Overview
Vietnam veteran 'Four Leaf' Tayback's memoir, Tropic Thunder, is being made into a film, but Director Damien Cockburn can’t control the cast of prima donnas. Behind schedule and over budget, Cockburn is ordered by a studio executive to get filming back on track, or risk its cancellation. On Tayback's advice, Cockburn drops the actors into the middle of the jungle to film the remaining scenes but, unbeknownst to the actors and production, the group have been dropped in the middle of the Golden Triangle, the home of heroin-producing gangs.
I have to admit, I was really looking forward to this movie. The film was billed as an edgy comedy that went after all groups (something that doesn’t happen anymore because of political correctness). The movie stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black, two “actors” that I generally do not enjoy in movies (although Black’s work in Tenacious D is brilliant). It also stars Robert Downey Jr in a comedic role and that is a bit of a rarity for him. Downey Jr. plays an australian playing a black man and absolutely steals the movie.
In a way the movie reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean: when Johnny Depp wasn’t on screen the movie absolutely dragged. All I wanted to see was Downey Jr working his magic. The rest of the script was awkward: over-the-top action scenes, punch lines that didn’t deliver, etc. I get that it was a spoof of action movies and hollywood but at times it didn’t work. The sad part was that this movie could have been an absolute classic on the level of Caddyshack and Animal House but didn’t nearly get there.
What really got me going was the controversy surrounding this film. For more on my thoughts about this please look here.
IHATEBadMovies.com reviews Tropic Thunder
Movie title: Tropic Thunder
Movie description: Vietnam veteran 'Four Leaf' Tayback's memoir, Tropic Thunder, is being made into a film, but Director Damien Cockburn can’t control the cast of prima donnas. Behind schedule and over budget, Cockburn is ordered by a studio executive to get filming back on track, or risk its cancellation. On Tayback's advice, Cockburn drops the actors into the middle of the jungle to film the remaining scenes but, unbeknownst to the actors and production, the group have been dropped in the middle of the Golden Triangle, the home of heroin-producing gangs.
Date published: 2008-08-23
Director(s): Ben Stiller
Actor(s): Ben Stiller, Tom Cruise, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Brandon T. Jackson, Bill Hader, Brandon Soo Hoo, Reggie Lee, Trieu Tran, Matthew McConaughey, Jeff Kahn, Anthony Ruivivar, Eric Winzenried, Valerie Azlynn, Matt Levin, David Pressman, Amy Stiller, Dempsey Silva, Jeff Weidemann, Nadine Ellis, Rachel Avery, Darryl Farmer, Rod Tate, Maria Menounos, Tyra Banks, Christine Taylor, Jel Galiza, Andrea De Oliveira, Yvette Nicole Brown, J. Thomas Chon, Jacob Chon, Mini Anden, Mike Hoagland, Jon Voight, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jason Bateman, Lance Bass, Alicia Silverstone, Don Abernathy, Linda Bella, Denise Bradley, Ella Christopher, Natalie Cohen, Larry Cruz, Angela Daun, Clark DeVol, Kaylee Dodson, Jasmine Dustin, David D. Espinoza, Eric Feliciano, Austin Honaker, Miko Hughes, Dave Johnson, Jillian Johnston, James Lew, Lesley Nicole Lewis, Fadhia Carmelle Marcelin, Anya Monzikova, Chad Mountain, Brittany Perry-Russell, Simon Rhee, DJ Rivers, Samantha Sadoff, Gaku Space, Becca Sweitzer, Kaye Marie Talise, Sandra Valladares, Julie Van, Jobeth Wagner, Tobey Maguire
Genre: Action, Comedy
My Review
I have to admit, I was really looking forward to this movie. The film was billed as an edgy comedy that went after all groups (something that doesn’t happen anymore because of political correctness). The movie stars Ben Stiller and Jack Black, two “actors” that I generally do not enjoy in movies (although Black’s work in Tenacious D is brilliant). It also stars Robert Downey Jr in a comedic role and that is a bit of a rarity for him. Downey Jr. plays an australian playing a black man and absolutely steals the movie.
In a way the movie reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean: when Johnny Depp wasn’t on screen the movie absolutely dragged. All I wanted to see was Downey Jr working his magic. The rest of the script was awkward: over-the-top action scenes, punch lines that didn’t deliver, etc. I get that it was a spoof of action movies and hollywood but at times it didn’t work. The sad part was that this movie could have been an absolute classic on the level of Caddyshack and Animal House but didn’t nearly get there.
What really got me going was the controversy surrounding this film. For more on my thoughts about this please look here.
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My Review - 7/10
7/10