Brilliant political satire

Rating: 10/10 (14 February 2002)

Don't let the South Park reputation as a shock-cartoon fool you. Like the TV series, only more so, this is a very astute attack on political and social "standards" in the States and beyond. It might be disguised (as one IMDB reviewer puts it) as "mindless entertainment" to draw in the crowds, but this is anything but mindless. Targets of bigotry, prejudice, and the dominant social and political order are hit with unerring accuracy; this isn't like 'Wag the Dog'; it's closer in spirit and style to Lindsay Anderson's "Britannia Hospital". Amazingly, its constant assaults on its targets aren't scattershot but are part of a coherent point of view.

That position is perhaps a little too radical for an audience that wants only to see the latest "Beavis and Butthead" incarnation. Alot of the gags could I guess go by without notice. So watch carefully, think about this as more than just some exploiting cartoon. As I said - don't be fooled. Trey Parker is a subtle filmmaker despite the sledgehammer he can use at times.
The targets hit are many and varied, and even those who might be expected to be part of the "resistance" to the powers that be are mercilessly - but, importantly, accurately, satirised.
A small example. Watch the flag that the revolutionaries carry.
It's super. Thanks for asking.
La Resistance lives on.