Movie Review: Tropic Thunder

Ah comedy, how I've missed you. It didn't really occur to me until about half way through Tropic Thunder that I was laughing my ass off, and that I hadn't done that in a movie since... what... the 1980's?

This movie is hilarious. Now keep in mind that it's a hilarious movie about war, so you're going to have to be a little screwed up in the head to properly enjoy it. Lucky for me, I'm a lot screwed up in the head! Tropic Thunder pulls off a good mix of comedy and violence, a pair that is long overdue for a good match-up. This comedic violence takes many forms, from exploding directors to knife wielding Vietnamese children being hurled off of exploding bridges. But the target of the mockery and ridicule remains the same throughout the film: Hollywood.

Yes, from beginning to end, Tropic Thunder is one long nasty swipe at the people that have brought us such crap as Lions for Lambs and Redacted. Hey Hollywood, want a marketing tip? I won't pay a dime to see Brian DePalma portray me and my countrymen as inbred corrupt megalomaniacs, but I'll pay damn good money to see a coke-crazed Jack Black tear a Vietnamese soldier in half. The attacks on every aspect of Hollywood culture are unrelenting, and they're side-splitting funny.

Something that really caught me off guard about this movie was the production value and star power it wields. The special effects are really good, looking like a much larger budget movie would. And in addition to the main stars, there were a lot of big name cameos throughout the movie as well. Of course, the central stars ham it up like they do in most of their movies, with Robert Downey Jr. really stealing the show with his shtick as the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude. The only character that didn't work for me was Tom Cruise as the evil producer. He was just... strange, and... creepy. I guess that's ordinary for Tom Cruise though, so nothing new there.

All in all, Tropic Thunder was funny as hell and refreshing to watch. I was also pleasantly surprised that the main actors were so funny and didn't overdo their parts as they have done in so many previous movies (I know I can't be the only one sick of Jack Black and Ben Stiller). I hardly noticed my seething dislike for them all all during this movie. This is a great war movie, a great comedy, is chock full of wholesome violence, and I reccomend you go see it next time you're at the theater.

SCORING: I give Tropic Thunder 3.5 Agent Smiths out of a possible 5.