Team America: World Police (2004)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Trey Parker

Writers (WGA):

Trey Parker (written by) &
Matt Stone (written by) ...

Release Date:

15 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

Putting the "F" back in Freedom.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Actor | Destruction | Death | Dictator

Awards:

1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Trey Parker	...	Gary Johnston / Joe / Kim Jong Il / Hans Blix / Carson / Matt Damon / Drunk in Bar / Tim Robbins / Sean Penn / Michael Moore / Helen Hunt / Susan Sarandon / Others (voice)
Matt Stone	...	Chris / George Clooney / Danny Glover / Ethan Hawke / Matt Damon / Additional Voices (voice)
Kristen Miller	...	Lisa (voice)
Masasa Moyo	...	Sarah (voice) (as Masasa)
Daran Norris	...	Spottswoode (voice)
Phil Hendrie	...	I.N.T.E.L.L.I.G.E.N.C.E. / Chechnyan Terrorist (voice)
Maurice LaMarche	...	Alec Baldwin (voice)
Chelsea Marguerite	...	French Mother (voice)
Jeremy Shada	...	Jean Francois (voice)
Fred Tatasciore	...	Samuel L. Jackson (voice)

Also Known As:

American Heroes (USA) (working title)
Team America (Germany)
Untitled Trey Parker/Matt Stone Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language - all involving puppets.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | French | Klingon | Korean | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Chile:14 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Sweden:11 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:16+ (Québec) (unrated version) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (unrated version) | Canada:R (unrated version) | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:16 (original rating) | Ireland:18 (video rating) | Italy:T | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | Argentina:18 | Japan:R-18 | USA:Unrated (uncut DVD version) | Canada:18A (Ontario) (rated version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (rated version)

Filming Locations:

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Matt Stone referred to the puppet technique used in the film as "supercrappymation".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gary has quit Team America and then the rest of the team leaves, Thomas Jefferson's face opens and Theodore Roosevelt's head is already open. In the next shot it is opening.

Quotes:

[first lines]
French puppeteer: Sacre bleu!
[gibberish]
French puppeteer: Oh, hello!
French Mother: Jean-Francois? Jean-Francois?

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Soundtrack:

Only a Woman

The very funny highs make up for any of the lows...

I went into Team America expecting to see something along the lines of South Park humor, and I wasn't disappointed.

If you can't stand South Park's humor, you won't enjoy this at all. The use of marionettes was an unusual choice, but thanks to the great puppetry and designs, they work very well.

The story is just really there to serve the increasingly twisted humor of Trey and Matt's vision. And it works perfectly. There are at least three scenes which made the audience (and me) in the theater laugh out very loud - that is something that very few comedies in recent times have been able to accomplish.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed Team America; but then I really enjoy South Park. A very entertaining (adult) cinematic excursion for the South Park creators, and an impressive display of puppetry skills (for which the sex scenes will be remembered! :)