Tropic Thunder (2008)

The funniest film you'll see this year

Oliboli from London , 23/08/2008

Tropic Thunder was always going to be a Marmite movie - the crude humour, the gore and the Hollywood in-jokes are not to everyone's taste. But, as any filmmaker will tell you, the films that split people down the middle are the ones worth the effort.

There isn't much of a plot, but that's of little importance. The film is best viewed as a series of jokes, most of which hit the mark in spectacular fashion.

Stiller makes an able leading man, but he's overshadowed by his amazing supporting cast, particularly the brilliant Danny McBride as an explosives expert, the wonderful Brandon T Jackson as the token black guy, an unrecognisable Tom Cruise as a potty mouthed, balding Producer and of course, Robert Downey Jr as Kirk Lazarus as the Australian method actor who during the entire movie is in black face. This was a risky career move - but RDJ not only pulls it off - he MAKES the movie. In what is the best comic performance EVER and the best overall performance of this year (second only to Ledger's Joker), RDJ gets 75% of the laughs, namely through the hilarious dialogue between him and Jackson's Alpa Chino (great name!). This is also a credit to the writers who have created a wonderfully intelligent script. Those who understand the inner workings of Hollywood and the film making process will have an enhanced experience and get much more out of this film.

Those who protested against the 'offensive' material in the film simply showed that they've missed the point. It is not mentally handicapped people that are the butt of the jokes - its the actors attempting to portray them, its Hollywood's exploitive nature. Similarly with the 'offensive' gore - its a comment on Hollywood excess and insensitive attitude to war and death.

This is the most expensive comedy ever made and iy shows - the film not only boasts a quality script and cast but it looks brilliant too with some awe-inspiring explosions.

Two thumbs up for reminding us what 'comedy' really means and an extra thumb for RDJ's performance alone. Leave your politically correct attitude at home and go see this film!

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Get ready to pi** yourself

A customer from Cardiff , 17/09/2008

This has to be the funiest movie since 40 Year Old Virgin. All the cast are on top form and the action scenes are really well directed by Stiller, even giving the latest Rambo a run for its money. Of course everything is done with a commic touch, which will make you laugh again and again. From the fake trailers of the actors at the start of the film to the paradies of countel less action movies like Predator to Saving Private Ryan.

But the real star of the film is Tom Cruise! He is fantastic. His bad language will make even Ozzy Osbourne blush. I don't care if he's alien from outer space, he dances better than any of those Z list celebs ever could from Strictly Come Dancing and who knows, you might even be converted to Scientology after seeing his performance.

Great entertaiment!!

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Oh deary me

citizenk from London [Highly rated reviewer] , 18/09/2008

There'll be debate about the political correctness of having a white actor black up to portray a black charactor,there'll be debate about an actor playing a 'retard',and the use of the word 'retard'. But for me the only source of debate concerning this film is whether

or not it is funny.And unfortunately the answer is a resounding NO. Everything good about this turkey is in the 45 second trailer and on the poster. Messers Stiller,Downey Jnr,and Jack Black all in the same movie should be able to generate laughs,but someone forgot to write a script. Beyond the setup,the film is simply a procession of lazy,cliched skits that seem forced. None of the above non-PC stuff is followed up,so what you're left with is a lame Vietnam comedy that outstays it's welcome.Save your money and watch the trailer again.

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SPOOF AS IT SHOULD BE

hunkydomste from Liverpool [Highly rated reviewer] , 02/10/2008

Yes, I am a cynic, a bit of a Ba Humbug. I find Robert Downey Jr a little underwhelming and overplayed at times and Ben Stiller's funniness in my book is more miss than hit. Especially in his directorial debut Zoolander, which left me stone cold. Given that, I was more than sceptical about going to see Tropic Thunder, as you can imagine.

Hurra then that this for me was another Dodgeball experience. Never did I expect this to be as outrageously funny or good as it turned out to be. The fact that it is brilliant is not just down to great jokes, non pc humour and slapstick just on the good side of cringeworthy, but thanks to the fact that this is spoof just as it should be. Only last week was I having a good old moan about the endless mindless mire of Superhero/Epic/Scary Movies. Apart from the fact that they stopped being funny a long time ago, they are superfluous. Scream did what Scary Movie does way too clumsily; it took the mickey out of horror movies, using its own storyline and characters and without being cheap.

This then is the Scream amongst the Action/Vietnam style movies. It proves that you don't have to make a rubbish movie with unknown actors to laugh at genres. This is solid entertainment, a great well-made film with good actors laughing at themselves.

The opening bit says it all. We're laughing at Jack Black's character's other movie 'The Fatties' and the fact that someone thought it would be funny to row a long line of fart jokes together to make a film out of it. Elsewhere, the farts themselves would be deemed material enough. It sets the tone and you know you're in for a merciless ripping of the proverbial out of the unfunny funnies, the full of themselves actors and cheap movie making.

A bunch of actors get landed in the middle of the jungle and, unbeknownst to them, find themselves in real danger rather than the wanna-be-big-dooomed-to-fail movie they came to make. It's a simple premise but a fully functional vehicle for some hilarious and great performances.

Apart from Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr who carry the show, Tom Cruise must be mentioned. With his balding head, chest wig and potty mouth he is the funniest thing I have seen on the big screen in a long time. And you certainly will never look at him in the same way again.

Tropic Thunder might just be the funniest film you see at the pictures this year, but in any case it deserves a watch and two thumbs up for making spoofs watchable again and providing an antidote to some of the braindead rubbish that they call funny these days.

SEE THIS IF YOU LIKED

* DODGEBALL

* M.A.S.H.

* BE KIND REWIND

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Get ready to pi** yourself

A customer from Cardiff , 17/09/2008

This has to be the funiest movie since 40 Year Old Virgin. All the cast are on top form and the action scenes are really well directed by Stiller, even giving the latest Rambo a run for its money. Of course everything is done with a commic touch, which will make you laugh again and again. From the fake trailers of the actors at the start of the film to the paradies of countel less action movies like Predator to Saving Private Ryan.

But the real star of the film is Tom Cruise! He is fantastic. His bad language will make even Ozzy Osbourne blush. I don't care if he's alien from outer space, he dances better than any of those Z list celebs ever could from Strictly Come Dancing and who knows, you might even be converted to Scientology after seeing his performance.

Great entertaiment!!

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Tropical Blunder

Maynard from Gillingham, , 24/09/2008

Perhaps one of the worst films I have ever endured. Didn't walk out during the film as I hoped it would improve.......should have exited!!!!

With all the big names featured it should have come up trumps. I bet all the actors regret ever having come close to this TURKEY.

Downey jnr could possibly have been good if I could have understood half of what he said and as for Black, well sad, obscene and dire just about covers him.

If ratings went into minus then it would get a score, but as they don't 0 is being kind!

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