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Tropic Thunder is a 2008 action
comedy film directed by Ben Stiller and starring Stiller, Jack Black and Robert
Downey Jr. as a group of prima donna actors filming a Vietnam War film when
their fed-up writer-director decides to abandon them in the middle of the
jungle, forcing them to fight their way out. It was released on August 13,
2008.[3]
During the filming of Vietnam veteran Four Leaf Tayback's (Nick Nolte) memoir on
location in Vietnam, the actors are consistently unreasonable and a $4 million
explosion goes off with no cameras shooting. When filming falls a month behind
schedule only five days into shooting, the media dubs this production "The most
expensive war movie never made." Rookie director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan)
is ordered by studio executive Les Grossman (Tom Cruise) to get the production
back on track or risk being shut down. With inspiration from Four Leaf Tayback,
Cockburn drops the spoiled actors into the middle of the jungle, where he
installs hidden cameras and special effect explosions rigged so he can film
"guerrilla-style". The actors have only a map and a scene listing to guide them
to the helicopter waiting at the end of the jungle. Shortly afterwards, the
director is blown up by a land mine left over from the French.
As Cody (Danny R. McBride) and Tayback wait at the helicopter, the actors fight
through hostile Vietnam, with Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) the only one really
interested in making the movie. Cody and Tayback attempt to rescue the actors
after they lose communication with the now deceased director. However they are
captured by the local Vietnamese.
After doing the "scene", Jeff Portnoy's (Jack Black) stash of heroin is swept up
by a passing bat, causing him to go into withdrawal. After the actors discover
Tugg is leading them the wrong way, Tugg splits paths, continuing to make the
film as the other actors attempt to escape the jungle.
Unbeknownst to the actors, they were dropped in the middle of the Golden
Triangle, the home of the heroin-producing Flaming Dragon gang. The Dragons
mistook the actors for DEA agents and captured Tugg as well as Cody and Tayback.
In captivity Tayback reveals he had never left the states and originally made
the book as a tribute.
With Tugg captive, the Flaming Dragon gang realizes that he is the star of the
box office bomb Simple Jack and they quickly force him to reenact the film
several times a day. The gang contacts Tuggs' agent, Rick (Matthew McConaughey),
and Grossman through Tugg's cell phone and ask for a ransom. Without Rick's
approval, Grossman curses out the gang, and later tells Rick they can benefit
more by collecting the insurance claim on Tugg's death.
The other actors stumble upon the Flaming Dragon's heroin factory. After seeing
Tugg being tortured they plan an ambush based on the film's plot line. Kirk
impersonates a farmer who has caught Jeff in his farm, distracting the armed
guards as Alpa and Kevin sneak into the building the captives are held in. After
the gang notices inconsistencies in Kirk's story, Kirk and Jeff start firing at
the gang after Cody and Tayback are freed they join in the gun fire. As Jeff
engages one-on-one with the gang's child leader he stumbles upon a large mound
of heroin, and after reflecting upon his falling movie career, he rejects the
heroin and uses it to knock out two guards.
Jeff, Alpa, and Kirk find Tugg brainwashed, and after he has performed to an
approving crowd several times a day, he believes he is home. Before they can
snap him out of it, Kirk breaks down, as he has remained in character up to this
point. He reveals that he is conflicted with his own identity, and Alpa gets him
to realize his identity is an Australian man and not his character Osiris. With
Tugg still out of it, they drag him out and attempt to escape onto the
helicopter Cody and Tayback called. The gang quickly catches up over a bridge
which is rigged to detonate by Cody. Tugg asks to remain behind with his
"family", however he quickly returns with the gang chasing him, just as he
clears the bridge, it is detonated. Finally all the actors and crew escape from
the jungle. Afterwards, a documentary of the botched production was made from
the hidden camera footage, breaking Tugg's streak of flops. At the Academy
Awards, Tugg wins the award for Best Actor.
Cast
* Ben Stiller as Tugg Speedman: The highest-paid, highest-grossing action star
ever who likes to be pampered and who took a disastrous turn in an attempt to be
a serious actor.
* Jack Black as Jeff "Fats" Portnoy: A comedian-turned-drug addict well known
for playing multiple parts and frequent use of flatulence in films.[4]
* Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus: An Australian multiple Academy
Award-winning method actor who portrays an African American character Sgt.
Osiris.[4]
* Nick Nolte as Four Leaf Tayback: The book's writer,[4] who hatches the idea to
drop the actors in the middle of the jungle.
* Steve Coogan as Damien Cockburn: The director of the film based on Tayback's
book.[4]
* Jay Baruchel as Kevin Sandusky: A young actor who is the only one that read
the script and attended a boot camp prior to the film.
* Danny McBride as Cody: The special effects wizard behind the film.
* Brandon T. Jackson as Alpa Chino: A rapper who is attempting to cross over
into acting.[4]
* Bill Hader as Rob Slolom: Assistant and right hand man to Les Grossman.
* Brandon Soo Hoo as Tran: The young leader of the Flaming Dragon gang.
* Reggie Lee as Byong: The second-in-command of the Flaming Dragon gang.
* Trieu Tran as Tru: A soldier in the Flaming Dragon gang.
* Matthew McConaughey as Rick "Pecker" Peck: Tugg Speedman's agent.
* Tom Cruise as Les Grossman: The foul mouthed executive behind Tropic
Thunder.[4]
Casting
Downey's role of an Australian portraying an African American was created as a
way of lampooning the great lengths that some method actors will go to depict a
role.[4] Downey acknowledged the potential controversy over the role: "at the
end of the day, it's always about how well you commit to the character. If I
didn't feel it was morally sound, or that it would be easily misinterpreted that
I'm just C. Thomas Howell [in Soul Man], I would've stayed home."[4] Brandon T.
Jackson, who portrays Alpa Chino in the film, stated: "When I first read the
script, I was like: What? Black face? But when I saw him [act] he, like, became
a black man...It was just good acting. It was weird on the set because he would
keep going with the character. He's a method actor."[5] Ben Stiller also
commented on Downey's portrayal of a white actor playing a black man: "When
people see the movie – in the context of the film, he’s playing a method actor
who’s gone to great lengths to play an African American. The movie is skewering
actors and how they take themselves so seriously. Audiences that have seen it so
far have totally embraced the character."[6] Stiller also previewed the film
before several African American journalists and the NAACP who reacted positively
to the character.[7] The script was initially written for Downey's character to
be Irish, but was rewritten after Downey stated he could improvise better as
Australian.[8] In addition, Downey's practice of remaining in character off the
film set was also written into the script for his character to perform as
well.[7]
Cruise was initially going to cameo as Stiller's character's agent. Instead
Cruise suggested creating a studio head position and it was reworked into the
script. Stiller and Cruise worked together to create a middle-aged character
that required a fat suit, fake large hands, and a fake bald wig.[8][9] Owen
Wilson was then going to portray the agent, but after his suicide attempt in
August 2007,[10] he was replaced by Matthew McConaughey.
Tom Cruise cameo
Stiller had intended to keep Cruise's role in the film as a fat, balding movie
mogul a surprise. The film studio has refused to release pictures of Cruise's
character as he appears in the movie.[11] Images of Tom Cruise with a bald
headpiece and in a fat suit appeared on Inside Edition, in November 2007,[12]
and also appeared on the Internet.[13] Attorneys for Tom Cruise threatened a
lawsuit if photos showing Cruise bald, bearded and wearing a fat suit were
published.[14] A representative for Cruise stated: "Mr. Cruise's appearance was
supposed to be a surprise for his fans worldwide. Paparazzi have ruined what
should have been a fun discovery for moviegoers."[15] Photo agency INF responded
with a statement: "While these pictures were taken without breaking any criminal
or civil laws, we've decided to pull them from circulation effective
immediately."[14] MTV News reported that, "...reps are reportedly having the
image of a fat, balding Cruise pulled from the Internet as quickly as sites can
put it up."[16]
Production
Setup
Before the film, fake trailers will be shown, similar to fake trailers shown
with the 2007 film Grindhouse. One trailer shows Tugg Speedman's latest film,
"Scorcher VI: Global Meltdown". Another trailer is for Jeff Portnoy's film, "The
Fatties: Fart 2", which spoofs Eddie Murphy's portrayal of multiple characters
such as in Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.[17] The final trailer, entitled
"Satan's Alley", features Kirk Lazarus and Tobey Maguire.[18]
Ben Stiller got the idea for the film while shooting Empire of the Sun
(1987),[4] in which he played a small part. Stiller wanted to make a film based
on the actors he knew who considered themselves "self-important" after taking
part in fake boot camps to prepare for war film roles.[20][21] The film
satirizes other Vietnam war films including Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal
Jacket, Hamburger Hill, and The Deer Hunter, among others.[22] Co-writer Theroux
revealed that the script was easier to write for viewers due to the increase of
information that has been made available about Hollywood's inner workings from
celebrity websites and Hollywood news sources.[21]
Filming
The film was greenlit by DreamWorks in 2006 and pre-production lasted for six
months, with the majority of the time spent on scouting the locations for
filming.[17][23] Although Southern California was initially suggested for
filming, shooting for the film took place on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, where
Stiller has a home.[23] Additional filming took place in Los Angeles at
Universal Studios in Hollywood.[23] The island was first scouted in 2004 by
Stiller for more than 25 hours over six weeks, and was selected over filming in
Mexico based on a tax credit for in-state spending that was negotiated with the
Kauai Film Commission.[23][24] The first major studio production on the island
in five years, preliminary production crews were on the island starting in
December 2006 and principal photography began in July 2007, with filming lasting
13 weeks over seven separate locations on the island.[25][26][27] After filming
was completed, it was determined that Tropic Thunder was the largest production
ever filmed on the island.[23] Tim Ryan, the executive editor of Hawaii Film &
Video Magazine, commented on the filming on the island: "I think Tropic Thunder
will give Kaua‘i much needed and long idled publicity in the production
arena...It should put Kaua‘i back on the production consideration radar."[25]
Casting calls on the island sought 500 residents to portray the Vietnamese
villagers in the film.[25]
The film advising company Warriors Inc. was used to ensure authenticity of the
war scenes throughout the film, including the attire worn by the actors. Former
U.S. military members taught the actors how to handle, fire, and reload the
weapons along with tactical movements.[28] Filming the large napalm explosion in
the opening scene of the film required a 450-foot (137-m) long row of explosive
pots containing 1,100 gallons (4,165 liters) of gasoline and diesel fuel. Due to
the size and cost of the explosion, it was only performed once, and the
1.25-second explosion was captured by eleven cameras.[28][29] The explosion was
made up of 12 individual explosions and resulted in a mushroom cloud that
reached 350 feet (107 m) in the air.[28][29]
Premiere and release date
The film had its premiere on August 11, 2008 at the Mann Village Theatre in
Westwood, Los Angeles, California, two days before the film's release in
theaters. More than 200 members of several disability groups picketed before the
premiere, protesting the portrayal of mental retardation shown within the film
(see related section below).[30] The groups revealed that it was the first time
that they had ever protested together at an event.[30] As a result of the
protest, the normally unobstructed views of the red carpet leading to the
premiere was blocked off by 10-foot (3-m) high fences and there was an increase
of security personnel used.[31]
The release date for the film's North American release was initially scheduled
to be July 11, 2008 but was pushed back to August 15, before moving up two days
earlier to August 13.[32] As a result of its move from July, 20th Century Fox
moved its comedy film release Meet Dave in its place.[32] The release date also
shares the opening weekends for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Mirrors. Studios
consider the third week of August to be a weaker performing period than earlier
in the summer due to students returning to school.[33] However, R-rated comedies
such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) and Superbad (2007) were released in
mid-August and performed well at the box office. Reacting to Tropic Thunder's
release date, Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount Pictures, stated: "For a
young person at the end of summer, you want to have some fun and forget about
going back to school. What better than a crazy comedy?"[33]
Promotion
A trailer for the film was released in April 2008, and the Calgary Herald gave
it a rating of 3/5, commenting: "This could either be good or very, very
bad."[34] The trailer received the "best comedy trailer" award at the 9th annual
Golden Trailer Awards.[35] The film's red band trailer was the first one ever
used by DreamWorks to promote a film.[36]
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