thomas4cinema

Roger Ebert found the right catchphrase for this flick: it's an "equal
opportunity offender", it sets out to make a list of things that could be
considered offensive by parts of the audience, and works its way through
them. Most of it has to do with sex and patriotism, so the offences are
rather harmless for European standards, however, and never force you to
change from alightly amused observer to . er . well, being offended. The
producers actually mention on the DVD extras what they initially set out to
do: a puppet version of a Bruckheimer movie, without any changes, as they
consider these Bruckheimer blockbusters to be comedies in the first place,
just that he doesn't know, "because he's a turd". While that may be true,
watching "Team America" reveals that they are not just comedies, but also
rather boring most of the time. And during those parts of the fim where
nothing offensive or disgusting has been added, they manage to reach the
standards of the original: a boring blockbuster, just with puppets on
strings. Fortunately, there are some nice add-ons, such as the team
manager's (completely job-driven)obsession with oral sex, the interesting
range of sexual behaviour on display between hero and barbie doll, amusingly
effective plastical surgery on the hero, or a nice opening sequence, where
Team America destroys more of Paris than any weapon of mass destruction
could ever have achieved. And the most decent secret message to alert your
team members. And an excellent soundtrack with very well tailor-made lyrics
("and this is a monataaaage, and in a montaaage you see time going by much
quicker, and you need to fade out at the end of a montaaage, because it
makes even more time appear to have paaaased" – " 'Pearl Harbour' sucked and
Ben Affleck needs acting classes' "). And proof of the makers' quote that
they don't like actors, not a bit, those despicable whores! And Matt Damon
shouting "Matt Damon" all the time. And and and. a lotta funny bits.
Roger Ebert manages not to have an opinion at
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041014/REVIEWS/4
0921007/1023
More opinionated, the Variety review:
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117925177.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0