South Park hits the big screen and all Hell breaks loose

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2008)

In case you've been living under a rock for the last decade or so, "South Park" the TV series is based around the shenanigans of four young boys in the quiet mountain town of South Park, Colorado. Their exploits are often hilarious though anything but politically correct. Here, the characters hit the big screen and they do it in style.
There's not a whole lot of change in comparison to the television series. The animation is still (in the words of Cartman) "all crappy" and the trademarks of the show are still in place. Following the show's tried and true formula, Trey Parker & Matt Stone use the big screen and big budget to create an ambitious musical satire.
The story is a good one and worthy of the extended running time. The jokes come at a steady pace and, as usual, there is a message behind all of the lunacy. In this case the hot-button topic is profanity in films. How very appropriate.
The voice talent is as solid as always and the few celebrities that appear do so in cameos, which is the way that it ought to be. The animation looks as good as can be expected given the style.
The area where the film shows a marked improvement over the show is in the music department. There are several original songs that feature in the film, ranging from the absurd ("What Would Brian Boitano Do?") to the profane ("Uncle Fucka").
This is easily my favorite American animated feature film and, unlike "The Simpsons Movie", it actually lives up to the reputation of the show that spawned it. Those looking for political correctness should look elsewhere; everyone else, head on down to South Park.