Trey Parker
Team America: World Police

Civilization is a danger. The empire of evil is plotting a planet-wide attack. The defense of civilization is entrusted to a handful of super-trained toy soldiers who intercept terrorists wherever they are: Team America. Weapons available: super-technological means, martial arts, repeating rifles, and a lot of imagination.

From the creators of South Park a hilarious film halfway between political satire, action movie, musical, and pure absurd comedy, entirely performed by digitalized puppets... yes, that's right. The film is performed by puppets that walk, run, and duel in a disjointed and unrealistic manner, just like the string puppets of traditional theater. A brilliant graphic idea, amplified by the fact that the strings are almost always visible even in action scenes, when the protagonists ride motorcycles or engage in Matrix-like fistfights. Almost always, I say; because the film’s graphic design possesses such free and visionary expressive verve that it is impossible to generalize about the true 'physical' nature of the characters. In reality, the authors used the most effective computer-graphics solutions as needed cinematically to always make the action irresistible and 'playful'. From a technical point of view, we are at the pinnacle of what animated cinema has been able to express. I realize this description may be misleading in the case of Team America, precisely because the film's graphic and technological goal is to negate or hide digital technology by simulating the presence of handcrafted puppets. The viewer is facing a double media illusion. The reality of international politics ridiculed by computerized figures embodying string puppets of real characters... A bit complicated but very enjoyable.

Regarding the satirical tone, the similarities with the animated series South Park are obvious. Total denial of any politically correct kind-heartedness and no qualms about unveiling vulgarities. Honestly, I would have preferred less vulgarity and sexual innuendos; not so much for simple good taste, but because it would have increased the 'family' spread of the film, which is primarily a satirical-political animated film. It is a shame to encounter censorship below 14 years old for a work of this quality.

Perhaps from a strictly political point of view, it won't make any 'powerful' person tremble or foam with rage, but certainly, the themes addressed are of painful relevance. The scenes in which Team America devastates entire cities with missile strikes to kill a single terrorist are among the most (very bitterly) entertaining in the film.

I found the first part even exhilarating, a bit less so the final sequences, with some dips in the story that are also a little incomprehensible or ineffective; a few weaknesses in the screenplay overall, more than compensated by the graphic ideas, some irresistible lines and situations, and cameos from famous figures in the American media world.

Funny and well done.