It's funny the first time around.....

Rating: Null/10 (30 June 1999)

I'm a SOUTH PARK fan, I highly enjoy the t.v. show, and I have every episode on tape. So this means that I should enjoy this film, right? Yes and no. First of all, I do enjoy rude and raunchy comedy, I liked BIG DADDY a lot, and I enjoyed BASEketBALL. But sometimes a film that has a lot of potential, can fail also. The plot of the show has the four guys (Stan, Kyle, Eric, and Kenny) going to see a "R" rated Terence & Phillip movie. If you haven't seen the show, then you probably won't get the jokes or character's traits that much. After seeing the film, the guys walk around and start using the foul words, that Comedy Central usually "bleeps" out. Because of this, Kyle's mom, decides to organize a strike not only against Terence & Phillip, but against all of Canada! I have two words of advice for Trey Parker: 1.) A joke is funny first time around, but annoying the second, third, even the fifth time around. & 2.) Less is always better! There are jokes in SOUTH PARK that are funny to watch the first time around, but then when the joke is repeated and repeated and so forth, it's not only not funny, it's very annoying! And less is always better. Trey Parker decides to have the movie begin with a song and dance, that's funny. But he decides to have the ENTIRE movie have songs and dances, it's not a comedy, it's a opera?!?!? I'm guessing that Trey Parker is taking advantage of the Disney animated film philosophy, "I can't tell you how I feel, but I can sing it for you!" And sing these characters do. Not just the main characters, but almost every character!!! I did enjoy BASEketBALL, and I did think ORGAZMO was decent, but SOUTH PARK was a disappointment. It can be a witty and original show, and there are some episodes that prove it. But the movie decides to go on the movie bandwagon and just have the t.v. show episodes be funnier than the movie. I also think that Parker wanted to show everybody how talented he is with song lyrics, that's fine. He proved that with CANNIBAL: THE MUSICAL, but with SOUTH PARK, well......... it's boring. Sad to say, this 85 min. film seemed to go on too long for me, and I can sit through SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and TITANIC four times with no problem. While all of the critc's are going to try to be "hip" and recommend this film, I suggest you catch BIG DADDY first, then SOUTH PARK, then AUSTIN POWERS 2. It's not horrible, but it's not great. ***1/2 (out of *****)