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Amazon.co.uk Review
It's not really a knock to say that nothing in Tropic Thunder is funnier than its first five minutes, so sly that--especially for people watching in theaters--you don't realise right away they are the opening minutes of the movie. This outrageous comedy begins with a series of fake previews, each introducing one of the main characters in the film-proper (not that there's anything proper about this film) and each bearing the familiar logo of a different motion picture studio: Universal, DreamWorks SKG, et al. Such playing fast and loose with corporate talismans verges on sacrilege, but it's an index of how much le tout Tinseltown endorses the movie as a demented valentine to itself. The premise is that the cast of a would-be "Son of Rambo" movie shooting in some Southeast Asian jungle get into a real shooting war with drug-smuggling montagnards. Don't ask--though the movie does have an answer--why such highly paid, usually ultra-pampered personnel as superhero Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), Mozart of fart comedy Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), hip-hop artist Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), and five-time Oscar-winner Kirk Lazarus from Aus-try-leeah (Robert Downey Jr.) should be running through the jungle unattended and very vulnerable. It matters only that the real-life cast has a high time kidding their own profession and flexing their comedic muscles. Bonus points go to Stiller for co-writing the script (with Justin Theroux) and directing, and to Downey, brilliant as a white actor surgically turned black actor for his role and utterly committed to staying in character no matter what ("I don't drop character till I done the DVD commentary"). Be warned: The movie, too, is committed--to being an equal-opportunity offender. Its political incorrectness extends not only to Lazarus's black-like-me posturing but also Speedman's recent, Sean Penn–style Oscar bid playing a cognitively challenged farmboy--or, in Lazarus's deathless phrase, "going the full retard." Others in the cast include Steve Coogan as a director out of his depth, Nick Nolte as the Viet-vet novelist whose book inspired the film-within-the-film, Matthew McConaughey as Speedman's sun-blissed agent back home, and Tom Cruise--bald, fat-suited, and profane--as an epically repulsive studio head. Two hours running time is a mite excessive, but otherwise, what's not to like? --Richard T. Jameson
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Works more often than it fails and is visually excellent throughout, with great attention to detail and atmosphere. Watch it a couple of times and it gets a lot funnier. The three disc edition is good value with a lot of great extras and the extended cut IS better than the theatrical release. Sure to be a cult classic in a few years time.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Specs for this BLU RAY EDITION:
- AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby true HD / German/French/Italian/Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
- SUBTITLES: English/English SDHT/Dutch/Finish/French/German/Italian/Norwegian/Spanish/Swedish
- COMENTARY SUBTITLES: English/French/Italian/German/Spanish
This edition includes digital copy and the specs above are as listed on the back cover.
Hope this helps
Cheers/Joćo Dias
- AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby true HD / German/French/Italian/Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
- SUBTITLES: English/English SDHT/Dutch/Finish/French/German/Italian/Norwegian/Spanish/Swedish
- COMENTARY SUBTITLES: English/French/Italian/German/Spanish
This edition includes digital copy and the specs above are as listed on the back cover.
Hope this helps
Cheers/Joćo Dias
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Although this (the director's cut) was perhaps just a little long, I really enjoyed this film and laughed till I cried in more than one place. But it is a film where you sense that not everyone will like it. Some of the comedy is direct and irresistible: the verbally absurd, like Downey's gibberish Chinese when trying to con the leader of the drug-band or the visual humour of Stiller running along with his "son" stabbing him in the back until Stiller finally throws him off the bridge. But some is conceptual humour: remembering the idea of just what you are watching right now, or registering that the occasionally stupid, trite dialogue is crafted that way parodically.
If you are considering getting this film, my advice is stop reading any other review when they mention Tom Cruise. I have noticed that some reviewers describe the nature of his role: for me this is a spoiler! When you finally realise who he was during the credits, this is one of the funniest surprises in the film.
The film is also justly well known for the trailers at the start, these are very good, but they are by no means better or even as good as the best moments in the film proper. Its main faults are overlength - a few cuts would have worked wonders (a pity that you can't choose between Director's Cut and Theatre Version, as with so many BDs these days) - and that the opening sequence of the film until they stop rolling is not THAT funny.
As parodies go this is not in the league of "Austin Powers", which was much better as dissecting the cliches and idiocies of older Bond movies than this is at sending up war movies. But this film gains extra dimensions through ridiculing the self-importance and pretensions of Hollywood, and this provides much of the best humour. Being vague to try and avoid a spoiler, I'll say one of the funniest bits is when the studio boss does not change his attitude at all after realising his rather large initial misunderstanding.
Highly recommended, and the picture and audio quality are very much worthy of Blu-Ray. Enjoy
If you are considering getting this film, my advice is stop reading any other review when they mention Tom Cruise. I have noticed that some reviewers describe the nature of his role: for me this is a spoiler! When you finally realise who he was during the credits, this is one of the funniest surprises in the film.
The film is also justly well known for the trailers at the start, these are very good, but they are by no means better or even as good as the best moments in the film proper. Its main faults are overlength - a few cuts would have worked wonders (a pity that you can't choose between Director's Cut and Theatre Version, as with so many BDs these days) - and that the opening sequence of the film until they stop rolling is not THAT funny.
As parodies go this is not in the league of "Austin Powers", which was much better as dissecting the cliches and idiocies of older Bond movies than this is at sending up war movies. But this film gains extra dimensions through ridiculing the self-importance and pretensions of Hollywood, and this provides much of the best humour. Being vague to try and avoid a spoiler, I'll say one of the funniest bits is when the studio boss does not change his attitude at all after realising his rather large initial misunderstanding.
Highly recommended, and the picture and audio quality are very much worthy of Blu-Ray. Enjoy
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Best Avoided
This is utter drivel.
The 1st 5 minutes are vaguely funny, but then it descends into rancid fart gags, drug gags, retard gags, black gags.... Read more
The 1st 5 minutes are vaguely funny, but then it descends into rancid fart gags, drug gags, retard gags, black gags.... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mr. A. Thomson
Tropic Thunder
The dvd was packaged well and was not damaged on opening. It worked very well in the blu-ray player and everybody enjoyed the film.
Published 4 months ago by l.t.d
Absolutely hilarious!
This film will really appeal to anyone who likes Robert Downey Jr. or who is familiar with any jungle or Vietnam based movies, as they are all sent up very well. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Jane Lloyd
Tropic Thunder
Not the funniest film I've ever seen but some good bits which made me smile. The cast is really good so was surprised it wasn't better.
Published 7 months ago by The Grand Duke
I get this isn't everyones cup of tea - but Tom Cruise fat and...
As the title states, this film is always going to get mixed reviews. I think its a bit like marmite. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Jessica Simpson
I laughed a couple of times
A quite amusing all star picture that's never quite as funny as it thinks it is. Steve Coogan's contribution is too brief.
Published 9 months ago by Shrewlord
Action movie satire that will be loved by fans of cast and spoofs in...
Action movie satire that will be loved by fans of cast and spoofs in general.
But not me! Read more
But not me! Read more
Published 14 months ago by Spike Owen
Hilarious
A very funny film, with great performances from all concerned, although Robert Downey Jr probably takes the oscar! Read more
Published 14 months ago by Nedreve
Save your money
My family and I found this movie offensive, unfunny,embarrassing and rather boring. Its clear to see why Ben Stiller and Jack Black have never been nominated for best actor... Read more
Published 16 months ago by A. M. Linton
Amazingly Funny!
If you love Jack Black, then you'll love this. It's a brilliantly funny movie about some messed up Hollywood actors who get stranded in the jungle. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Southampton girl
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