Team America: World Police (2004) Rated R Starring: The voices of Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Kristen Miller Rating: out of

In this brutally funny send-up of Jerry Bruckheimer's cliche-ridden action films, Team America defend the world from terrorists with no regard for what gets destroyed in the process. As long as the terrorists are caught, it seems no sacrifice is too great. When the team needs someone to go undercover to break up a terror plot that will be "9/11 times 100," the team's leader, Spottswoode (Daran Norris), recruits Broadway actor Gary Johnston (Trey Parker) to take the role of his life.

I'll save the plot details because the surprises Team America: World Police holds in store for audiences are inspired hilarity unlike any I've seen in a long time. (Possibly since the South Park movie.) Needless to say, no one is safe from the satirical eye of Parker and Stone. (Except George W. Bush, who is mysteriously absent from the proceedings.) Liberals, conservatives, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and even Michael Moore are among the people given the once-over in this puppet-powered comedy.

Like South Park, Team America features some excellent music that parodies both action movie anthems ("America (F*ck Yeah)") as well as country's current penchant for patrioitic rah-rah songs ("Freedom Costs a Buck-O-Five"). North Korea's Kim Jong-Il gets into the action with "I'm So Ronery", a ballad sure to earn an Oscar nomination. (Ok, maybe not.)

The movie is just as intent on satirizing Hollywood as it is the current political state of affairs. While it does include some of Hollywood's more vocal liberal actors in its skewering of personalities, Team America goes beyond that by aping some of the characteristics of more popular action movies including the surging musical score, one-liners, overly dramatic death sequences, and the ever-popular countdown-to-destruction clock.

If the movie has a fault, it's the focus of the humor isn't as precise as one might expect from the usually on-target Parker and Stone. Either they stayed deliberately away from taking sides or they just wanted to offend as many people as possible, but if anyone is expecting the movie to come down on one side of the fence -- liberal or conservative -- they'll be disappointed.

However, for those that can enjoy intelligent parody side-by-side with gross-out jokes and sexual humor involving puppets (and a lot of visible strings), Team America: World Police is a must-see.

Trivia: The MPAA gave this film an R rating, accompanied with the specific explanation "For graphic crude and sexual behavior, violent images and strong language - all involving puppets." (Source: The Internet Movie Database)