‘Team America: World Police’ Uncensored & Unrated Blu-Ray Review – Freedom Is The Only Way

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

When North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il (Trey Parker) orchestrates a global terrorist plot, it’s up to the heavily armed marionettes of the highly specialized Team America unit to stop his dastardly scheme. The group, which includes the thespian-averse technology expert Chris (Matt Stone), 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.

For thoughts on Team America: World Police, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

Video Quality

Team America: World Police returns to Blu-Ray courtesy of Shout! Studios with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1 with both its R-Rated Theatrical Cut and the Unrated Cut on separate discs. The R-Rated cut of the film was previously released on Blu-Ray in 2015 courtesy of Warner Bros., but this release marks the HD debut of the Unrated Cut. This release is beneficial not just for 40 seconds of additional outrageous material, but the film has been given a new scan and remaster of the Original Camera Negative. We do not have the previous Blu-Ray to compare, but this transfer is a massive upgrade from the ancient DVD from nearly 20 years ago. Thanks to the new transfer, fans are provided with a very pleasing viewing experience overall that is natural, stable and detailed in all respects. 

The film retains a steady grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing subtle details in the incredible production design and puppet clothing. The natural color palette is robust and is rendered faithfully. Black levels hold up pretty well with some admirable depth to the image. There is no significant damage to be found, as this source has been kept in good condition. There is one sequence that sinks in quality when the characters are at real-life national monuments during a montage, but we believe that is most likely due to the crew stealing these shots under unfavorable filming conditions and not an issue with the transfer itself. Shout! has given this one the treatment it deserves, even if we would have preferred a full 4K UHD upgrade. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a dynamic DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that handles this material flawlessly. With this being a take on action films, the track digs deep with environmental sounds such as gunfire and explosions filling the speakers in an immersive manner. It does not take long for the subwoofer to be put to work in one of the opening missions. Of course, the hilarious soundtrack is forceful without being overbearing with every inappropriate song. This particular element maintains its fidelity throughout. 

Dialogue comes through perfectly clear without sound effects or the soundtrack trouncing on important information or jokes. The surrounds channels provide some unique ambient details to certain environments which helps the world feel more alive. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately placed so that nothing ever feels off. Fans will not go wrong when it comes to this track. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided. 

Special Features

Theatrical Cut (1:37:40) and Unrated Cut (1:38:18)

• Team America – An Introduction: A five-minute introduction with Matt Stone and Trey Park in which they discuss the ideas behind the film, break down the characters, reveal their feelings about working with marionettes and more. 

• Building The World: A 13-minute piece with production designer Jim Dultz, visual consultant David Rockwell, property master Brad Elliot, and set decorator Richard C. Walker, in which they discuss how they brought this unique world to life. There are some great discussions about the balance between trying to maintain realistic elements with the exaggerated aesthetic. 

• Crafting The Puppets: An eight-minute look at the creation of the puppets with creators Charles, Edward, and Stephen Chiodo, puppet designer Norman Tempia, sculptor Don William Lanning, mold maker Steve Newburn, lead painter Thomas Killeen, lead mechanic Jurgen Heimann, lead animatronic Joe Andreas, and costume designer Karen Patch. There are some amusing insights into the crafting of the celebrity puppets and the background details of various environments. 

• Pulling The Strings: A ten-minute featurette which hones in on the efforts of the people actually bringing movement to the marionettes including puppet art director Charles Chiodo, puppet producer Edward Chiodo, puppet supervisor Stephen Chiodo, principal puppeteer Kevin Carlson, puppet coordinator Frank Langley IV, and puppet designer Norman Tempia. There are some amusing insights into the shifting desires from Stone and Parker and the puppet sex scenes. 

• Capturing The Action: A seven-minute piece which explores the efforts of cinematographer Bill Pope, who was tasked with bringing big-screen action realism to this puppet world. 

• Miniature Pyrotechnics: A five-minute look at the explosives throughout the film with special effects supervisor Joseph Viskocil.

• Up Close with Kim Jong-Il: A five-minute look at the creation of this villainous world leader “character” for the film. 

• Dressing Room Test: A two-minute early run of the dressing room scene in which Gary is haunted by his past. 

• Puppet Test: A four-minute test which tests out the movement of the characters. 

• Deleted/Extended Scenes and Outtakes: A six-minute collection of unused moments from the film are provided here in standard definition upscale quality. 

• Storyboards: There are 12 minutes of rough storyboard sketches provided here. 

• Trailers: There are two trailers totaling four minutes provided. 

Final Thoughts

Team America: World Police is patently offensive by every known metric, and creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker would not have it any other way. The pair recognized an unpleasant direction the country was heading in the aftermath of 9/11 when it came to how we expressed our “values” and overall patriotism. Admittedly, many of the jokes do not hit as hard as they once did, but there is still a steady stream of boisterous and uncomfortable laughs that come with revisiting this one in a modern context. The sheer audacity of making this movie will never not be impressive, and we are glad it exists even with its flaws. Shout! Studios has released a new Blu-Ray that sports both cuts of the film with a standout A/V presentation and the full array of legacy supplemental features. If you are a fan of the South Park guys, you should revisit or check this one out for the first time. Recommended 

Team America: World Police is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.