TROPIC THUNDER

Movie Review #2: TROPIC THUNDER

Directed by Ben Stiller, Rated R, 1 hr., 47 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Reviewer Rating: B


I have to preface this review by stating that I would never recommend this movie to anyone. That being said, I found it to be one of the most comedic movies that I have seen in quite a while that the general American public will be able to enjoy. Oh, and with this movie, as it mocks as much as possible, those who have seen more movies in general will enjoy it all the more.

Tropic Thunder was controversial when it was released to theaters not so long ago. Most of the controversy, I believe, revolved around Robert Downey, Jr. portraying an African-American character who's really an Australian actor named Kirk Lazarus. After watching the film and viewing some of it with the commentary recorded by Stiller, Downey, Jr., and Jack Black, it is my opinion that Downey, Jr., controversial or not, was fantastic. A friend of mine even remarked, "I find it hard to see him as a white guy, now."

The plot of the film is pretty straightforward. A group of actors set out to make a Vietnam War action film, and the filming is going bad. So something must be done to make the movie better, and somehow, a comedy was born. However, Tropic Thunder is not entertaining due to the film's plot; rather it is the combined character acting of the ensemble cast that makes it memorable. I am not particularly fond of Ben Stiller movies, but I regard this as his best work, with Meet the Parents now its second. I am also not particularly fond of Jack Black, though I like him more than Ben Stiller. I do, however, really like Robert Downey, Jr. as I consider him a better actor than the two previously mentioned, and at one point in the commentary to the film, even Stiller remarks something like, "and this is where Robert wipes the floor with us." He is simply at his comedic best in this picture. This is not to mention Matthew McConaughey (what is with the TiVO?) and Tom Cruise whose scene at the end cracks me up just thinking about it, and may be worth the cost of renting the film.

Like Nick Nolte with a flamethrower, this is a movie bound to spark both good and bad reviews, but to those who get the mocking comedy, it is an amusing ride. The only warnings I can give to it is that it has a good deal of crude comedy that may result in insulting various ethnic groups. But after You Don't Mess with the Zohan (terrible) and The Love Guru (even worse), the general public should be used to this right now, and I don't think these movies were met with such controversy as the one presently reviewed. What a sad state of affairs.