Tropic Thunder

I really just want you all angry and confused the whole time.

Tropic Thunder

"We trained actors..."

Tropic Thunder is probably the most anticipated comedy of 2008, probably more than Judd Apatow's Pineapple Express and Step Brothers. I was lucky enough to go see it Wed, with a near packed house.

I was a bit disappointed. The beginning trailers were funny, the first war scene they shot was so bad it had to be a satire, but once they go onto the island the story becomes too coincidental and at times so drawn out it can be annoying.

The main problem with the movie was the script. Sure a lot of the gags worked (RBJ becoming black and the trailers being the best) but a lot didn't (Jack Black's drug habit.)The script also used a gag way to many times, it is the gag where it makes you think that it is going in a cliche but it doesn't, I'm not saying that the first few times it didn't work but after a while it got old.

The actors do try to make the most though. Rober Downey has great timing and falls completly into character much like an actor like Kirk Lazarus would do, Ben Stiller does play his normal 'stupid guy' routine but for some reason seemed a lot more buff, Jack Black does act like an arrogant a-whole comedian, although after the beginning 30 minutes he gets annoying, only to return being funny during the last ten minutes. The A-list cameos were also fun, Matthew McConaughey freaking out over Tivo plays perfectly (plus what he does with it is funny) and Tom Cruise's dancing just might make me hope that he can re-launch his carrer with another 'Jerry Macguire' esque comedy.

Other characters aren't exactly given ampel screentime, and too me those seemed some of the funniest. I'm talking about Danny McBride's explosive technician Cody and Nick Nolte's 'Vietnam vet' Four Leaf Tayback. They take one of the most intresting turns in the movie, but we learn next to nothing from that. Very dissapointing.

Another problem was with the way we saw some of the characters. Like the drug lords, they make them very sympathetic but in the end, we are supposed to hate them. It was too big of a turn for me to like.

With this review I probably sound like I hated this movie, but I really did like it, part of that reason were the effects. The opening scene (after the trailers) effects were mind-blowing. Plus, you just can't beat Ben Stiller playing with a dead head.

Rating: RENT IT

If I were buying a laser gun I'd definitely take the XF-3800 before I took the "Pew Pew Pew Fun Gun."

Exactly, I've got way to many old crappy horror flicks here to sift through. When I need a break from those I'll just stick to Animal House.