Hilariously brilliant...

Rating: 8/10 (17 February 2009)

TROPIC THUNDER is the movie that all the horrendous EPIC MOVIEs, DATE MOVIEs, SCARY MOVIEs, etc. wanted to be. It is perhaps the best and funniest spoof of Hollywood made thus far. The manner in which it is done is technically brilliant, as there are very few outright/direct spoofs; much of the humour comes from the subtext. Everything from movie trailers to awards nominations are tackled head-on, but done with taste and intelligence (something comedies of this ilk lack) and not catered to derive cheap laughs from brainless morons.
Ben Stiller knows enough of Hollywood to know how the system works, and in his directorial role, he uses almost every bit of that knowledge to poke intelligent fun at Hollywood's operations.
The film's cast is star-studded, as expected, and there are enough cameos to keep the avid viewer alert. Ben Stiller himself is hilarious, as is Jack Black. To me the real standout is Robert Downey Jr., who continues his career revival in one of the funniest roles seen in a long time. Another standout is the almost unrecognisable Tom Cruise (in fat suit), who steps out of his comfort zone, and shows his willingness to poke fun at himself, to deliver a memorably hilarious performance. It is worth the admission price by itself. I must admit here that I was unaware that it was Tom Cruise until the ending credits rolled. Needless to say, I felt a bit embarrassed and shocked at the same time, and immediately saw the movie for a second time. The only out-of-place actor is Nick Nolte, who seems to take his role a bit too seriously.
My only complaint here was the running-length of the film. Comedies that stretch over the 95-100 minute mark usually overindulge or include material that seems superfluous. This is the case here, but it's only a small gripe, given the overall quality of the film. 8/10, 3 stars (out of 4). Should garner a place on my Honourable Mentions list. Highly recommended.