wri./dir. Trey Parker and Matt Stone

I expect most people who see this film will be familiar with the animated series about four grade 3 boys in a small Colorado town and the surreal adventures they have, so I won't describe the scenario in too much detail. The series has its opponents who find it crude, offensive, and unsuitable for children to watch. These are the people who don't understand the concept of 'parental responsibility' and are incapable of monitoring their children's activities. I hate censorship. I hate people who think I am too stupid to decide what is acceptable, so they wish to define the boundaries of morality for me. It seems that the makers of South Park (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) hate them too, for more personal reasons, so have made this film to deliberately offend them and highlight their stupidity. The film has come under heavy criticism from some sectors of the public.

The film starts sedately enough, as the characters sing a song that introduces themselves and the setting. But when the boys go to see the Terrance and Phillip movie (an animated show within a show) all hell breaks loose, literally. The next half hour consists of the children turning into Al Pacino in Scarface, ie they indulge in excessive profanity. This is done for pure shock value, to see how far the envelope of bad taste can be pushed. At this point I was concerned the movie would not progress pass cheap sensationalism, even though I found myself laughing at the dialogue (eventually). When the story proper starts (parents trying to stop the Terrance and Phillip film because it is a negative influence on their children), then the film becomes more enjoyable and purposeful.

The parents overact and convince the U.S. government to declare war (in the U.S. violence is not obscene) on Canada (home of Terrance and Phillip) and Satan prepares to return to earth when the blood of innocents is spilled. The analogies are obvious - the Terrance and Phillip show is South Park, Canada represents all scapegoats of the U.S. (which refuses to take responsibility for its own actions/inactions), Satan represents those who benefit from such actions/publicity, etc.

The reason the film is still good despite it continually ramming its obvious points down our throat is the energy, conviction, wit, and no-holds-barred attitude that goes into the screenplay. The extended airtime also gives a chance for a more indepth plot than in the series. Kenny is dead and comforts Satan (who is having relationship problems with Saddam Hussein) in hell, Stan is competing for the affections of Wendy, Kyle's mother is running the campaign to stop the corruption of the children, and Eric sees his mother in a German porno movie. The supporting characters also do well in the screenplay, and Mr Garrison (the gay school teacher) has a great misogynist line, 'I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die'. Tasteless? Yes, but that is the point of the film. I also enjoyed Saddam referring to Satan as his 'cum bucket'. A beautiful image indeed.

And like all good films you learn something as well, like the population of heaven (not as high as you would think), and that the U.S. army is just as racist as ever. Be warned that the film is a musical, there are a lot of songs, some of which worked for me, and others I found intrusive. There is the usual smattering of celebrity voices as well, including George Clooney in ER mode. I think the audience will fit into three categories, those like me who already like the show so liked the film, those that will be deeply offended (and purposely so), and those that like it just because it is tasteless and shocking without understanding the point of it. South Park, it's not deep but it is relevant.

sebastian niemand
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