Team America: World Police

****
UK Release Date: January 14th 2005

Popular Broadway actor Gary Johnston is recruited by the elite counter-terrorism organization Team America: World Police. As the world begins to crumble around him, he must battle with terrorists, celebrities and falling in love.

Director: Trey Parker

Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone

If you're familiar with Parker and Stone's work (South Park, Baseketball) then you know what you're in for with Team America: World Police. The animation is different this time round: no more cartoons or live action. Puppets (Thunder Birds style) are the new forte and what better way to mock politics and war than with propped-up, big-eyed, nonsensical figurines? 

By using puppets Trey Parker and Matt Stone make it fully aware that TA:WP is not to be taken seriously, even if their jokes rub people the wrong way. It starts strong, but fizzles a tad at the end when focus shifts from terrorists to celebrities. Team America are a patriotic bunch of fools who think they're help the world. Taking out terrorists in Paris and Cairo is not all they manage to achieve as they blow up the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Egyptian Temples in the process. They hire a stage actor to infiltrate terrorists, and crush the heart of the source.  

TA is as authentic as you can get... in a world of marionettes. There's only a single drop of CGI, the rest is cosmetics and synthetics. Whoever knew puppet sex and puppets puking their guts up could be so funny? What stops Parker and Stone's creation from being consistently great is their celebrity piss takes. Having the Film Actors Guild (made up) has its moments; Matt Damon's character has been quoted the best part of a decade now, but some of them are incomprehensible without captions showing their names. Sticking to political issues would've been better. As much as the FAG draw out some laughs, it's nothing compared to crude songs, real life cats attacking the team and puppet plastic surgery.  

Verdict: Team America: World Police is just as much a mockery on North Korea as it is the USA. No matter where you're from, try to keep an open mind. It isn't trying to offend.

4/5