Life > September 4, 2008

By Aubrey Sitler | Staff writer

On the surface, Tropic Thunder appears to be nothing more than yet another slapstick Hollywood flick with an all-star cast and no deeper meaning. At least that’s what my friends and I got from the trailers that had been circulating in the weeks leading up to the film’s release.

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But upon seeing the movie itself, it became apparent that I had completely underestimated the film in both genre and substance.

Yes, it was funny, and yes, it did employ some jokes worthy of rolling eyes, but it also revealed itself as a satire, taking aim mainly at the industry which was responsible for its blockbuster-style production.

The film begins with a scene depicting the filming of a Vietnam veteran’s memoir gone awry.

The stars, which include dwindling action hero Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), five-time Academy Award-winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.) and comedian Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black).

Other cast members include rapper Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and character actor Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel). They join the stars, all behaving in a manner that can only be described as ridiculous and definitely not professional.

Their childish conduct results in a $4 million explosion going off with no cameras rolling to even catch it on film, thereby effectively destroying the land they had been using as well as a major opportunity.

American media reports the catastrophe as a part of “the most expensive war movie never made.”

Desperate due to threats made by studio executive and Jewish caricature Les Grossman (an almost unrecognizable Tom Cruise) of shutting down, the inexperienced director (Steve Coogan) follows the memoir’s author’s idea to drop the actors into the middle of the Vietnamese jungle, far from their hotels, assistants and TiVo.

With hidden cameras and rigged explosives planted all throughout the terrain, the director plans to shoot the now guerilla-style movie with only a map and a list of scenes to guide them.

This plan goes awry, however, before the termination of the first action sequence, and the unaware actors find themselves still stranded in the middle of the jungle. Tugg Speedman is the only one actually interested in finishing the film before finding their way back to their luxurious lifestyles.

Throughout the rest of the film, without giving too much else away, it becomes clear that no one is really running the show anymore, leaving all of the characters to fend for themselves.

Except, of course, for the greedy American execs, Les Grossman and Speedman’s agent (Matthew McConaughey), for whom the not-so-classic struggle of money versus the life of your best friend comes into play.

As I said before, more than anything else, Tropic Thunder is a satire.

Although it has taken a few hits in the media for what could be viewed as exploitation of the mentally challenged (part of one of the secondary plotlines involves Tugg Speedman’s career going downhill after once starring in a movie called Simple Jack – the story of a mentally challenged boy), that is neither the goal of the film nor the true entity at which it is poking fun. It is mainly supposed to be the film industry itself, with its exceptionally high paychecks and luxurious living standards.

By creating characters based on flaming stereotypes, Tropic Thunder takes the usual jabs at members of certain races and religions to the next level while still managing to challenge notions of identity that are held by all.

Basically, if you’re up for a night filled with some classy, politically correct-humor, this is not the movie for you.

But, if you are not easily offended and are in the mood for Ben Stiller and the rest of this exceptionally renowned cast up to their usual shenanigans, go for Tropic Thunder.

Complete with vulgar hilarity, a not-quite-plausible plotline and even some almost-touching moments, it is a guaranteed hit on a Friday night out in Winston.