Quartile rating: 4.5/10 · 1 rating
When North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il orchestrates a global terrorist plot, it's up to the heavily armed, highly specialized Team America unit to stop his dastardly scheme. The group, which has recruited troubled Broadway actor Gary Johnston, not only has to face off against Jong-il, but they must also contend with the Film Actors Guild, a cadre of Hollywood liberals at odds with Team America's 'policing the world' tactics.
Team America is a genuinely one-of-a-kind satirical achievement — a big-budget marionette action film that simultaneously skewers jingoistic American foreign policy, Hollywood celebrity activism, and the action blockbuster genre itself. Its Novelty is exceptional: the Thunderbirds-style puppet conceit combined with sharp political satire and deliberately crude humor creates something truly singular. The plot is a functional parody scaffold — serviceable enough to hang jokes on but not dramatically compelling in its own right. 'Acting' here means the voice performances, which are intentionally flat to match the puppet aesthetic, earning a below-average score by design. Cinematography is competent and cleverly mimics action-movie conventions within obvious practical limitations. The ending delivers a memorably absurd comedic payoff with its infamous 'dicks, pussies, and assholes' speech, landing solidly above average for a comedy closer.