Tropic Thunder

In one of the most underrated films in history, Tony Stark is black, Kung Fu Panda is a drug addict, and Ethan Hunt unleashes his potty mouth.

No matter how unfathomable it sounds, it is honestly what makes "Tropic Thunder" a go-to option for frivolous laughs. Directed by Ben Stiller and featuring an all-star cast, "Tropic Thunder" is astonishingly hilarious on all fronts whose silliness is reminiscent of the "Rush Hour" trilogy and the "Jump Street" franchise, perhaps even better because it displays the most daring attitude that renders many real-life subjects at the film's mercy. The sheer ridiculousness behind the characters, dialogue, story and theme make it difficult for even the most humorless people to keep a straight face. And in case you didn't know, "Tropic Thunder" is also the birthplace of the popular internet meme, "Never go full retard".

For a film as silly as "Tropic Thunder", the story is quite original and interesting, where Stiller drew inspirations from his past film "Empire of the Sun". Your characters are essentially a fading action hero, a five-time Academy Award winning actor, a closeted gay rapper, a drug-addicted comedian and a respectful novice actor, who are cast in a film that is an adaptation of a Vietnam War veteran's book called "Tropic Thunder", and the production is overseen by an inexperienced director and an unimaginably raunchy executive. However, when the production gradually falls into jeopardy, the director is left with no choice but to film it realistically by throwing the actors into a jungle with hidden cameras and fake explosives, until it all goes wrong when an opium gang makes everything "too real". While a premise like this is obviously not Oscar-worthy or a cornerstone in literature, it succeeds in accommodating the absurdity and satire behind the film, such as the irony between acting and reality, or the various jabs towards Hollywood's quest for profit and depreciating artistic merit.

However, the real reason behind "Tropic Thunder" being such an unforgettable film at the end of the day, is the characters. They really steal the show here. As mentioned before, you have Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, and Matthew McConaughey combining forces to play roles that are completely foreign to their respective careers, and seemingly out of place. For instance, Jack Black plays a degenerate actor named Jeff Portnoy who severely lacks etiquette and is a addicted to narcotics, which feels bizarre, knowing that Black is commonly known for starring in kids/family movies. Yet, to watch these actors bask in their comfort zones and unleashing their "inner demons" is perhaps what makes "Tropic Thunder" so authentically entertaining. From Downey's comically stereotypical impersonation of African-Americans to the various jabs towards Hollywood's speciousness, there are countless moments where the characters act simply too naive to be offensive or appalling. Clearly, a film as honest as "Tropic Thunder" is not without repercussions (mainly because of its repeated use of the word retard instigated uproar within the disability advocacy community), but the antics lack the passion to be taken seriously, and they all end up being playful stand-up comedy lines.

By the time I finished "Tropic Thunder", I consistently raved about why I didn't watch it sooner, why certain characters urgently need their own independent films, sooner and why this film seriously under-performed in the box office. In addition, my initial predisposition was to acknowledge Tom Cruise's (yes, him too) in the film, but I concluded that words are not sufficient to delineate his charismatic and distinguished performance. It would considerably better to experience his bizarrely role first-hand, as you will examine him with the utmost incredulity, knowing that it is the same person who plays Ethan Hunt from "Mission Impossible". Under other circumstances, "Tropic Thunder" takes lingual vulgarity, explicit violence and adventurous satires to a new dimension of comedy. While a few can understandably take offence to many parts of the film, the humor is fundamentally without evil intentions, and astute audiences will know that it is specifically crafted for entertainment, not propaganda or denouncement.

The only minor criticism I have for "Tropic Thunder" is the occasional choppiness of the dialogue for the supporting characters. Because of this shortcoming, almost all the supporting characters feel underused, irrelevant, and forced into the film. Nevertheless, this can be a negligible flaw, as it doesn't significantly encumber the overall humor and at times, help underscore the stardom of the main characters. Nevertheless in the end, what it boils down to for "Tropic Thunder" is a simple film with an audacious premise that is geared towards satire, amusement and laughs. Coarse language is frequent, stereotypical jokes are employed without hesitation, and nutty characters who are extremely likable, all of which are essential ingredients to a worthwhile comedy film. "Tropic Thunder" also takes it to the next level with an overwhelmingly talented cast that play unexpected roles that will most definitely surprise fans. I mean, one of the characters even transcended to the Internet as a meme! And if that fails to convince you just how memorable the film is, I don't know what else could. So if you haven't been lucky enough to experience all this priceless madness that is "Tropic Thunder", you ought to change that as soon as possible. 

Verdict: Must-Watch 9

Box Office: $188.1 million

Release Date: August 13, 2008 Rewatchable: Yes

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