Tropic Thunder

R

Released Aug 13, 2008

1h 47m

Comedy

Action

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Tropic Thunder: Tropic Thunder's Best Scenes

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82%

Tomatometer

253 Reviews

71%

Audience Score

250,000+ Ratings

Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), pampered action superstar, sets out for Southeast Asia to take part in the biggest, most-expensive war movie produced, but soon after filming begins, he and his co-stars, Oscar-winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), comic Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) and the rest of the crew, must become real soldiers when fighting breaks out in that part of the jungle.

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Critics Consensus

With biting satire, plenty of subversive humor, and an unforgettable turn by Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder is a triumphant late summer comedy.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

The bulk of this movie, alas, comes down to weak sketches held together by ridiculous action, vast explosions and more or less everything else it should be parodying.

Jan 27, 2018

Full Review

Glenn Kenny

MUBI

Given the incoherence of its satirical aspirations (the film does end with a suggestion that everyone involved still loves this business we call show), and finally too scattershot to really make it as parody, Tropic Thunder is best appreciated as a goof.

Dec 13, 2017

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B+

Feb 18, 2012

Full Review

James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

Gleefully un-PC, Tropic is still one of the most hilarious Hollywood comedies of the 21st Century.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 16, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Rude and crude, Tropic Thunder displays minimal mercy toward its targets.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 15, 2023

Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Tropic Thunder certainly has flaws but at the end of the day, it is an over-the-top satire that shows everything that's wrong with Hollywood.

Aug 13, 2021

Full Review

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Dave S

Armed with blank-filled weapons, a map, and a rudimentary script, five woefully ill-prepared actors are dropped into the Vietnamese jungle where, observed by hidden cameras, it is hoped that they will create the perfect war film. Predictably, things go horribly wrong when they are confronted by the Flaming Dragons, a violent gang of heroin producers. A stinging satire, Tropic Thunder aims its barrels directly at the corporate Hollywood film industry where corporate greed and a lack of originality rule the day. Despite the fact that the non-stop action over the last thirty minutes feels like it might dilute the message a bit, it is a movie filled with fantastic dialogue, and handful of memorably hilarious scenes, and a legendary performance from Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus, a prima donna who takes method acting to a whole new level.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/24/24

Full Review

Em D

Absolute underrated classic! I miss such comedies nowadays!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/16/24

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Patrick D

It's rare that a recent comedy keeps me entertained throughout the entire movie; but this one hit all the high notes with how goofy it is while pretending to be serious. I liked how all of the characters are fleshed out and how you see them as "Celebrities" and "Actors" during the film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/07/24

Full Review

Jason O

A great comedy movie. Watch it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/28/24

Full Review

Max W

rewatched this after years to see if it still holds up. Safe to say it does. Crazy to see such a high caliber cast. Especially loved Robert Downey Jr and Tom Cruise in this

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/15/24

Full Review

Wallace L

It’s hilarious and doesn’t have a single dull moment.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/14/24

Full Review

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Ben Stiller

Director

Ben Stiller

Tugg Speedman

Jack Black

Jeff Portnoy

Robert Downey Jr.

Kirk Lazarus

Nick Nolte

Four Leaf Tayback

Steve Coogan

Damien Cockburn

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - I'm Not Gay

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - I Killed a Panda

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Rick Peck, Hollywood Agent

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Epic Explosion

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Most Dramatic War Movie

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Never Go Full Retard

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Tugg Speedman, Action Hero

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - You're My Really Cool Brother

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Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - What Do You Mean, You People?

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Synopsis

Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), pampered action superstar, sets out for Southeast Asia to take part in the biggest, most-expensive war movie produced, but soon after filming begins, he and his co-stars, Oscar-winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.), comic Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black) and the rest of the crew, must become real soldiers when fighting breaks out in that part of the jungle.

Director: Ben Stiller
Producer: Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld, Eric McLeod
Screenwriter: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Etan Cohen
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: Red Hour Films, DreamWorks SKG
Rating: R (Pervasive Language|Drug Material|Sexual References|Violent Content)
Genre: Comedy, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 13, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 29, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $110.4M
Runtime: 1h 47m

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