A Thunderous Success

Rating: 8/10 (2 February 2010)

Who knew that Ben Stiller could direct? From the genius of casting Tom Cruise in an unforgettable cameo to Roberet Downey Jr.'s hilarious take on post-racial confusion (for a white guy, yet!), Tropic has it all - right down to the lively closing credits.
Making a movie-within-a-movie isn't easy, but he and fellow cast members Jack Black, Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Nick Nolte, and Matthew McConaughey give us a lot to work with, as they plow knee-deep through the jungle for what they think is a slice-of-life Vietnam war movie gone crazy.
The only real problem with Tropic Thunder is the racist stereotyping of Asians that passes for humor. So, it's with great regret that we deduct one reel from this otherwise excellent four-reel film.