South Park is of course, a long running animated TV show on cable. When it first started it was mostly known as a show were elementary school kids cuss and had lots of catchphrases. It was often gross and didn’t seem to have any taboos, but was nearly always hilarious and the cast of characters was memorable. Throughout the years, it’s morphed into what I consider the sharpest satire of American life currently on TV.
This isn’t about the TV series though, this is about South Park’s one feature length movie.
The Set-Up
The main characters Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny (all voiced by show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone) sneak into a Terrance and Philip movie one day. Terrance and Philip are Canadian gross-out comedians. After seeing the movie the boys begin to repeat the catchphrases that are said in the movie, which are highly inappropriate. They tell the other kids at school about it and they all see the movie as well. Soon, the whole school is wearing T-Shirts with profanity on them and repeating Terrance and Philip’s catchphrases.
The concerned parents overreaction to this snowballs into a war with Canada and the capture of Terrance and Philip. The US plans to execute Terrance and Philip. However, the boys learn that if the Terrance and Philip are executed it will allow Satan and Saddam Hussein to rise up from Hell. So, they decide to save Terrance and Philip.
In the end, Satan and Saddam Hussein rises up but Cartman’s cursing defeats Saddam Hussein. Satan is grateful that Saddam is gone because he was abusive to him. Satan brings Terrance and Philip back to life at Kenny’s request. It sort of sounds insane summarized like that.
Why It’s Great
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, comedy is very subjective. I find this movie hilarious and still do over ten years after I first watched it. There is gross humor, inappropriate humor, and absurd humor and they all work. There’s not a joke that falls flat.
It’s also a musical, and the musical numbers are surprisingly good. The basic plot has some similarities to Les Miserables so there are a few parody songs in that operatic vein. But there are also some songs more in the Disney mold. The musical numbers are all on par with actual animated musicals, despite how odd the lyrics are.
Finally, the satire is spot-on. The portrayal of hysteria, and parents ignoring their own culpability in their children’s actions is a very accurate portrayal of America. It felt particularly relevant at the time but it still resonates.
I love this movie but I can’t recommend it to everyone. If you are uncomfortable with very inappropriate humor and young characters cursing you should skip it. If you don’t like the South Park show, this isn’t going to make you like it. But if you love South Park, or satire, or animated musicals you should definitely see this.