The Film
Have you noticed that genuinely funny comedies are a pretty rare commodity these days? That's probably the reason that movies like Tropic Thunder are such successful "events," a cause for celebration. The story of a band of completely clueless actors and wannabes; including an action hero, a rapper, and a crass comic; stranded in the wilds of Vietnam gives the pedigreed cast ample comedic fodder, from highbrow to lowbrow. But it is Robert Downey Jr. who steals the show with his fearless portrayal of a method thesp who undergoes not just makeup but a medical procedure to become African American for his role in the film-within-the-film. I did not see the R-rated theatrical version, but I can only assume that this 14-minute-longer cut is even more outrageous: There's lots of foul language, and even laughable blood and guts.
Check out Karen Dahlstrom's take on Tropic Thunder here.
The Picture
The most serious flaw I noticed was a habitual grain on out-of-focus backgrounds within the 2.35:1 frame. Dark scenes too have an unfortunate busy-ness to them, a distracting twitch that surprised me considering the high profile of Tropic Thunder. Mist also reproduces poorly in this high-def edition, which also exhibits occasional difficulty in rendering fine textures, too. Some of this really is challenging video material, but I have seen it done better on other discs. There are moments of outstanding accuracy however, evident in the close-up of a dirty face for example, and the greens of the jungle are fittingly lush.
This is a big-budget action movie wrapped up inside a comedy, and so the design/re-recording/mixing mavens manage to work the limits of Dolby TrueHD 5.1 more than most. The track is at times overblown and yet not quite as full-on dynamic as a legitimate action flick, so's to avoid any tonal confusion. The 360-degree gunfire really pops, we're given showoff-style helicopter flyovers and big, bass-y explosions, plus the playlist of classic '60s tunes is well-integrated in the mix. This is a very enjoyable track, much more engaging than we find in a typical comedy.
The Extras
Here again, the cast, crew and studio go beyond what we might expect for a comedy. First up are a pair of commentaries, the "Filmmaker" track with writer/director/star Ben Stiller, co-writer Justin Theroux, producer Stuart Cornfeld, production designer Jeff Mann, cinematographer John Toll and editor Greg Hayden; and "Cast" with Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr., all the more impressive now that RDJ is Hollywood's in-demand "It" boy.
From there it becomes a cavalcade of brief featurettes, all in high-definition. "Before the Thunder" (five minutes) probes the genesis of the original idea, "The Hot LZ" (six-and-a-half minutes) dissects the staging of the large battle sequence that opens the movie, "Blowing Shit Up" (six minutes) explores the pyrotechnics, "Designing the Thunder" (seven-and-a-half minutes) shows the creation of the sets on location, and "Makeup Test with Tom Cruise" (one-and-a-half minutes plus optional intro) reveals the megastar's drastic transformation. "The Cast of Tropic Thunder" runs 22 minutes total, chaptered by each of seven main actors, while the half-hour "Rain of Madness" is a faux documentary hosted by a completely in-character Theroux (also an accomplished actor) about the doomed director (Steve Coogan) and the production of the movie-within-the-movie. There are also Deleted Scenes (three-and-a-half minutes), Extended Sequences (eleven-and-a-half-minutes) and an Alternate Ending (three-and-a-half minutes), most with optional commentary.
"Full Mags" presents raw footage, an entire uninterrupted magazine of film as originally shot and as the editor saw, full of improvisation from Downey Jr. and Stiller. The four-minute standard-definition segment from the MTV Movie Awards, about the creation of a promotional viral video, is also a must-see. The disc is also BD-Live enabled with additional content: eleven "Dispatches from the Edge of Madness" by the fictional director, four more "Full Mags," plus rehearsal video.
Final Thoughts
A tad pricey at 40 bones (but available for less), Tropic Thunder is nonetheless a home-run Blu-ray, crazy-funny and full to the edge with high-quality bonus material. I do wish it looked a little better, but the clever audio is some compensation. Buy/rent it and strap yourself in for a laugh attack.
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