A Stiller-Movie That's Actually Fun (But Not Without A Little Help From His Friends)

Rating: 5/10 (6 December 2008)

As an actor, Ben Stiller is a disappointment. Every movie he has starred in is simply a clone of his previous works ("Something About Mary" & "Meet The Parents" being perhaps the most obvious ones). Even his numerous cameo appearances share this trait. So what can you expect from a movie that not only stars Stiller, but is also directed, written and produced by him. And, as if the bar isn't already set low enough, he even got Jack Black involved. Well, as expectations weren't too high, I'd have to say I was pretty convinced. "Tropic Thunder" isn't all that bad, and at times, it's even good.
"Tropic Thunder" is clearly a parody and a satire, but not in the traditional Scary Movie/Hot Shots-sense, where every scene is a cheaply done comic version of a previous blockbuster hit (although there are a few clear references to earlier Vietnam movies here). And neither is it a cleverly done Hot Fuzzish parody. It's rather something in between, where the movie itself is just so ridiculous, silly and cheap that, at times, it works. And while most of the elements are perhaps a tad bit overdone or overused, some steal the show completely. I'd say the saving grace here is Robert Downey Jr. and Nick Nolte, two guys who generally said, really deserve credit for their works. "Tropic Thunder" may not be the first movie featuring movie-within-a-movie elements (faux product placements, actors and trailers), but it does bring out some new focal points and laughs. It's not a clear winner, it's not Movie of The Year, but it does fulfill it's primary mission: it's two hours of fun.