Team America: World Police Unrated

Agreed. This movie was indeed a Cleveland Steamer. Not funny enough to be a comedy or proper spoof, it was far too straight-faced considering all the potential it had, as well as the current political climate. When one of the funnier moments is recycled from a 3 year old episode of South Park, that's not a good sign.

Strongly disagree, this was far and away the funniest movie I saw last year. It worked as both a spoof of Bruckheimer movies and a slam at both sides of the political fence. "Everyone has AIDS" is as good as any of the songs in the SOUTH PARK movie. The wait has been a bit longer than usual but I'm hyped to get this DVD.

This was an horrible movie, it wasn't clever, very unfunny, and pointless. And before anyone says anything I know this movie was made to make fun of all those summer action movies and spoof the genre. But come on, there was nothing funny about it, it was sophmoric humor with vomit and sex jokes it didn't even come close to South Park the Movie, or have the humor of Basekit Ball.

The songs were good...

The songs were pretty funny, but the humor just wasn't South Park level. Clearly, there was a lot of talent involved since it was such a dead-on spoof, but it was often enjoyable for the things it was trying to parody (the brilliant cinematography of Bill Pope was more enjoyable as good action cinematography than a parody of good action cinematography.) The muddy and apathetic politics were troubling, too. It was violently and aggressively apathetic and/or ambivalent. The message was explicitly portrayed but it wasn't clear exactly what it was. Odd.

What bothered me is that it thought it was brilliant because it was reflexive: the main character being an actor, everything being puppets pointing out the artifice of the action film (apparently Trey and Matt forget that the action movie is the most inherently reflexive mainstream genre outside the musical), a montage sequence set to a song about montage sequence, etc. etc. It's as if Trey and Matt were screaming "Look! Montage sequences are kind of goofy! Action movies aren't realistic" as though these things were revalations. Well....duh. We all know it's a dumb genre and we all know Pearl Harbor was a bad movie (though beautifually shot, I maintain)....you're neither revealing anything nor parodying anything that isn't self parody already (see every recent James Bond movie or True Lies.)

Oh well. I enjoyed it but it bothered me.

My favorite scene in the SOUTH PARK film was when Chef and a lot of the other soldiers are hearing about their role in the war. TEAM AMERICA was like an extension of that and I laughed from start to finish. I'm sure Parker and Stone could have just made this another SOUTH PARK film and just switch out Team America with Stan, Kyle, and Cartman but I give them credit for trying to create a funny and often scathing satire with a whole new assortment of characters. I still chuckle a bit when I hear Matt Damon's name.

From what I've heard, the only bonus footage on the unrated DVD is during the sex scene. The female puppet takes a dump and a piss on the male puppet. I'm not into that sort of thing, so this might be the first time I pick a rated DVD over the unrated one.

more like a spoof of america.... I find a huge difference of opinion on this film between americans and the rest of the world... americans tend to see it as just another matt stone trey parker flick.. same old potty humour.. a spoof of "summer action movies"... but like... (and not saying ALL americans are oblivious to it) anywhere else in the world people recognize it for what it is, and why it was made. Its a matter of the US mentality of foreign affairs.. and the ass kicking attitiude they inflict world wide.. iiiii dont even know what else to say

The great thing about TEAM AMERICA is that it is pretty even handed in who it attacks. It definitely does a lot of what Jess mentioned in terms of how Americans view the rest of the world but it also sets its sights on the often unrealistic way liberals, especially celebrity liberals, look at foreign policy. But I think it also is a clever spoof of the TOP GUN and ARMAGEDDON type of movies.

I also find it strange that someone is down with simulated puppet sex but when it's simulated puppets going to the bathroom on each other a line has been crossed.

I liked the movie in the theatre and have it on DVD now. Just watched the deleted scenes and now I have the movie on. What impresses me the most is the details of these sets and the puppeteering. Really good stuff.

I'm buying this when I get back from vacation next week. Still my favorite exchange:

"Now I've seen everything!"
"Really? Have you ever seen a man eat his own head?"
"No."
"So you haven't seen everything, have you?"

It's a decent movie, but not really as funny as it should have been. I personally think that they didn't hit the mark with this one. Even the songs weren't that great.

Definitely not up to the level of SP.

This movie lost a LOT on the 2nd viewing. I don't think I'll ever be able to watch it again.

I hope that is not the case, I've yet to get around to watching the DVD. Of course I pervertedly had to sneak a peak at the extended sex scene and that was indeed some sick shit, I'm stunned there was no money shot.

For someone who thought this season of SP was pretty shitty, I still think Team America is brilliant, even on my third viewing. There isn't a single scene that doesn't make me smile, if it's not an overt joke then it's the satirical mechanics of the filmmaking itself, and if you pay careful enough attention you'll find that half the dialogue is ripped straight from other films (which to me was pretty funny, and fun trying to figure out from what).

Where the hell is the extended sex scene though? I can't find it.

The extended sex scene is in the unrated cut of the film. I guess I can see why it had to be edited in theaters but they are only puppets.

The movie does hold up on a 2nd viewing. For some reason I didn't recall the "Montage" song from when I saw it in theaters so that stood out this time ("Even ROCKY had a montage!").

Team America gets zero points for the montage song, as it was already done in a South Park episode.

Does it lose points for making fun of Alec Baldwin since that was done in the SOUTH PARK movie?

I agree with Moltisanti in that the film's not losing much steam for me on subsequent viewings. The same lines and gags work again and again because the deliveries are so perfect and melodramatic, especially coming from Spottswoode (by far my favorite character). There's so much to appreciate, from the art direction to Bill Pope's shot compositions and, of course, the music. The bit where the Team America fleet comes rocketing out of Mt. Rushmore to "America! FUCK YEAH!" is still basically one of my favorite things ever.

I wouldn't say Reese is totally off-base, because some a few gags lose their shock appeal after the initial viewing (the puke scene and the sex scene, namely), but overall I'm having just as much fun with it now as I was when I saw it in the theater.

I will agree that the physical stuff isn't as good the 2nd time around, though the use of live cats is still gold. But the lines and songs will make this one eternally funny for me. "Don't mind Chris, he may be lacking courtesy but he's the best martial artist Detroit has to offer."

In the South Park movie, all of the Baldwins get bombed. In Team America, Alec Baldwin gets mocked for his liberal views.

In Team America, there's a montage set to a song about montages. It is the same exact song - same lyrics, same music - as the song in a South Park episode a couple of years earlier.

That's not really the same thing. That's just lazy.

I so wish that Matt and Trey could have done Armageddon or the Day after tomorrow version of their puppet idea, but this movie was damn funny. "And the corporations stay in their corporation buildings and act all...Corporationy..." Genius. Also the fact that the Michael Moore puppet was stuffed with Ham makes my day. And puppets dancing together is truly inspired lunacy, probably my favorite scene in the movie when Joe and Sarah are getting Jiggy wid it. Shit, and the song at the end of the credits is damn funny too.

The speach at the end about dicks and pussies and assholes made me cry with laughter like i`ve never had done in a long time. Because it`s true. But i`m not sure why are these guys so obsessed with Hollywood actors..? I think I only saw Baldwin one time during the last election, why is he so worthy to be ridiculed and mocked? I can understand Mickeal Moore and Robbins but why the others?

Yeah, they really have it in for Alec Baldwin. Which is odd, because I don't remember him making a lot of obnoxious political statements or anything. Maybe it's something personal.

In the introduction on the DVD Parker talks about how they just hate actors and that's why they now just stick with animation and puppets. I wonder why they went with Sam Jackson? I don't see him as being a very politically inclined actor. They seemed to have overlooked Ben Affleck but they already did a good number on him on "South Park" so I guess Damon was higher on their hit list.

Probably because Alec Baldwin is the male version of Susan Sarandon, big time liberal, both of whom said that if Bush won again, they'd leave the country. I'm still waiting, in fact, I'll buy em tickets.

I think they used him because he is easily recognizable, with the Kengo hat especially. Not to mention one of my favorite parts is when he punches the dude "Muthafucka!"

See, 'cause, like, Michael Moore is all fat and shit! And they totally make fun of his fatness! 'Cause he's, like, really made of HAM! HAHAHA! Get it? Get it? Woo, man, that just, like, totally makes me laugh, dude.

Im a fat tub of lard myself, if they ever decided to blow up a puppet of me, I'd want it filled with Bacon and nacho cheese.

I have to say that this was pretty funny. And visually interesting too. Bruckheimer/Bay films are much more interesting (and honest?) with puppets instead of actors. I thought the right got off easier than the left, but its not a huge deal since I can't take the movie very seriously. What Parker and Stone lack in keen insight, they make up for in intellectual modesty and lots of low-brow jokes.

Please tell me that Saddam quote is real.

Its from an ep of Conan. Robert Smeigel and his Saddam's talking lips. Comedy genius.

See, it had the exact opposite effect on me. I found it mildly enjoyable in the theatre, but it left me a little cold and wanting for more. I probably would have rated it about a 7.5.

I watched it again on DVD about a month ago, and it was so much better. I probably would rate it about an 8.8 now.

A similar thing happened for me with the SP movie (although that one did already start with a higher personal rating). A second viewing made it that much better.