Film Review: Tropic Thunder

This past weekend, I was recovering from my trip to Austin City Limits Festival and decided to hit the movies to mellow out a bit. We decided to see Tropic Thunder. We can always count on Ben Stiller to serve up a healthy dose of poor taste and humor that comes straight out of the gutter. I knew when I saw a commercial before the movie for a product called “Booty Sweat” energy drink and “Bust-a-Nut” candy bar, I was in for a crazy two hours.

Tropic Thunder has a mixed cast that includes all stars like Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Tom Cruise, Nick Nolte, Matthew McConaughey and Robert Downey, Jr. and cameos from folks like Tom Hanks, Lance Bass, Tyra Banks and more. The movie is about a group of prima donna actors making a Vietnam War film on location when their fed-up writer and director decides to abandon them in the middle of the jungle, forcing them to fight their way out.

Right from the get go, this movie started lampooning Hollywood actors and overdone, mega blockbuster war movies. This did win points with me because I absolutely can not stand mega blockbuster movies and all they represent.

Almost immediately, the movie took an offensive turn into the grotesque when it focused on blown up limbs and body parts. The good news is that the gross body parts and internal organs were not scattered throughout the entire movie.

I did like the parts played by Robert Downey, Jr. and Tom Cruise. Both of these guys have some major image repair work to do. In both cases, the characters were over-the-top and so politically incorrect, but I think it put a new spin on their images and capabilities.

I think it was a brilliant move by Tom Cruise to play Les Grossman, because it really showed that he is capable of having fun and not taking himself so seriously. I will give you a hint; Cruise plays a fat, balding, bearded, funky dancing, foul mouthed, movie mogul. Evidently, this role was meant to be a surprise for his fans worldwide. Although I am not a fan, I was surprised by Cruise’s character portrayal.

Robert Downey, Jr. plays the role of Kirk Lazarus who is an Academy Award winning Australian method actor playing Sgt. Lincoln Osiris who is African American. Downey is not only in black face for the entire length of the movie, but does quite a good job portraying a white man playing a black character. Points won here for making fun of actors and how they take themselves so seriously.

I don’t want to leave out Jack Black. He always makes me laugh, no matter what the context. In this movie, he was particularly amusing. I also thought the setting was beautiful. The story was set in Vietnam but filmed in the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.

All in all, I thought this movie was entertaining but it was also loud, obnoxious and offensive.

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