Tropic Thunder

Genre - Action/Comedy
Year Released - 2008
Running Time - 120 minutes
Directed by Ben Stiller (who also directed The Cable Guy & Zoolander)
Written by Ben Stiller (who also wrote Zoolander) and Justin Theroux (who is writing the screenplay for Iron Man 2)
Cast Includes:
Ben Stiller (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, There's Something About Mary, Night at the Museum - as well as next year's sequel to it)
Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Iron Man 2 - coming in 2010, and The Avengers - coming in 2011)
Jack Black (The School of Rock, Nacho Libre, and Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny)
Brandon Jackson (who is also in the upcoming Re-make of The Day the Earth Stood Still)
Jay Baruchel (who is also in Knocked Up)

Also:
Tom Cruise - as the film's (within the film) Producer
Matthew McConaughey - as Ben Stiller's character's Agent
Nick Nolte - as the Sgt. whose story the film (within the film) is based upon
Steve Coogan - as the film's (within the film) Director
Danny McBride - as the film's (within the film) Demolition Expert

Rating: 3 Skulls

Plot Summary:

Drawing inspiration from films like Apocalypse Now and Platoon, this war movie send-up, from director and star Ben Stiller, follows a group of dimwitted actors forced to become real-life soldiers when they're abandoned in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

Review:

The film starts off with some pretty funny bogus trailers, starring each of the actor's (portraying the actor's in this film) other films - the funniest probably being Tugg Speedman's (Ben Stiller) Scorcher VI.

After the trailers, the movie begins - narrated by Sgt. Four Leaf (Nick Nolte) - we are told of his escapades in Vietnam, now being made into a film - that film is Tropic Thunder. . .

This movie is not near as funny as I was expecting, though it did have its moments, one of which was after Steve Coogan's - portraying the film's director - big speech! Another was the discussion between Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) and Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) about not going full-retard, when portraying someone who is mentally challenged. Also, was the moment when Tugg was in the cave, watching an episode of Star Trek, on his iPod - what happened afterwards - too funny!

In my opinion, Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise stole the show. If it wasn't for their characters, this movie wouldn't have even been half as good!

Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus

Tom Cruise as Producer Les Grossman

So far, I think that Don't Mess with the Zohan is the funniest movie, this year!

[the only other movies that I figured would have a chance of being better were this one - which is out - and Pineapple Express, which I haven't seen yet]

Here is the Trailer for Tropic Thunder:

[Note: this is a Red-Band Trailer, which includes Language - of all the trailers for this movie, I just think that this is the funniest one!]


Speaking of Language - if that bothers you, this movie has a ton of it, just so you are aware. . .

Jason