The movie they think they're making... isn't a movie anymore.

Rating: 7/10 (15 August 2008)

Tropic Thunder is a 2008 action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller and starring Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. as a group of prima donna actors filming a Vietnam War film when their fed-up writer-director decides to abandon them in the middle of the jungle, forcing them to fight their way out.
What I expected from this movie was to have a good time laughing my ass off. Fortunately, it's funnier than most comedies I've seen in quite awhile. I didn't even find "Superbad" as funny as people made it out to be. Maybe I don't laugh as much as normal people. Unfortunately, the film didn't exceed my expectations. I expected more laughs but what can you expect? I'm just a non-laughable person.
But who cares if I didn't laugh as much as I expected to. I actually laughed, which must count for an accomplishment the film did. The beginning of the film starts off with faux trailers, like the ones shown during "Grindhouse," so don't worry if you're not seeing the movie, even though you are seeing it. It just gives you what movies the protagonists are in.
Most of the laughs are close to the beginning and end and a little in the middle. The movie works as an action movie and a comedy, each actor seeming to have a fun time in their roles. I also like the fact that this movie has a lot of cameos (and when I say a lot, there is a lot) but I won't surprise you, even though there is one apparent name that is sticking out to you already.
Well, if you don't already know, I won't say it but if you do, you must know that after people see this movie, people would start to respect him as an actor, even though I never lost respect for this man. People will start to see him as a cool man. Like Morgan Freeman in "Wanted," you'll hear and see things that this man has never done before and it's quite funny because his performance is so over-the-top.
It's not only him that may be the highlight of the movie, so the other is obviously Robert Downey Jr. How is he? He's very good and funny but all of you should know that by now. Everyone else in the movie also give off a few laughs, although the first two actors I've mentioned are probably the most memorable.
With some decent action scenes and very funny scenes, "Tropic Thunder" is the comedy to see this summer. One of the reason might be because of the cameos and over-the-top performances in here. Another is that this film actually made me laugh, which is an incredible feat for comedies to accomplish this year. For those reasons, I think it's a worthy admission to see it in theaters.