“America F*** Yeah!” It was 20 years ago this week that the puppet-comedy movie Team America: World Police from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone first landed in theaters, leaving audiences shocked and laughing in equal measure. Amid the 20th anniversary, fans have taken to X/Twitter to debate whether the movie deserves another look after all these years, and whether it would be considered even more controversial if it were released in 2024. Much like before, opinions remain mixed.
The debate was largely sparked by a post from X user @consequence, who shared a quote from Academy Award winner Jodie Foster, who said to Interview Magazine back in November 2023 that “probably” the number one movie everyone needs to watch once is “the puppet movie Team America: World Police.”
In response, X user @ShadowTodd said “Yeah, and that ‘once’ is in 2004.” And thus, the debate began. Team America fan @natureisviolent replied, “Aww it looks like I am in the minority of thinking that it’s pretty funny. It’s a great commentary of Bush administration politics & foreign policy & the mess that was our occupation in the Middle East. Show of hands, who missed the nuance?” with naysayer @morganwick saying, “Which is why ‘once’ is in 2004, when all that stuff was actually relevant.”
Written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Pam Brady, and directed by Parker, Team America: World Policeis a satire of action movies told using Thunderbirds-style “Supermarionation” puppets. The movie depicts several real-life figures, including former North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il, and follows the specialized Team America unit as they are tasked with stopping a global terrorist plot, pitting them against the dictator, Islamic terrorists, and the Film Actors Guild.
Team America: World Police Was Hugely Controversial at the Time
Team America was hugely controversial at the time due to its political commentary, offensive stereotypes, and its depiction of American militarism and U.S. foreign policy. Despite this, the movie was met with solid reviews, and stands at a “Certified Fresh” 77% on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus reading, “Team America will either offend you or leave you in stitches. It’ll probably do both.”
Of course, two decades have now passed, with X user @jard_red thinking “It is one of the most 2004 films ever,” while @Dumbass799 (try not to read too much into the username) says, “I don’t think you are in the minority thinking the movie is funny, but most I know, me included, really don’t think it holds up as a good commentary on Bush administration or war on terror. I didn’t miss nuance, it just isn’t there.”
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In contrast, @Van_Satridyme declares, “Nah I’m with you. It is still funny, and you’re not supposed to take it that seriously,” with @MarkSmith_0610 adding, “It’s fucking hilarious and still holds up as a perfect satire of that timeframe.”
So, ultimately, it seems that even after all this time, opinions are still split over whether Team America: World Police is a scathing social satire, a silly comedy, or just an offensive cinematic failure. But, surely, we can all agree that the musical numbers are toe-tappingly wonderful earworms? Can’t we?