Movie Review

‘Team America’: Death by Laughter

 By: Eliot John Hagen (May 20, 2005)

“Team America: World Police” is one of the most heinous (but hilarious) movies ever made.  I would like to find one group of people that won’t be offended by these puppets and their mad-cap schemes.

The movie starts in Paris (a subtitle reads “3,256 miles East from America”) where four terrorists are plotting to do something.  Well, they never manage to do anything, thanks to Team America.  They rappel down from their red white and blue helicopter and open fire.

After some mayhem, a stray missile blows up the Eiffel Tower, which falls on the Arc de Triomphe.  The Americans have emerged victorious.  “Everything is bon!”  Says Joe, smiling, paying no attention to the fact that The Louvre has been leveled.

Anyhoo, after some cheesy song about AIDS, a flying limo, and George Washington’s mouth opening at Mount Rushmore, an actor (Gary Johnson) is asked to join the team and infiltrate a terrorist organization.  After some self-rumination, Gary agrees and the team heads off to Cairo, Egypt.

See a poorly-made up actor stroll into a Mos Eisley-type tavern in the streets of Cairo.  See the team fly to Dirkadirkastan (based on I.N.T.E.L.L.I.G.E.N.C.E.)  Enjoy the exploits of Kim Jong-Il and Hans Blix (or “Brix,” as the NK pronounces it.)  Watch Alec Baldwin head the Film Actors’ Guild (note the acronym) and hear many a funny song.

This movie has everything.  It has love (puppet sex), drama (brothers getting mauled by blueberry-craving gorillas), action (Michael Moore strapping dynamite to his chest and blowing himself to kingdom-come), and, most importantly, comedy.

Sure, it’s full of foul language and some of the most derogatory stuff you could ever see, but it’s so hilarious.  Don’t eat when watching this, lest you choke.  (I was on the floor, my face red, coughing to death because I laughed so much.)  Just like South Park and all of their other creations, Trey Parker and Matt Stone succeeded in making fun of pretty much everyone in a little over an hour.  Just forget your politics and laugh.