Tropic Thunder

Spanks - 4

Director - Ben Stiller

Writers - Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux & Etan Cohen

Starring - Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T. Jackson & Steve Coogan

Release Date - 13 August 2008

MPAA Rating - R

Tropic Thunder is a great film. Don't listen to the protesters, they don't know what they are talking about. You would think people would be more upset from Robert Downey Jr in blackface than the use of the work "retard". Just so you know, they do not use "retard" to describe someone who is mentally challenged (that I could understand protesting a little). Ben Stiller's character in the film, Tugg Speedman, stars in a movie called Simple Jack prior to starring in the war epic Tropic Thunder. He takes the role of a mentally challanged man because he thinks it is a guaranteed Oscar like Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, and Billy Bob Thornton have done for roles in the past.

The film is a satire of Hollywood. It is not to be taken seriously in anyway. I think it does a good job of it too. It is also very funny. All the characters are stereotypical Hollywood-types. Ben Stiller is the action star, Robert Downey Jr. is the professionally trained actor, Jack Black is the drug addict commedian, Steve Coogan is the first time director looking to make a name for himself, and Brandon T. Jackson is the rapper turned actor (do they sound familiar to you?). The soundtrack is full of the classic rock songs from the 60's that are put in most Vietnam war movies.

Tropic Thunder is the story of making a Vietnam era epic war film based on the book Tropic Thunder by Four Leaf Tayback. After some time behind schedule and over budget, director Damien Cockburn decides to film the movie off the grid and gorilla style.

If you like comedies and war movies then this is truly the movie for you. If you are a fan of just one of those two genres, you will also enjoy it. That is unless you like to protest movies before seeing them because some group of people don't agree with it. If you are one of those people please read here.