
breath of fresh air for those of us who have been feeling suffocated by runaway
political correctness. This movie
is outrageous, offensive, insensitive to a tee...and gut-bustingly funny.
For
starters, the film uses actual stringed marionettes in an age of computer
generated effects. The
technological step backwards will remind some audiences of the great Gerry
Anderson shows of the 60s like Thunderbirds.
Others may be scratching their heads and wondering what the hell that
decision was all about.
It
deals with a super-secret organization known as Team America, who stands as the
only force between terrorism and the free world. With their superior firepower and cache of kiss-off lines,
they come to the world's rescue time and time again. Of course, sometimes they're a little too gung-ho and go
overboard with the violence...the opening scene has them rescuing Paris from
terrorists who wield weapons of mass destruction, but they end up blowing half
the city away in order to save it.
And
seeing France getting blown to hell isn't even the funniest part of the
film...it's just getting started. Knowing
they need someone to disguise themselves as a Middle Eastern terrorist in order
to infiltrate the jihadist organizations and find out where the WMDs are coming
from, Team America recruits Gary, a Broadway actor with a double major in
theatre and world languages...what a lucky coinky-dink!
So
Gary joins the plucky team leader Joe, the bitter martial arts expert Chris, the
sweet empath Sarah, the beautiful psychologist Lisa, and the debonair man behind
it all Spottswoode, in an effort to save the day.
But the terrorist organization goes even deeper than they suspected...all
the way to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, as well as to Alec Baldwin, Sean
Penn, Tim Robbins and other members of the Film Actors Guild (use the acronym),
whose professions of peace mask the fact that they're aiding
those who would destroy America and all she stands for!
The
picture will make you laugh in multiple ways.
For one, the action sequences are frequently violent and over the top,
like you'd see in a Michael Bay film. Another
is the graphic nature of a key sex scene involving puppets, and if you pick up
this unrated version, be prepared to be rocked back in your seat by it!
The
song score is one of the funniest ever, from the rip-roaring theme song
"America...F**k Yeah!", to the country twanged "Freedom Isn't
Free", while "Montage" illustrates a...well, a montage.
Two of the most tickling tunes occur during touching moments, including
Kim Jong Il pining "I'm So Ronery", and the breakup song "Pearl
Harbor Sucked And I Miss You."
Apart
from the action, sex and music, you'll get to see our heroes take on some of
Hollywood's most outspoken activists in a hilarious climactic battle.
Come on, now...I don't care which side of the political spectrum you're
on, you've always wanted to see Janeane Garofalo take one right between the
eyes. It's damned therapeutic.
Frankly,
so is the whole movie. Nothing is
as cathartic as howling like an idiot at the kind of things society tells you
not to laugh at, and Team America lets you do that from start to finish.
It will offend the easily offended and cut a swath through the overly
sensitive...but if you're not one of those people, you'll probably laugh even
harder thinking about how shocked and outraged they'll be when they see
what you see!
BONUS
TRIVIA: Radio talk show host Phil
Hendrie is the voice of Team America's computer.
Video
****
"Your
acting skills have faded with age, Miss Sarandon..."
...but
there's nothing faded about this gorgeous anamorphic transfer from Paramount.
It's so well detailed, you can see the strings!...kind of the point,
really. Colors are rich and vibrant and leap off the screen, and
images are clean, clear and crisp throughout without any noticeable grain,
compression, or other flaws to mar the experience.
Audio
****
"You
can't be serious."
"Oh,
I AM serious. Look...this is my
serious face."
Seriously,
the 5.1 audio is kicking from start to finish, with tons of bombastic action
scenes and all kinds of great rock music exploding from the speakers.
Dynamic range is potent, and the rear stage and subwoofers keep you in
the middle of the battles. Razor sharp and clean...it doesn't get much better than this.
Features
***
"Team
America has once again pissed off the entire world..."
The
extras include an introduction by Trey and Matt, six production featurettes, a
couple of early puppet tests, 10 deleted scenes, animated storyboards, two
trailers and some additional Paramount previews. I wish Trey and Matt had offered a commentary track, but
maybe Kim Jong Il foiled them in their efforts.
Summary:
