Tropic Thunder Review

Tropic Thunder is one of the most bizarre films I have ever seen. Largely a ''movie within a movie'', the film is a spoof on both Vietnam War films and prima donna actors who demand to be pampered on a movie set. But it's more than slapstick comedy. Tropic Thunder features some fine acting performances and brilliant cinematography.

In the film Hollywood Director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) is struggling to shoot a war film with a cast of famous actors. However, he cannot control the actors and the film is way over budget. In short order, his head is on the block. Cockburn decides to take the advice of Vietnam War veteran Four Leaf Tayback (Nick Nolte) and drop the actors in the jungle and film them under harsh conditions.

The soldiers in the film, led by Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) and Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), are soon dropped off in the middle of no where and left with a script. But disaster quickly strikes and the actors are left fighting modern-day bandits in the jungle while struggling to figure out what is real and what is supposed to be a scene filmed by hidden cameras.

The movie is filled with hilarious moments when all the actors try to outperform each other and struggle to remember if they are just acting or have actually become the characters they are portraying. Ben Stiller, who also directs the film, is a fading action-star who keeps mimicking scenes from other war films. In a somewhat controversial role, Robert Downy Jr. plays an Australian actor who is passing himself off as black man.  Brandon T. Jackson as Alpa Chino and Jack Black add some more comedic moments to the script.

While Stiller is good in his part, Downey steals the show with his performance. He so thoroughly adapts all the traits of his character that he cannot stop acting even when they are off script. And he also has some of the most laugh-out-loud lines in the movie.

Tropic Thunder was entertaining because it pokes fun at the whole movie-making industry and how actors are portrayed as high-minded but actually struggle with figuring out who they are and what is important in life. The film has been condemned by some groups for its insensitive portrayal of various people groups. But I think the movie was trying to show that it's OK to laugh when Hollywood takes itself too seriously.

Tropic Thunder earns its R rating for some violent scenes and quite a bit of profanity. But the humorous portrayals by the actors, including some over-the-top scenes with Tom Cruise as a vicious movie studio mogul had most people in the audience rolling on the floor with laughter. If you don't mind some silliness and laughing at topics usually considered to be off-limits for humor you will most likely enjoy Tropic Thunder.