Team America: World Police is a 2004 movie by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the Comedy Central television program South Park. The movie uses marionettes, rather than animation or live action, by employing a technique known as Supermarionation (although Stone has jokingly called it "supercrappynation"). The film was released on DVD and Video in California in April 5th, 2005. They will sell a copy until the DVD is released on May 17th. The film was made in California.
Concept
The inspiration for Team America came from the British television series Thunderbirds, which Parker and Stone came across by accident. Speaking to Variety, Stone said, "Trey and I loved that Thunderbirds series because of the artistry of the marionettes." Their original idea was to create a parody version of The Day After Tomorrow with puppets to be released simultaneously with the real film. A second idea was to create an R-rated version of Thunderbirds. Legal problems with both ideas led to them writing their own original script.
The movie uses some fairly advanced marionettes, that make use of servo motors to move the puppets' faces in sync with dialogue and other actions. It also uses clever prop design in animal scenes by replacing panthers with house cats and sharks with small fish. In addition, while the strings easily could have been digitally edited out of the film, the producers chose to keep them visible for the artistic effect.
The producers reportedly had to tone down a scene of simulated oral sex between two of the marionettes in order to get an R rating. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was prepared to give the movie an NC-17 rating until it saw at least nine progressively modified versions of the scene, eventually rating it R for "graphic, crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language; all involving puppets." Parker said he was surprised that the MPAA was not very concerned about violent content in the movie.
A gift reel of this film was sent to North Korean leader/film buff Kim Jong-il (who has a prominent role in the film) by the movie's creators.
Plot synopsis
The film tells the story of an overzealous gang of anti-terrorist "global peace" enforcers known as Team America. Much of the film is intended to be a parody of the Bush Administration's War on Terror. Most of the heros and villians represent extreme caricature of both conservative and liberal attitudes towards the war, and American foreign policy in general. The film also heavily parodies the cliches of other action movies.
Despite the teaser trailer's boast that George W. Bush and John Kerry (among with a whole slew of celebrities) are going to be really, really mad when they see Team America: World Police, neither Bush nor Kerry are actually seen or mentioned, although puppets that look similar to them (and their wives) can be seen in the audience of Lease, a parody of Rent. While the protagonists are fictitious, the real names of several Hollywood celebrities and the North Korean leader are used. None of them approved the use of their names and likenesses in this movie, for obvious reasons.
The story starts with an attempted terrorist bombing in Paris which is foiled by Team America, although the team manage to lay ruin to Paris in the fight, destroying a number of French landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. As Carson, one of the team members, proposes to colleague Lisa, a terrorist—left for dead—rises up and shoots Carson, killing him.
In New York City, federal agent Spottswoode tries to recruit Broadway actor Gary Johnston to join the team. After some confusion, Gary joins Spottswoode in a limo, which turns into an airplane and takes them to the Team America Headquarters inside Mount Rushmore. There, Gary is introduced to the other team members: Sarah, an empath who senses the obvious; Chris, the best martial artist from Detroit, Michigan; Joe, an all-American quarterback from the University of Nebraska; the computer I.N.T.E.L.L.I.G.E.N.C.E.; and last, but not least, the afore-mentioned Lisa (whom Gary finds absolutely stunning). After some soul searching, Gary is convinced to join.
Gary's first mission involves going undercover in a bar in Cairo, Egypt, in an attempt to discover the terrorists' plans. Just as he is about to discover the plans his teammates are spotted and the terrorists run, taking Gary with them. Team America chases after them, almost killing Gary and destroying Egyptian landmarks like the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid along the way. During the fire-fight, the female team-members discuss their love-lifes. After rescuing Gary they return to their headquarters and celebrate, convinced that they have foiled the terrorist plan when it was actually an almost complete failure that only eliminated a few low level terrorists while the primary _targets were alerted and unmolested. This leads to an extended graphic love scene between Gary and Lisa.
But the real terrorist plan is masterminded by Kim Jong-il. Hans Blix shows up at his palace asking for an inspection, but Kim Jong-il feeds him to his sharks.
Meanwhile, terrorists angry about what happened in Cairo bomb the Panama Canal in retribution, killing thousands. The Film Actors Guild (F.A.G. for short), led by Alec Baldwin, blames Team America for the Panama bombing. Gary, who admires Baldwin, concludes that his acting has once again caused death and quits Team America. Team America goes on a mission but gets shot down in the ocean and captured by Kim Jong-il.
F.A.G. protests in front of the Team America headquarters. Michael Moore commits a suicide bomb attack against the headquarters, and Spottswoode is believed dead.
Gary decides he must re-join Team America. Spottswoode survived the attack, and Gary fellates him to prove his loyalty. After that Spottswoode takes Gary through an intensive one-day crash course in combat skills.
Gary goes to North Korea to rescue the rest of the team, fight F.A.G. and foil Kim Jong-il's plan. He succeeds, and a roach inside the dictator escapes in a tiny spacecraft.
Characters
Gary Johnston
The Broadway actor. Gary had a family. They disappeared or died. Spottswoode recruits Gary in New York City and takes him inside a limo. While they're in the Brooklyn Bridge, the limo flys out of New York and they go to Keystone, South Dakota to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Gary meets Chris, Joe, Lisa, Sarah and I.N.T.E.L.L.I.G.E.N.C.E.; Gary is in love with Lisa. After some soul searching, Gary is convinced to join.
Gary's first mission involves going undercover in a bar in Cairo, Egypt, in an attempt to discover the terrorists' plans. Just as he is about to discover the plans his teammates are spotted and the terrorists run, taking Gary with them. Team America chases after them, almost killing Gary and destroying Egyptian landmarks like the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid along the way. During the fire-fight, the female team-members discuss their love-lifes. After rescuing Gary they return to their headquarters and celebrate, convinced that they have foiled the terrorist plan when it was actually an almost complete failure that only eliminated a few low level terrorists while the primary _targets were alerted and unmolested. This leads to an extended graphic love scene between Gary and Lisa.
But the real terrorist plan is masterminded by Kim Jong-il. Hans Blix shows up at his palace asking for an inspection, but Kim Jong-il feeds him to his sharks.
Meanwhile, terrorists angry about what happened in Cairo bomb the Panama Canal in retribution, killing thousands. The Film Actors Guild (F.A.G. for short), led by Alec Baldwin, blames Team America for the Panama bombing. Gary, who admires Baldwin, concludes that his acting has once again caused death and quits Team America. Team America goes on a mission but gets shot down in the ocean and captured by Kim Jong-il.
F.A.G. protests in front of the Team America headquarters. Michael Moore commits a suicide bomb attack against the headquarters, and Spottswoode is believed dead.
Gary decides he must re-join Team America. Spottswoode survived the attack, and Gary fellates him to prove his loyalty. After that Spottswoode takes Gary through an intensive one-day crash course in combat skills.
Gary goes to North Korea to rescue the rest of the team, fight F.A.G. and foil Kim Jong-il's plan. He succeeds, and a roach inside the dictator escapes in a tiny spacecraft.
Spottswoode
Team America Leader. He survived the attack in Mount Rushmore.
Chris
The Martial Artist from Detroit, Michigan.
Lisa
Gary's love.
Carlson
The Team America member who was killed by a terrorist. Carlson (not Carson) is replaced by Gary Johnston.
Sarah
The chinese-like girl.
Joe
From the University of Nebraska.
Intelligence
The computer.
Kim Jong-il
The evil North Korean dicator plotting to destroy the entire world.
Film Actors Guild
F.A.G. for short. Led by Alec Baldwin, blames Team America for the Panama bombing. Gary, who admires Baldwin, concludes that his acting has once again caused death and quits Team America. All of F.A.G. is killed by Team America and F.A.G.'s leader is killed by Kim Jong-il.
_targets of satire
The creators of this movie, who might be expected to promote one particular point of view, satirise both the left-wing and right-wing points of view. While Team America itself is intended to ridicule the gung-ho right-wing attitude that leads American administrations to "police the world", the Film Actors Guild (FAG) is intended to ridicule the left-wing Hollywood actors who think they have the answers to the world's problems. While the film deliberately does not name any American politicians (to avoid being pigeon-holed as simply a movie about the 2004 election, according to Parker and Stone), it does name many Hollywood actors by their real names.
For example, Sean Penn is portrayed making the outlandish claim about Iraq that "Before Team America showed up, it was a happy place. They had flowery meadows, and rainbow skies," etc. The real life Sean Penn sent a letter to Parker and Stone through the Drudge Report inviting them to go with him on a tour of Iraq. Left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore is portrayed as a suicide bomber; Stone explained the reason for this portrayal in an MSNBC interview: "We have a very specific beef with Michael Moore... ...I did an interview, and he didn't mischaracterize me or anything I said in the movie [ Bowling for Columbine ]. But what he did do was put this cartoon right after me that made it look like we did that cartoon."
Aside from Kim Jong-il, real life politicians are spared satire. Team America acts without any guidance from the White House or the Department of Defense. On the other hand, others see Team America's incompetent and needlessly destructive operations as a jab at current American counter-terrorism policies. Political and social commentor Andrew Sullivan http://www.andrewsullivan.com/ considers the film brillant in its skewering of both the left and right's approach on terrorism. Sullivan (a fan of Stone and Parker's other work too) coined the term South Park Republicans to describe himself and other like-minded fiscal conservatives/social libertarians.
Critical reaction
Film critics had a mixed view of the film. Some praised the film's sense of humor and spirited musical numbers, while others derided it for being a comedy without enough laughs.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times:
- "An equal opportunity offender, and waves of unease will flow over first one segment of their audience, and then another. Like a cocky teenager who's had a couple of drinks before the party, they don't have a plan for who they want to offend, only an intention to be as offensive as possible."
- "If I were asked to extract a political position from the movie, I'd be baffled. It is neither for nor against the war on terrorism, just dedicated to ridiculing those who wage it and those who oppose it. The White House gets a free pass, since the movie seems to think Team America makes its own policies without political direction."
Jeff Meyers, Metro Times:
- "Where the film stumbles is with its characters. The Team America squad is a pretty boring bunch with little to no personality. Only super villain Kim Jong-il is fully realized, and he's little more than a Korean version of Cartman from South Park. Still, the shtick works and Kim's plaintive musical solo, "I'm Ronery," is one of the film's highlights."
A.O. Scott, The New York Times:
- "Without question the finest R-rated puppet action-musical of the past decade...there are plenty of profane, catchy songs and giddily offensive jokes to keep you amused. But like any good satire, this film has a distinct moral point of view. The members of Team America, the square-jawed action heroes who take on Kim and his supporting cast of left-wing Hollywood stooges, may blow up a lot of stuff, but they do it by accident, not by design. And while the movie is happy to mock American bluster, it also expresses a blunt, uncynical patriotism."
Box office performance
Given the divisive nature of the film, the one-time popularity of South Park, and the intense publicity surrounding the project, many expected Team America to debut at #1 in a generally slow box office weekend, as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 had several months earlier. Instead, the film shocked many by not only making just $12 million its first weekend, but also losing to the family film Shark Tale. Since then the film has made a profit internationally, but domestically, had only made back its production costs ($32 million) after over 2 months in release. Some observers have said that the surprise poor box office performance of the film is the result of a backlash against Matt Stone and Trey Parker because of their attack on Mel Gibson and his blockbuster movie, The Passion of the Christ in March of 2004 in an episode of South Park titled The Passion of the Jew. Others believe the overtly political film had arrived at a time when the public was weary of the incredibly bitter election contest between John Kerry and George W. Bush, and that since the film was so harshly critical of Democrats and liberals, word of mouth and interviews may have kept the more left-wing South Park audience at home, leaving only a more right-wing section of the public who had lesser interest in a film which featured foul language, graphic violence, and sexual content between puppets. Still others felt that any film starring marionettes would have a limited appeal to the public.gy
Cities
The list of the cities that are featured.
Quotes
Memorable Quotes from Team America: World Police (2004) Gary Johnston: We're dicks! We're reckless, arrogant, stupid dicks. And the Film Actors Guild are pussies. And Kim Jong Il is an asshole. Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes: assholes that just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick, with some balls. The problem with dicks is: they fuck too much or fuck when it isn't appropriate - and it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes, pussies can be so full of shit that they become assholes themselves... because pussies are an inch and half away from ass holes. I don't know much about this crazy crazy world, but I do know this: If you don't let us fuck this asshole, we're going to have our dicks and pussies all covered in shit!
Spottswoode: Remember, there is no "I" in "Team America". Intelligence: [pause] Yes there is.
Joe: Cairo... that's in Egypt.
Gary Johnston: A flying limo? Now I've seen everything. Spottswoode: Really? Have you ever seen a man eat his own head? Gary Johnston: No. Spottswoode: So you HAVEN'T seen everything.
Chris: I was raped by Mister Mistoffelees.
Kim Jong Il: I'm so Ronery / So ronery / So ronery and sadry arone / There's no one / Just me onry / Sitting on my rittle throne / I work very hard to be number one guy / but, stiwr there's no one to right up my rife / Seems rike no one takes me serirousry / And so, I'm ronery / A rittle ronery / Poor rittle me / There's no one I can rerate to / Feewr rike a biwd in a cage / It's kinda siwry / but, not reawry / because, it's fiwring my body with rage / I'm the smartest, most crever, most physicawry fit / but, none of the women seem to give a shit / Maybe someday, they'wr awr notice me / And untiwr then, I'wr be ronery / Yeah, a rittle ronery / Poor rittle me...
Samuel L. Jackson: Motha Fucka!
Chris: I'll drill two holes in your dick so that when you take a piss, it goes in all different directions!
Guy in Bar: See, there's three kinds of people: dicks, pussies, and assholes. Pussies think everyone can get along, and dicks just want to fuck all the time without thinking it through. But then you got your assholes, Chuck. And all the assholes want us to shit all over everything! So, pussies may get mad at dicks once in a while, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes, Chuck. And if they didn't fuck the assholes, you know what you'd get? You'd get your dick and your pussy all covered in shit!
Spottswoode: Gary is the kind of man that understands, when you put another man's cock in your mouth, you make a pact.
Tim Robbins: Let me tell you how all this works: you see, Team America is funded by the corporations, so they fight for the corporations... while they sit in their corporation buildings... and they're all corporation-y... and they make lots of money!
Kim Jong Il: It will be 911 times 2356. Chris: My god, that's... I don't even know what that is! Kim Jong Il: Nobody does!
[repeated line] Lisa: Sometimes belief is all we have
[repeated line] Lisa: Sometimes... Believing is all we have.
song: ["End of an Act"] I miss you more than Michael Bay missed the mark, When he made Pearl Harbor. / I miss you more than that movie missed the point, And that's an awful lot, girl. / And now, now you've gone away, And all I'm trying to say, is: Pearl Harbor sucked and I miss you. / I need you like Ben Affleck needs acting school, He was terrible in that film. / I need you like Cuba Gooding needed a bigger part, He's way better than Ben Affleck. / And now, all I can think about is your smile, and that shitty movie, too! Pearl Harbor sucked and I miss you. / Why does Michael Bay get to keep on making movies? / I guess Pearl Harbor sucked, just a little bit more than I miss you.
Kim Jong Il: And now da destwuction of de worurd is inedidable Lisa: It's what? Kim Jong Il: Ine - ine - inedidable. Lisa: One more time... Kim Jong Il: I said, da destwuction of da worurd is inedible. God damn, open your fuckin' eaws, girw!
Gary Johnston: Your skills are fading with age, Mrs. Sarandon. Susan Sarandon: You will die a peasant's death!
Gary Johnston: [Gary sees the limo] Oh, I get it. I'm supposed to get inside your limo and let you put your finger inside me. And if I go down on you, I get a movie part. Spottswoode: Uh, no. I just want to show you something. Gary Johnston: Yeah I bet you do. Spottswoode: Please, Gary. I'm not from Hollywood, I'm not going to fuck your mouth, and my time is EXTREMELY valuable! [Gary gets in the limo]
Gary Johnston: I had to come back. C'mon team, let's go! Joe: Wait a second, can we really trust you? Chris: Yeah, why the fuck should we trust you, you douchebag?
Kim Jong Il: Hans Brix? Oh no! Oh, herro. Great to see you again, Hans! Hans Blix: Mr. Il, I was supposed to be allowed to inspect your palace today, but your guards won't let me enter certain areas. Kim Jong Il: Hans, Hans, Hans! We've been frew this a dozen times. I don't have any weapons of mass destwuction, OK Hans? Hans Blix: Then let me look around, so I can ease the UN's collective mind. I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you. Let me in, or else. Kim Jong Il: Or else what? Hans Blix: Or else we will be very angry with you... and we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are. Kim Jong Il: OK, Hans. I'll show you. Stand to your reft. Hans Blix: [Moves to the left] Kim Jong Il: A rittle more. Hans Blix: [Moves to the left again] Kim Jong Il: Good. [Opens up trap, Hans falls in]
Spottswoode: That was bad I.N.T.E.L.L.E.G.N.C.E, very bad I.N.T.E.L.L.I.G.E.N.C.E
Gary Johnston: HOLY SHIT! What happened to the base? Intelligence: It was destroyed by a socialist weasel.
Joe: It looks like one of the terrorists is saying something. Gary Johnston: [waving the distress signal towards Joe and Chris] It's me! It's me! Chris: What's he saying? Joe: I think he's saying, 'Kiss me! Kiss me!' Chris: SMART-ASS MOTHERFUCKER!
Kim Jong Il: [gibberish] Translator: My lord said that if you did not understand what he said, then his translator translated it wrong, and that he should... fire his translator? [Kim Jong Il shoots the Translator in the head]
Chris: Surprise, cockfags!
Tim Robbins: Actors! ATTACK! Helen Hunt: Helen Hunt! Samuel L. Jackson: Samuel Jackson! Matt Damon: Matt Damon!
song: The hour's approaching to give it your best / You've got to reach your prime / That's when you need to put yourself to the test / And show us the passage of time / We're gonna need a montage / Ooh, it takes a montage / Show a lot of things happening at once / Remind everyone of what's gone on / In every shot, show a little improvement / To show it all would take too long / That's called a montage / Ooh, we want a montage / In anything, if you want to go / From just a beginner to a pro / You need a montage / Even Rocky had a montage / In anything, if you want to go / From just a beginner to a pro / You need a montage / Ooh, it takes a montage / Always fade out in a montage / If you fade out it seems like more time has passed in a montage...
Spottswoode: Gary, this is a dangerous mission. If you happen to get captured, suicide may be the more humane option. Here take this. [hands Gary a hammer]
Kim Jong Il: [to terrorists on a giant monitor] Who's responsibre for browing up Panama? Terrorist: We were upset about Cairo. Kim Jong Il: [Angry and flailing arms] You were supposed to wait for da fucking signal! You can't just set off de W.M.D.'s as you prease! You're all fucking up my bririant prans! [shuts off monitor, and cools down] Kim Jong Il: Why does everybody have to be such fucking morons?
Gary Johnston: I was just a boy when the infidels came in their Blackhawk helicopters. The infidels fired at the oil fields and they lit up like the eyes of Allah. Burning oil rained down from the sky and cooked everything it touched. I could only hide myself and cry as my goats were consumed by the fiery black liquid death. In the midst of the chaos, I could swear that I heard my goats screaming for help. As quickly as they had come, the infidels were gone. It was on that day I put a jihad on them. And if you don't believe it, you'd better kill me now cause I'll put a jihad on you.
Gary Johnston: Bak. Derk-derka ala. Derka derka, Mohammed Jihad. Baka sherpa-sherpa. Abaka-la. Terrorist: Ohhh! Derka derka derka! [Allows Gary into terrorist hideout]
Joe: Shit! I've got five terrorists going southeast on Bakalakadaka Street!
Lisa: Hey, terrorist! Terrorize this!
Chris: If there's a world when this is all over, I'd love to buy you a beer sometime.
Sarah: INTELLIGENCE is down! Repeat, we have lost our INTELLIGENCE!
Chris: What does Spottswoode see in him? Lisa: I don't know. But I think I see it too.
Sean Penn: Last year I went to Iraq. Before Team America showed up, it was a happy place. They had flowering meadows and rainbow skies, and rivers made of chocolate, where the children danced and laughed and played with gumdrop smiles.
Chris: If you betray us, I'll rip your fuckin' balls off and stuff them up your ass. So, the next time you shit, you'll shit all over your balls!
Spottswoode: Now hold on team, Gary has already proven to me that he is 100% committed to the team. He proved it last night by sucking my cock. Joe: Uh... Alright then. Let's move.
Lisa: Gary, you can't blame yourself for what gorillas did.
Gary Johnston: But, I thought you weren't gay? Spottswoode: This isn't about sex, Gary, it's about trust!
Joe: You remember the signal? Gary Johnston: [waves arms like crazy]
Terrorist: You have balls. I like balls.
Gary Johnston: Oh, I get it. I'm supposed to let you put your finger in me then I suck your cock and get a movie role!
Lisa: I'm so confused! Lisa: It's too early for me to be having feelings for you. Gary Johnston: Maybe feelings are feelings because we can't control them.
Lisa: Promise me you'll never die. Gary Johnston: You know I can't promise that. Lisa: Promise me you'll never die and I'll make love to you right now. Gary Johnston: I promise I'll never die.
Gary Johnston: Jesus, this is a nice limo. Spottswoode: Yes, it is. Now suck my cock! Just kidding.
[repeated line] Matt Damon: MATT DAMON!
song: [Song] America, fuck yeah! Comin' again to save the motherfucking day, yeah! / America, fuck yeah! Freedom is the only way, yeah! / Terrorists, your game is through, 'cause now you have to answer to / America, fuck yeah! So lick my butt and suck on my balls! / America, fuck yeah! What you gonna do when we come for you now!
Lisa: [to Gary] You had me at "dicks fuck assholes".
Chris: I hate to break this little reunion, but there are still a lot of bad guys out there. Gary Johnston: Then let's show the bad guys that the police are back in force. Lisa: Fuck yeah. Gary Johnston: Fuck yeah. Gary Johnston: [kisses Lisa]
Kim Jong Il: Why is evawyrone so fuckin' stoopid?
Gary Johnston: We were all out at the zoo one day, I was doing some acting, walking on the railing of the gorilla exhibit. I fell in. Everyone screamed and Tommy jumped in after me, forgetting that he had blueberries in his front pocket. The gorillas just went wild. They jumped all over his body and threw him around like a rag doll to get to those blueberries. One gorilla would throw him to another gorilla who tossed him to another. Everyone panicked and cried out for somebody to help but it was too late. The gorillas beat him to death before the zookeepers could gas them all.
References
- Moriarty Visits Matt & Trey On The TEAM AMERICA Set! - set report from AintItCool.com
- Team America: World Police - synopsis, clips and images from LatinoReview.com
- (October 2004). Play: South Park's Puppet Regime. Wired 12.10. Accessed October 6, 2004.
- (October 6, 2004). 'Team America' cuts puppet sex, gets R. Reuters/CNN.com. Accessed October 6, 2004.