I am not going to pretend I understand how licensing works, because I simply don’t. It would be an incredibly silly thing to pretend I know a singular thing about how movie licensing works and why X licenses out to boutique label A for a remastered Blu-ray and then, a year or so later, releases the 4K version of said film themselves with a Blu-ray that seems to be the boutique Blu-ray itself. This is all to talk about one of the most insane movies to be released from the visionary stoner minds of Matt Stone and Trey Parker (South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut; BASEketball). That’s right, Team America: World Police is now available in glorious 4K UHD and we can all thank Matt Damon now. America, F&%k yeah!
A scene from TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
A year-ish ago Shout! Factory released a Blu-ray of a 4K upscale of Team America with a slew of features that boasted both the theatrical and unrated versions of this idiotic, psychotic, brilliantly insane puppet anti-terrorism movie that proves time and time again why Parker and Stone are some of the funniest in the business. While I cannot comment on how that Shout! Blu-ray looks as I was happy enough with the rough Blu-ray from 2000-and-something I owned already, I can verify that the 4K looks excellent. Before diving into why it looks excellent, I want to make it clear that the 4K is only the theatrical and not the uncut, but having watched both versions of the film, I really cannot explicitly state what the one extra minute of footage is. It doesn’t add or subtract anything in the film, and we still have the two puppet showers, so I cannot fathom what was so over the top the MPAA made them cut it, but alas.
From my recollection, after going to the local video store when I was 11 years old and asking to rent Team America: World Police, since for whatever reason I wasn’t allowed to see it theatrically but I could see it at home, I was flabbergasted at how genuinely insane this movie was. I have revisited this countless times since 2004 and always remembered that original Blu-ray looking a little rough, and it was clear this was puppetry (I mean it’s clear they’re puppets, but you saw the puppet strings, etc., which is an homage to Stingray (1961) and Thunderbirds (1965)). The 4K almost completely hides the puppeteering lines, though having them included was almost funnier, but boasts a beautifully bright and vibrant world to crack a rib laughing at once again. The colors are no longer muted and dark, but rather robust and lively, truly letting Team America: World Police be seen in a glorious new way. The only disturbing thing is, some of those scenes, like the aforementioned shower scene, is a little too much in this new bright and vibrant setting.
A scene from TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
The movie focuses on Gary (voiced by Trey Parker) who is recruited by Spottswoode (voiced by Daran Norris) to become the greatest hero America has ever seen. Spottswoode needs Gary to join Team America to infiltrate a terrorist cell and save the world. Even though Team America usually blows up every national monument in their hunt, they’re still considered heroes. The terrorist cell in question is lead by Kim Jong Il (voiced by Trey Parker, again) who wants to unleash thousands of 9/11s. Of course Gary is not alone; he’s joined by Team America, composed of Lisa, Carson, Sarah, Joe, and Chris (voiced by Kristen Miller; Trey Parker; Masasa Moyo; Trey Parker, again; and Matt Stone, respectively) as they all need to stop Kim Jong Il and deal with the wrath of the Film Actors Guild who want them to be disbanded for destroying monuments.
As previously mentioned, the Shout! Factory Blu-ray that came out last year featured a Blu-ray version from the 4K scan with not an ounce of new special features. The features that were on the Shout! Factory disc have been the same features since the DVD release. If the boutique label did not include any new special features, it should not be a surprise that the studio release wouldn’t either. With that being said, if you bought the Shout Blu-ray from last year, this upgrade really is only necessary if you’re a die-hard 4K-or-bust fanatic. However, if the only copy owned up to this point was the 2015 or 2017 Blu-ray, then the upgrade is certainly a massive increase in quality and picture.
A scene from TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.
It goes without saying that Team America: World Police is not for the easily offendable or faint of heart, or really children. It’s from the creators of South Park, so if you watch South Park, you should know exactly what you’re in for. The soundtrack, also, similarly to South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, is also fantastic, but so truly awful in its absolute brilliance. Team America: World Police was never a movie I thought would get a studio re-release, let alone an upgrade, but, alas, here we are celebrating one of the most over-the-top and hilarious socio-political comedies of all time. So, strap yourselves in and prepare to belt out the lyrics to the alternative version of the national anthem (self proclaimed by myself), “America, F&%k Yeah”!
Team America: World Police 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo Special Features:
4K UHD
- Feature Film
Blu-ray
- Feature film
- Team America: An introduction
- Building the world
- Crafting the puppets
- Pulling the strings
- Capturing the Action
- Miniature pyrotechnics
- Up close with Kim Jong-Il
- Dressing Room test
- Puppet Test
- Deleted/Extended Scenes and outtakes
- Animated Storyboards
Available on 4K UHD Blu-ray Combo Pack June 25th, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Paramount Pictures Team America: World Police webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews, streaming
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