The movie is great, but the backlash may be terrible

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 1999)

You know how when you're getting away with something really cool, but then one kid takes it waaay too far, and you know he's going to get you in trouble and WRECK it ALL for everyone, cause they're going to make a rule against what you're getting away with?
South Park is that kid.
The movie is pretty dense. If you like the TV show, then you'll love the movie. As usual there's references from an amazing number of places, as well as all sorts of stuff that flashes in the background that make you want to rewind to be able to see. There are a lot of cool songs (I'm definitely getting the soundtrack before it's banned), celebrities, and your favorite repeating characters. They didn't wreck the animation by making it "better" and the humor is down to earth and tight. It might be a little too long for the feint, but not so much so that you get bored. I wish there had been more Chef.
Since the poster and trailers make it clear that there's a war with Canada, I don't think it's a "spoiler" to mention that, and the fact that it's funny that they released it on the eve of Canada Day (a major Canadian holiday with a really blah name). I hope stores start selling the anti-Canada tee-shirts.
But here's the important part: South Park pushes the envelope of acceptable free speech, it knows that, and it makes sure that you know it knows that. And it makes fun of that. Which is cool. The problem is that there really are a LOT of little kids that are going to see this. And to get around the "R" rating they're going to have to bring their parents. And their parents are going to be really bothered. I went to see it during the day, playing hooky from work. There were a really large percentage of kids in the 10-year-old (and younger) range. It won't be long before all the "grown-ups" (I'm 34) get all in a huff about it, and people start passing laws against free speech and wreck the whole 21st Century for the rest of us. S***!
MEW