Tropic Thunder

The premise sounds hilarious on paper; a motley crew of pompous Hollywood actors find themselves filming a blockbuster Vietnam War movie that turns out more real than they bargained for. The actors involved had to lobby for their roles in the film (including some excellent cameos), and Ben Stiller put together a pretty decent action comedy in the end.

The main characters are introduced in hilarious fashion through mock trailers that clearly show their personalities, the best of which is Satan's Alley with Robert Downey Jr. and a surprising cameo by Tobey Maguire. From there, we are taken into the jungle where the shallow and vice-ridden actors are on set of their most recent film, Tropic Thunder which is experiencing problem after problem and whose budget is skyrocketing, much to the chagrin of the studio head (Tom Cruise).

The story becomes both predictable and dull, but the character interaction keeps it afloat with eccentric personalities and some great dialogue. There are bright spots in the mix - including Cruise, Downey Jr. and the film's explosives expert Danny McBride. Jack Black has some great lines as well, but his performance is a little over the top and the fat comedian/drug addict cliche overshadows some of the enjoyability.

The sub-par performances include Nick Nolte, who plays the Vietnam Vet with his typical gravelly voice, but there is little life behind the voice. I've long thought he is blessed with one of the more unique voices in film, but his acting is suspect at times. This is one of those times. Additionally, Ben Stiller is a little too Zoolander in this one. Granted, he is the action star of the bunch, but does he really have to be a complete idiot? He is a great writer and director, and is hilarious at times, but when he crosses over into the outlandish comedic zone (Zoolander, Dodgeball, Anchorman), it gets a little absurd.

Overall, this is a surprisingly fitting blend of action and comedy with some gross-out visual effects, but what stands out is the great ensemble cast and the A-list cameo performances. A bit of a sidebar, but keep an eye out for Jay Baruchel, who plays a member of the military team. He has comedic presence reminiscent of Michael Cera. Very natural and innocent. His most significant previous performance was as Danger in Million Dollar Baby.

With regard to complaints about the offensiveness of some of the content, it is simply hypersensitive activist groups attempting to draw attention to their cause. It bothers me to no end when entertainment is targeted as offensive for whatever reason. The best way to avoid being offended is to avoid the content in the first place. This movie is not for everyone, but it is quite funny.

I have always thought that Tom Cruise is an exceptional actor. Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men, Magnolia, and Collateral being some of his better works. He impressed me in last year's Lions for Lambs as well. The problem with him is both the public perception and he is too often typecast as the good looking action star. He isn't given ample opportunity to show his range - particularly his comedic range. I am looking forward to his next few movies, as it appears that his choice of roles are less commercial and dictated by the studios, and more appealing to his own taste.

It is an entertaining movie, not likely to be remembered for more than Downey Jr. playing the black guy or Cruise playing the fat, bald studio head. Worth a look though. 7/10.