TREY PARKER

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

USA/Germany, 2004.  Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, MMDP Munich Movie Development & Production GmbH & Co. Project KG.  Screenplay by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Pam Brady.  Cinematography by Bill Pope.  Produced by Trey Parker, Scott Rudin, Matt Stone.  Music by Harry Gregson-Williams.  Production Design by Jim Dultz.  Costume Design by Karen Patch.  Film Editing by Thomas M. Vogt.  

They’re fierce, they’re tough, and they will stop at nothing to protect the world from terrorists, even if it means blowing up entire countries to do it! Team America is a group of elite soldiers, three men and two women, who make it their job to travel the globe and stop the evil people who have created Weapons Of Mass Destruction to use against peaceful, free societies. Best of all, these heroes are puppets. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, those hilarious dudes responsible for South Park, have used inspiration from the original Thunderbirds television show to tell a satirical story that lampoons the American government, racism, action movies and the polarized emotions that resulted with the war in Iraq. The puppet work is actually quite impressive, even when it’s trying not to be, and the songs range from hilariously ridiculous to side-splittingly funny (“Pearl Harbour Sucked, And I Miss You”). The witty spoofing of a government bent on destroying the world in the name of saving it is both timely and intelligent, though too often the humour is so obvious that it becomes just a little bit wearing. Still, no matter, it’s worth 90 minutes of laughs.