print
Release Date: August 13
Director: Ben Stiller
Writer: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen
Cinematographer: John Toll
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Steve Coogan
Studio/Run Time: Dreamworks, 107 mins.
Everyone wants to have their action-movie cake and blow it up,
too. Whether it’s Pineapple Express getting serious about getting
stoned, or Hot Fuzz lovingly goofing on cop flicks, some writers and
directors can’t help but try their hand at legit, high five-worthy
explosions while cracking jokes on the genre at the same time.
To put the actors in place and respond to the demands of an unhappy studio exec (a balding, beer-bellied and hairy-chested Tom Cruise), the director (Steve Coogan) decides to throw the actors into the jungles of Southeast Asia and shoot the film “guerilla style,” until the group runs into the compound of a dangerous drug lord.
While Thunder oftentimes falls back on tired gags (Jack Black’s character explaining a ridiculous plan to save the day against heroic music, which cuts to blank stares) and gross-out humor (farts, anyone?), it has its clever moments. These largely come by way of its meta-cinematic foundation, where exaggerations of Hollywood are played out on screen.
Not only are the actors in question caricatures (see Robert Downey Jr.’s method-to-the-extreme acting), but even the tropes of action-movie making are played with.
After an enormous, crucial explosion, the camera takes the perspective of Tugg Speedman (Stiller) on the ground, watching the destructive aftershock in oneiric slow motion. The camera then pans across Jeff Portnoy (Black) in the haze, writhing in pain. Through the muffled soundtrack he mouths, “My ass!” Awesome.
While Thunder occasionally misses its mark, or delves into too-long action sequences (the endless escaping-the-drug-runner-compound scene, for example), it is otherwise a fun and funny movie. Keeping in mind that it's a highly self-conscious parody of Hollywood will save one a lot of indignant grief, too.
Watch the trailer for Tropic Thunder:
Jason Bitner (Ed.): Cassette From My Ex:…
30 Rock Review: "Sun Tea" (episode 4.6)
Community Review: "Environmental Science" (Episode 1.10)
Sugarland: Gold and Green
Top 10 Best Debut Novels of the…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
The 50 Best Movies of the Decade…
The 25 Best Movie Performances of the…
Frightened Rabbit - Good Arms Vs. Bad…
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
B.O.B. - Put Me On
Kim Taylor - Days Like this
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
There is a growing number of disability advocates, with and without disabilities themselves, who's eloquence and diligence is making them heard on Blogs and on legislative platforms. It's like the plight of any minority, each generation gains more wisdom in to how to go about enlightening those burdened by ignorance("free your minds and the rest will follow...") Remember when TV/movie media made such casual use of the N- word? Would it be so hard to stop using the R- word especially when there is clear voice of people out there saying they don't like being referred to that way; it degrades them. There's a growing number of us saying we don't like the sound of the word, too. I am a HUGE Ben Stiller fan; since the days when he cried his warning: "Pooter balls are people!!" He is an icon in comedy! I will make myself heard via my wallet and damn, it's not easy, Ben.
The movie did not seek to denigrate mentally challenged people, but instead sought to poke fun at the actors that sought the roles for their tendency to be nominated for Oscars. And have we resorted to referring to it as the "R word"? Really? Something tells me that those who marched in Montgomery would take serious offense at the equating of the N word with "the R word" (which might make people think more of "rape" rather than "retarded"). Additionally, the actors portrayed by Downey Jr. and Stiller were both idiots, not to be emulated; therefore, the movie did not espouse or promote using the word "retarded" to refer to those with mental disabilities. If anything, it made their characters more insensitive and out of touch, which would actually serve to dissuade people from using the term "retarded."
Not only have we gone too far overboard here with our sensitivity [as a society], but this is an example of people getting pissed off without seeing the movie. Remember when Christians protested The Temptation of the Christ in the late '80s without ever seeing the movie? All they heard were a few key plotlines and they went nuts; this has happened here with the disabilities thing. Overreaction. Lack of rational thinking. Next thing we know there's going to be a lawsuit against Stiller. It's a bit ridonkulous.
Robert Downey Jr. cracks me up... he's got a real knack for not taking himself too seriously