South Park

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut

July 9, 1999

Who would have thought that the movie that would hit the biggest satirical targets of our time would be a crudely animated, vulgar, sarcastic and bitterly funny R-rated cartoon? In this time of crisis, when we blame movies for problems with our nation's youth (instead of the actual minds of our nations youth), along comes South Park: BLU, a sleeper film version of the Comedy Central cable series. For those of you who don't know what the series is, it's about a quartet of foul-mouthed second graders, who live in a (as one character describes it) "quiet redneck town". Every week, they get involved in one whacked-out adventure after another. Unlike The Simpsons, the comedy takes not-so-subtle (though sometimes hysterical) potshots at popular culture, celebrities, hypocritical politicians and conservative small town life.

The story in the film version involves Stan (the leader), Kyle (the neurotic Jewish boy), Cartman (everyone's favorite little bastard) and Kenny (of "Oh my god! They Killed Kenny", "YOU BASTARDS!!! fame) sneaking into an R-rated movie, staring their favorite Canadian acting team, Terence and Philip. The language, fart jokes and violent behavior that they see, gets them into trouble with the town when they start imitating their heroes. Eventually (through details I'd rather not reveal, because they have to be seen to be believed), a war between the United States and Canada is started; Big Gay Al entertains troops at a USO show; Winona Ryder does an interesting trick with ping-pong balls; Bill Gates gets exactly what you believe he deserves; Saddam Hussein and Satan get down and dirty...uh, don't ask; And yes, Kenny Dies!

This extremely outrageous satire takes digs at our military system, The Baldwin Bros., Ultra right-wingers, Windows 98, Canadian mispronunciation of the word "About", and just about every other thing we humans hold sacred. It's not always funny, because SP creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone throw in more than we want (or need), just to make us laugh. Also, repetitive swearing gets a little boring after awhile, and verbal humor has never really been Parker-Stone's strong points.

Instead, soak up the eye-popping, gut-busting sight gags and enjoy how the filmakers push the boundaries of good taste. Be glad that they have made complete and utter fools out of the MPAA ratings board and self-righteous hypocrites jumping on the "blame violence on the media" bandwagon. And whatever you do, try your very hardest to sneak into this movie. It's a movie that's a breath of fresh air, in a Hollywood that is having their balls handed to them by Washington Nazis. All that is needed is you check that serious, PC side of you at the door, sit back and laugh like hell. Cause man, in these crazy times, we need a good, distasteful gag or two (or a hundred).