I am finally catching up with some of last year’s summer blockbusters that recently made it to DVD. One film that I was super excited about seeing was Tropic Thunder. I have always been a fan of spoof movies and war movies, so what more could I ask for? It turns out, I should have asked for more.
Don’t get me wrong; this film had quite a few memorable moments. It made intelligent jabs at the film industry and was very well shot. It was also clever to bring the story full circle by paralleling the beginning and ending scenes. But there were quite a few flaws that kept me hoping things would get better as the movie progressed. It was really hard to identify with any of the characters since they were more of a one-dimensional caricature than a real person. It was also hard to get on board with the plot line. I remember thinking, whom am I supposed to be cheering for?
The best payoff in the film comes from a minor character played by Tom Cruise. He depicts a loud, plump, and hairy film producer who is only concerned by profit and somehow always wins in the end. This caught me way off guard. I never thought Tom Cruise would go there with a character, and perhaps that is why it works. It is totally unexpected, and totally hilarious. Watch this movie just for him. He is genius. (For the record, I never thought I’d say that about Tom Cruise.)
The film ended, and I thought “eh, pretty good.” Watchable but not a classic.
