Tropic Thunder

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Tropic Thunder

R

Released Aug 13, 2008

1h 47m

Comedy

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

251 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

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

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Xavier D

One of my favorite comedies!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

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Jeff L

Still hilarious to this day.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

Full Review

Adam S

The worst movie I've ever seen. It's the only movie I've ever paid for, but walked out of the theater before it was over. That's all I would say (or felt like I could say) about the movie if it ever came up in conversation. But I figured I'd give it another shot in Jan 2025. There have been a few "out there" movies I didn't "get" the first time (Super Troopers, Napoleon Dynamite, etc) and thought maybe that was the case with this. Nope. I've seen it start to finish now and can accurately say it's the worst movie I've ever seen. It's not offensive to me, but it's just not smart or funny or anything positive. The tropes it's supposed to be caricaturing are just obvious so I don't really understand what I'm supposed to laugh at. The whole movie is like a bad impression of Jerry Seinfeld: "What's the deal with <topic>?! *uncomfortable silence* Am I right?!"

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/05/25

Full Review

Laurel M

A stupid, shallow, self-absorbed hollywood movie (stupid plot of a movie within a movie) that falls totally flat. It’s all-star cast couldn’t save it. The only thing that gave me a bit of a laugh was the trailers. As a side note, I did appreciate Robert Downey He’s acting, but it couldn’t redeem the movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/27/24

Full Review

Daniel C. M

Very funny and meta comedy that actually features very surprising oscar-worthy acting, ironically enough.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

Pedro Henrique C

This movie is totally crazy lol but I liked it.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/15/24

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 - Simple Jack

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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

2:13

Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Most Dramatic War Movie

2:13

Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Never Go Full Retard

2:13

Tropic Thunder: Official Clip - Tugg Speedman, Action Hero

1:10

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

2:13

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

1:09

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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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