10 Vitriolic Films Built On Biting Satire
Cleaving their way through modern society with humour and criticism.
The use of satire has long been a major component of the movie-making business; the broad flexibility of the art form has allowed for a wide range of subjects to be dissected. Some were done with humour, while others relied on a more serious tone that lay under the surface.
Terrorism, military intervention, casual racism and consumerism; these are just some of the many topics that have been tackled by talented writers and film producers. Through their releases, they get across their own brand of personal commentary, targeting the hypocrisy and laughable elements that define humanity.
Techniques used to explore these areas include exaggeration, irony, humour or ridicule. Films use their characters to represent the issue at hand, often standing in for real life figures in a bid to expose and condemn them. Not every satirical production is completely on the nose with its targets, but they still make a major impression.
The following ten films were relentless in their bashing of modern culture and the problems that persist in society. If nothing else, they go beyond mere entertainment to deliver something that gets audiences thinking.
10. Team America: World Police
Starting off the list is Team America: World Police. Arguably the most well known piece of satire in the 21st Century, Matt Stone and Trey Parker deftly lampoon America's insistence on being king of the world and all the disruptive interventions that come with it.
Told entirely with puppets, TAWP is all about American military might and the way it is constantly flaunted overseas. It's an insanely over-the-top presentation loaded with patriotic nationalism. The "America, F*ck Yeah" anthem blares out through much of its runtime and the characters (for the most part) are all idyllic representations of the nation's society.
It all kicks off in the movie's opening action, which sees the anti-terrorist task force blow up the Eiffel Tower in France. But it doesn't really matter does it? America are the infallible good guys; they could never stoop to evil acts or create an unending mess that needs to be cleaned up. The irony is that in reality, many of the nation's modern conflicts have left other countries in ruin and caused untold harm to civilians.
With its hilarious writing and ridiculous premise, Team America: World Police is a crazily entertaining flick at face value, but its ridicule of America's modern conflicts makes it far more memorable.