Stale Humour

Rating: Null/10 (28 July 2011)

Ben Stiller directs and stars in "Tropical Thunder", an unfunny comedy which undertakes the pointless task of parodying poker-faced Vietnam and Reagan era war films ("Platoon", "Hamburger Hill", "Rambo", "Commando" etc), most of which have already been rendered unintentionally silly by time.
The only member of Stiller's cast to elicit giggles is actor Robert Downey Junior, who has fun playing an Australian method actor tasked with becoming an African American grunt (most of the jokes in the film are similarly self-reflexive).
The rule for comedies is, the higher the budget and the more prevalent the special effects, the lamer the comedy. Few super expensive comedies break this law.
Meanwhile, mega-star Tom Cruise has a bit part as a balding, fat man. Like all the "comedy" in the film, it's a one note joke which aims low and overstays its welcome. Bizarrely, the film is guilty of exactly that which it parodies, Stiller's film far too long-winded, too preoccupied with plot, cinematography, star personas and special effects.
3/10 â€“ Worth no viewing.