Tropic Thunder

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It's been done before, but it hasn't been done this well for years. Tropic Thunder might just be the last behind-the-scenes-on-a-movie movie that anyone needs to make for a long time to come.

Three Hollywood megastars - Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black and Ben Stiller, sending up themselves and their co-workers with real glee - find themselves in a war movie that has suddenly become a lot more realistic than anyone planned for.

While shooting a Vietnam War epic near the Laotian border, the actors, separated from their crew by a manic director (Steve Coogan) who's decided to "make it real", run afoul of the local opium smugglers.

It's a setup that lets director Stiller keep the laughs and action coming in roughly equal measures. The actors are having a ball.

Downey Jr, in particular, unleashes that same strain of Strine he let loose in Natural Born Killers and throws out a performance that might just have Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson looking up the number of a decent copyright lawyer.

Jack Black's heroin-addicted funnyman and Stiller's fading action hero are both spot-on parodies, but Downey Jr steals every scene he's in.

There's a swag of big-name cameos: Nick Nolte and Matthew McConaughey are mentioned on the poster, and both of them earn their keep in roles that demand a huge investment of energy to stand out above the noise and confusion unfolding around them.

But the huge surprise is an almost unrecognisable turn by another actor famed for taking himself very seriously. It's a fantastic surprise performance, worth the $15 ticket alone.

Tropic Thunder is never going to win any Oscars, but it does very effectively exactly what it sets out to do.

This is a genuinely funny film that earns its laughs with smart writing, wicked satire and committed film-making.

Tropic Thunder
Director: Ben Stiller
Starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr and Jack Black
Rated: R16
Running time: 107 minutes
Trailer: Flicks.co.nz

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Glen   #8   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Very gory start with some of the biggest explosions ever seen. The comedy was lacking, I don't remember any stand out jokes at all, Jack Blacks character was meant to be the comedian, but he was reduced to toilet humour for the extent of the film. I would say it was a pretty good action movie, bit of a twist on the norm and I probably would have been happy with it if I'd gone in with that expectation. If you go in expecting side splitting humour (unless you consider Jack Ass to be the height of comedy) you may well be disappointed.

Azarial   #7   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Classic Graeme Tuckett review. Always on the money.

AZA!

endoh   #6   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

freakin' ridonculous.

Lafaele   #5   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

well i just thought that this movie was an awesome movie!!

jpeg   #4   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

TOM CRUISE!!

John   #3   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

This movie was full retard

Marlayna   #2   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

This movie was so funny! especially Tom Cruise who I generally connot stand. I love Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jnr. A must see for fans of their wok or anyone wanting a laugh.

marty   #1   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

saw it last night. Really funny film. Totaly agree with your review Graeme. Robert Downy Jr was fantastic. Thank you for not spoiling anything as well. Some of the audience didn't know who the mystery guest star was. It was really funny listening to there reactions when they finally recognized him.