"Beneath it's hard surface ."

Rating: 6/10 (22 December 2008)

"Topic Thunder" seems the perfect title for a war movie parody, certainly better than "Hot Shots, Part Deux." "Tropic Thunder" also suggests a kind of suntan lotion spread on imagined hard bodies lying around the Olympic size pool of fictional movie mogul Sid Grossman (modeled on Joel Silver, perhaps?). Sadly, like most suntan oils, "Tropic Thunder" does not live up to its promise to protect the delicate skins of those buying the product.
Tug Speedman (Ben Stiller) is an amalgam of shallow action movie heroes, bulked up like Stallone, but more clearly modeled on Tom Cruise. Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) is a blend of Chris Farley and Eddie Murphy and Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.) is certainly the method-obsessed Aussie, Russell Crowe. What could be more hilarious than Sid Grossman being played by Tom Cruise, who, once again, demonstrates he is not only a good sport but also a terrific supporting actor? Cruise and Downey are both pitch perfect and well deserving of their Golden Globe nominations.
"Tropic Thunder," on the other hand, is a disappointment. What, in my opinion, the three best movie parodies ("Young Frankenstein," "Galaxy Quest" and "Hot Shots, Part Deux") shared in common was heart. With its excessive grossness and mean-spirited take on all its characters, including its target audience, "Tropic Thunder," has, beneath its hard surface, a heart as cold, cynical and shallow as the movies it parodies. I give "Tropic Thunder" a "6".