Tropic Thunder DVD Review

"Tropic Thunder" reviews

DVD

Tropic Thunder

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-01-24 13:30:16

Provider

DVD Review

It's the war movie to end all war movies... Or it should be, but the highly strung acting talent in this film within a film force the director to take dangerous steps for this explosive comedy.

A Hollywood blockbuster recreating the events that saved 'Four Leaf' - an American Nam veteran - is underway, shooting on location in the jungle. Action hero Tugg Speedman (Stiller) is the lead, playing against multi-Oscar talent Kirk Lazarus (Downey Jr), lowbrow comedian Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) and rap-star Alpa Cino.

We're introduced to them as they shoot another scene that goes awry. So, already on the precipice of movie-making disaster, Brit-director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) elects to shoot cinema verite and drops the stars in the middle of the jungle insisting hidden cameras will catch the scenes. But there's real heavily-armed drug bandits in the jungle, though the talent thinks they're acting too! Infighting (and a refusal to accept that there's not a catering car around the next bush) leads them into bigger trouble.

Stiller's film (the real director!) is a sharp and pointy stick (with plenty of shtick) pointed at Hollywood and it's top talent: His action guy on harder times looking to revitalise his career is an ignoramous. Downey Jr's serious, super-talented Australian immerses himself in his role (ring any bells?) - in this case, to play the part of the army Sergeant, having an operation to make his skin black! And Jack Black's Portnoy appears to be remaking most of Eddie Murphy's multi-role films worse than Murphy did!

The gags are a wink to studio insiders too (McConaughey's Tivo obsessed agent) as well as self-deprecating (The trailers for these stars other films are hilarious and cliché ridden). It nods to Will Ferrell for some of its comedy as much as Platoon and similar grunt films with it's formidable action scenes. There's great interplay between the characters too - Lazarus explaining the nuances of 'not going all the way' when you play a 'mentally-challenged' person, Portnoy coming down off his drug addiction once his 'sweets' have gone.

Topping off all this real and fake talent is prostheticly-disguised Tom Cruise as the film's backer Les Grossman. A ruthless, but ebullient magnate and the character that steals the movie.

The 2 disc DVD is packed with gag-infested extras including the Heart Of Darkness production diary pastiche from the web, loads of reels of the talent ad-libbing scenes, behind the scenes, being interviewed. All of these are fascinating as the film's subject means they are continually comparing it against real life - often their owns.

A very funny, very ironic, impressively action packed comedy. Imagine Hamburger Hill remade by Judd Apatow and scripted by Charlie Kaufman. This will doubtless become a classic and a cult film for fans in years to come. If for no other reason than Robert Downey Jr's stellar performance (even on the commentary track!)