 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Team America: World Police
- Review Date: May 15, 2005
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Raunchy action comedy from South Park team isn't for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to that although kids who watch South Park might be intrigued by this raunchy, over-the-top puppet action comedy from the show's creators, it's absolutely not age-appropriate for young viewers. The fact that all of the characters are marionettes -- and that all of the situations are played for comedy -- doesn't change the fact that the graphic violence and sex scenes are meant for adults only. Characters are shot, blown up, decapitated, sliced in half, and burned; in the sex scenes, they're shown fully naked engaged in very explicit acts. Plus, the language is vulgar to the extreme, there's drinking and smoking, and a fair bit of the humor relies on jokes that could be considered homophobic (for example, an organization based on the Screen Actors Guild is called the Film Actors Guild so it can have the initials F.A.G.).
What's the story?
Inspired by Thunderbirds, a 1960s British children's TV show, TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE follows the adventures of five all-American, good-looking heroes who are masters of everything from kick-boxing to rocket science and can toss off brave wisecracks while gunning down evil-doers. Their cool clubhouse inside Mount Rushmore has every kind of transportation and weapon system, as well as a swinging cocktail lounge. When one of the team is killed, team leader Spottswoode recruits an actor. Gary, star of the hit Broadway musical Lease (with the showstopping final number "Everyone Has AIDS!"), is brought on board because, apparently, the most important skill for fighting terrorism is acting ability. At first Gary says no, but there's something about saving the world -- or maybe just something about team member Lisa -- that makes him change his mind. Meanwhile, Kim Jong Il is plotting total world domination, and a bunch of Hollywood celebrities think they have the solution for world peace.
Is it any good?
South Park's Trey Parker and Matt Stone have created a fabulously intricate puppet world here, with replicas of iconic monuments from Mount Rushmore and the Sphinx to the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. And the duo takes such pleasure in being naughty that it makes their work more silly than smutty. In their best work, the outrageousness is in aid of a statement, a sharp attack, so that the four-letter words and cheerful bad taste transcend their schoolyard shock value to work as satire. But when there's no special point of view and they just decide to bash everyone on all sides, it runs out of steam quickly.
This latest venture would have made a hilarious 15-minute short, but at feature length it gets repetitive and tiresome. When the movie is good, it's very funny. But Stone and Parker go after everyone here -- people who want to fight terrorists, people who don't want to fight terrorists, people who are terrorists, and people who just have really, really inflated senses of their importance in the world. And so the satire is too scattershot to sustain the film.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about what point the film is trying to make. Who is it really mocking? What are the filmmakers saying about celebrities who speak out on politics?
Would the impact of the movie's sex scenes and violent sequences be different if it was live action rather than animated with marionettes? Why or why not?
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Adult
July 6, 2010
AGE
Watch Out for Gary's Excessive Barf-a-thon!
This movie is not only way out of line for kids, but the scene when Gary projectile vomits is more than repulsive. You better watch the whole movie on an empty stomach just because of that moment!
What other families should know:
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Kid, 11 years old
April 29, 2009
AGE
south park with puppets
south park creators you created a good tv show a funny film and now this offensive film is hilariuos. offensive funny raunchy especially the sex scene. the film will offend if your okay with that you will love this film
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Teen, 13 years old
December 26, 2010
AGE
too raunchy and lots of stupid stuff in it, but a parent notice down the bottom
this is not even all that funny, its all raunchy, and not intended for under 17, it should be rated NC-17, because theres too many naked puppet bodies, explicit sex acts and references, bodily fluids, etc. and common sense is absolutetly right! there is alot of sex scenes throughout the unrated edition DVD, and there are lots and lots of extreme gory and explicit violence.
ATTENTION PARENTS OF THIS REVIEW: NEVER BUY THIS DVD AT ALL! DONT LET YOUR KIDS AND TEENS WATCH THIS AT ALL, IT HAS ALOT OF SEX SCENES IN AN UNRATED EDITION BTW, THAT IS ALL
What other families should know:
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Teen, 13 years old
September 30, 2010
AGE
Perfect Movie For Night Without The Kids
No kids tonight, well watch this movie. it is one of the most raunchy, border crossing and insane movies i have ever seen. i almost died of laughter. this movie was intended for adults. and it is awesome
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
No WAY!
I am an extremely liberal minded person and I would in absolutely NO WAY endorse this movie for children. The satirical humor is too easily misunderstood and the outright ruthless gay bashing is offensive. Many parents may think this is a harmless 'puppet' movie, but they would be so wrong. I found not one thing funny about this movie and really it is not b/c I didn't "Get it". In fact, I totally "Got It," I just can't fathom why anyone from conservative to the most liberal of people would think there was anything worth seeing here. I would say if anything showing it to a child who has no understanding or irony and satire would take this the entirely wrong way and it would be COMPLETELY inappropriate. One of the worst movies I have ever seen.
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Kid, 11 years old
August 19, 2010
AGE
dont waste youre time
Hated it. I love south park and i was expecting alot from this movie but it was just boring and terrible and not funny at all
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Teen, 15 years old
April 28, 2011
AGE
America, eff yeah!
Sure there is some very graphic puppet sex and a done of swearing but hey since it's only with puppets my parents actually didn't mind, This movie is hilarious and I recommend it to mid- older teens.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Trey Parker |
| Cast: | Kristen Miller, Matt Stone, Trey Parker |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 95 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 15, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | May 17, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | graphic, crude and sexual humor, violent images and strong language; all involving puppets |
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