You may know the story of the American Revolution, but you've never seen it told quite like this.
"America: The Motion Picture" is an animated comedy that pokes fun at American history and
culture, taking audiences all the way back to a time when the United States were still a part
of the British Empire, and George Washington led a group of freedom-hungry revolutionaries to victory
against the English king. So far, that should sound familiar. But in this version of history,
instead of being a cherry tree-chopping boy scout, George Washington is a chainsaw-wielding
badass who just wants to put the traitor Benedict Arnold and his boss, King James,
in their place. Oh, and to secure the independence of a nation, of course.
That's just the beginning. In "America: The Motion Picture,"
Washington joins forces with the beer-guzzling Sam Adams and other wily patriots, including
the famous inventor Thomas Edison, Geronimo, and Blacksmith for a wild, profanity-filled,
and gleefully inaccurate celebration of America's founding. Between the pop culture references
and the action-packed re-imagining of the first Fourth of July celebration, "America: The Motion
Picture" isn't exactly the kind of flick you'd want to study for your next big trivia night.
But it is a rip-roaring good time for history and movie buffs alike. Here's what else you should
know about "America: The Motion Picture" before the revolution arrives on Wednesday, June 30.
"America: The Motion Picture" is directed by Matt Thompson,
who's one of the best in the business at combining action and comedy in animation,
as evidenced by his work on hit shows like "Sealab 2021" and "Archer."
"Oh yeah? You want some of this? Ow! I think they might, actually."
The script comes from screenwriter Dave Callaham, who has written some of the biggest action
spectacles of the past few years, including "Zombieland: Double Tap," "Wonder Woman 1984,"
and "Mortal Kombat." Also on board are mega-producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller,
whose credits include "The Lego Movie," "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," and
the heartwarming, action-packed comedy "The Mitchells vs. The Machines."
"Who here likes fun?"
"Hey, I like fun."
"Trust me bud, you do not like fun."
"No, I really do like it. Everyone says that about me."
"You lucky human."
The voice cast of "America: The Motion Picture" is also filled with incredible talent,
including Channing Tatum as an R-rated version of the man himself, George Washington.
Jason Mantzoukas lends his voice as the brew-happy frat bro Sam Adams,
and Olivia Munn plays the science-loving inventor Thomas Edison.
"Scieeence. Ha!"
You'll also recognize the voice talents of Bobby Moynihan as Paul Revere,
Raoul Max Trujillo as the Apache leader Geronimo, and Killer Mike as the unconquerable Blacksmith.
"Damn. Fuck my life."
Finally, Judy Greer appears as future First Lady Martha Dandridge,
with Simon Pegg providing his comedic talents as the voice of King James.
"How's that for a slice of fried gold."
"Yeah, boy!"
Despite the familiar names, however, these aren't the same characters you read about
in history class. "America: The Motion Picture" radically overhauls the Founding
Fathers' personalities before sending them on a bizarre and hilarious new adventure.
Chances are, you didn't see a bunch of neon-clad partiers twerking in front of a bonfire in your
civics textbook, but you'll get all that and more in "America: The Motion Picture." This movie isn't
made to help you ace your AP History exam. It's a tongue-in-cheek rendition of America's origin
story that's meant to turn everything you know about the founding fathers on its head.
"So you want me, a Black dude, to play lookout for you while you break the law?"
Sure, all these famous figures still take the revolution to the battlefield,
but this time around, the soon-to-be president has a pair of gnarly chainsaws on his
arms. Don't worry about memorizing dates or lists of names, either.
This is a mashed-up timeline where Washington hangs out with Abraham Lincoln
and shreds on the electric guitar.
In fact, the beauty of "America: The Motion Picture" is that, even though it takes some
major liberties with the facts, it injects the story with a lot of hilarious -- and often,
uncomfortable -- observations about both the history and the modern-day reality of
living in the United States. It's outrageously funny, sure, but like any good satire, "America:
The Motion Picture" also has something to say -- and it does it with a lot of four-letter words.
"Let's go start a fucking revolution."
Get your popcorn ready. "America:
The Motion Picture" delivers an all-new history lesson on June 30.
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