Kevin's Blog: Tropic Thunder Impressions

Finally got to see this on Sunday and just had time now to write my impressions on it. Bottom line: it was okay. It's definitely a movie for people who know the business and are into movie culture. I don't know what's up with the hype and the enthusiastic reviews for the movie. Perhaps it was the audience I was with, but the laughs per minute were way down even from Get Smart. When I laughed, I laughed hard, but most of the time the moments were chuckles or material your brain comprehends as humorous, but no laughs are produced.

Everyone gives a great performance in the movie. High points obviously include Robert Downey Jr. and a surprise visit from Tom Cruise. But Jay Baruchel isn't given enough credit, he's the only real person in this entire film and gives the audience a nibble of reality in a 3-course meal of absolute craziness (bad metaphor, I know). Robert Downey Jr. really puts in an Oscar worthy performance, and everytime he's on screen you know something is going to happen. I could tell that everyone in the theater leaned a little forward whenever he had dialogue. Ben Stiller gives an adequate performance, as does Jack Black, but by the end of the film the same gags over and over again got boring. We get it, they're in a serious situation and oblivious to it. Tom Cruise was amazing and he seemed to fit his role perfectly, but once again at the end of the movie they just overuse him. Matthew McConaughey is also in the film, but all of his comedy revolves around TiVo and a G5 jet. Not really funny.

The plot itself becomes thin about half way into this movie. I'd say the best parts of this film are in the beginning when introducing these characters and in the end with a surprisingly intense action sequence. The second act was definitely the low point of this film, and if someone were to ask me what happened during that time, I could only remember Robert Downey Jr., landmine, iPod, and retards. Those are really the only parts I laughed out loud in the middle portion of this movie. In the end, that is the ultimate downfall of Tropic Thunder. I just did not laugh that much. Maybe my sense of humor is skewed, but that's what honestly happened. The times I laughed HARD are in the beginning. There was about a 15 minute period where not even a chuckle came out. I understand the need to advance plot, but c'mon.

If you got 2 hours to waste, go ahead and see this at a matinee. Maybe you'll find it amazing, but I have this sneaking suspicision that people are lying to themselves so they can justify buying into the hype. Actions scenes were well-done, acting was good, but the laughs were missing. By no means is this a bad movie, but it sure isn't the masterpiece of comedy we all hoped it would be.

P.S. If you haven't caught up on your Vietnam movies yet, you better if you plan on watching the movie. Some of the biggest laughs came from the parodies on Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Apocalypse Now. I'm pretty sure I saw a little Deer Hunter in there as well? Even if you don't plan on watching Tropic Thunder, they are just great movies to watch.