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==Controversy==
==Controversy==
[[Image:TropicThunderprotest.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A group protesting the film on [[August 11]], [[2008]]]]
[[Image:TropicThunderprotest.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A group of "R-Words" protesting the film on [[August 11]], [[2008]]]]
''Tropic Thunder'' has caused controversy in the disability advocacy community. A website for ''Simple Jack'', a faux film exhibited within the film, was pulled on [[August 4]], amid several groups' concerns over its portrayal of [[mental retardation]], called "intellectual disabilities" by disability advocacy groups.<ref name="SimpleJackPulled">{{cite news|last=Siegel|first=Tatiana|title=DreamWorks logs off 'Simple' site|publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=[[2008-08-05]]|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990121.html?categoryid=1009&cs=1|accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref> A spokesman for DreamWorks stated "We heard their concerns, and we understand that taken out of context, the site appeared to be insensitive to people with disabilities."<ref name="SimpleJackPulled"/> A coalition of more than 22 disability advocacy groups, including the [[Special Olympics]] and the [[Arc of the United States]], object to the repeated use of the word "retard", which disability advocates call "the R-word" because of its negative connotations.<ref name="NYTBoycott"/> DreamWorks initially spoke of screening the film with the groups to determine if the film still offended the groups.<ref name="DreamWorksMeet">{{cite news|last=Cieply|first=Michael|title=Dreamworks to Meet With Disability Groups|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=[[2008-08-05]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/arts/05arts-DREAMWORKSTO_BRF.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|accessdate=2008-08-10}}</ref><ref name="BusinessOffend">{{cite news|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|title=DreamWorks "Retard" Scandal Update: Disability-Rights Groups To Watch "Tropic Thunder," See If They Are Offended|publisher=[http://www.businesssheet.com/ Business Sheet]|date=[[2008-08-07]]|url=http://www.businesssheet.com/2008/8/dreamworks-retard-scandal-update-disability-rights-groups-to-watch-tropic-thunder-see-if-they-are-offended|accessdate=2008-08-10}}</ref> However, the screening was postponed to the same day of the premiere on [[August 11]] instead of [[August 8]].<ref name="PostPoneScreen">{{cite news|last=Cieply|first=Michael|title=Groups Call for Boycott of ‘Tropic Thunder’ Film|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=[[2008-08-11]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/business/media/12boycott.html?ref=business|accessdate=2008-08-12}}</ref> After some representatives for the groups saw the private screening, they picketed outside the film's premiere.<ref name="Mortified">{{cite news|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|title=Disability-Rights Groups See "Tropic Thunder," Mortified By "Retard" Jokes|publisher=[http://www.businesssheet.com/ Business Sheet]|date=[[2008-08-11]]|url=http://www.businesssheet.com/2008/8/disability-rights-groups-agree-tropic-thunder-more-offensive-to-retards-than-other-groups|accessdate=2008-08-11}}</ref><ref name="PremPick">{{cite news |last=Zeidler|first=Sue|title=Advocates for disabled to protest "Tropic Thunder"|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=[[2008-08-11]]|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1029346220080811|accessdate=2008-08-11}}</ref> [[Timothy Shriver]], the chairman of the Special Olympics stated "This population struggles too much with the basics to have to struggle against Hollywood. We're sending a message that this hate speech is no longer acceptable."<ref name="ShrivOly">{{cite news|last=Lang|first=Derrick|title=Mental disability groups protest 'Tropic Thunder'|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=[[2008-08-12]]|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i586iSEdbKoVJV6tXZYDyPgPz7IwD92GKK300|accessdate=2008-08-12}}</ref>
''Tropic Thunder'' has caused controversy in the disability advocacy community. A website for ''Simple Jack'', a faux film exhibited within the film, was pulled on [[August 4]], amid several groups' concerns over its portrayal of [[mental retardation]], called "intellectual disabilities" by disability advocacy groups.<ref name="SimpleJackPulled">{{cite news|last=Siegel|first=Tatiana|title=DreamWorks logs off 'Simple' site|publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=[[2008-08-05]]|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117990121.html?categoryid=1009&cs=1|accessdate=2008-08-05}}</ref> A spokesman for DreamWorks stated "We heard their concerns, and we understand that taken out of context, the site appeared to be insensitive to people with disabilities."<ref name="SimpleJackPulled"/> A coalition of more than 22 disability advocacy groups, including the [[Special Olympics]] and the [[Arc of the United States]], object to the repeated use of the word "retard", which disability advocates call "the R-word" because of its negative connotations.<ref name="NYTBoycott"/> DreamWorks initially spoke of screening the film with the groups to determine if the film still offended the groups.<ref name="DreamWorksMeet">{{cite news|last=Cieply|first=Michael|title=Dreamworks to Meet With Disability Groups|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=[[2008-08-05]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/arts/05arts-DREAMWORKSTO_BRF.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|accessdate=2008-08-10}}</ref><ref name="BusinessOffend">{{cite news|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|title=DreamWorks "Retard" Scandal Update: Disability-Rights Groups To Watch "Tropic Thunder," See If They Are Offended|publisher=[http://www.businesssheet.com/ Business Sheet]|date=[[2008-08-07]]|url=http://www.businesssheet.com/2008/8/dreamworks-retard-scandal-update-disability-rights-groups-to-watch-tropic-thunder-see-if-they-are-offended|accessdate=2008-08-10}}</ref> However, the screening was postponed to the same day of the premiere on [[August 11]] instead of [[August 8]].<ref name="PostPoneScreen">{{cite news|last=Cieply|first=Michael|title=Groups Call for Boycott of ‘Tropic Thunder’ Film|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=[[2008-08-11]]|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/business/media/12boycott.html?ref=business|accessdate=2008-08-12}}</ref> After some representatives for the groups saw the private screening, they picketed outside the film's premiere.<ref name="Mortified">{{cite news|last=Lewis|first=Hilary|title=Disability-Rights Groups See "Tropic Thunder," Mortified By "Retard" Jokes|publisher=[http://www.businesssheet.com/ Business Sheet]|date=[[2008-08-11]]|url=http://www.businesssheet.com/2008/8/disability-rights-groups-agree-tropic-thunder-more-offensive-to-retards-than-other-groups|accessdate=2008-08-11}}</ref><ref name="PremPick">{{cite news |last=Zeidler|first=Sue|title=Advocates for disabled to protest "Tropic Thunder"|publisher=[[Reuters]]|date=[[2008-08-11]]|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1029346220080811|accessdate=2008-08-11}}</ref> [[Timothy Shriver]], the chairman of the Special Olympics stated "This population struggles too much with the basics to have to struggle against Hollywood. We're sending a message that this hate speech is no longer acceptable."<ref name="ShrivOly">{{cite news|last=Lang|first=Derrick|title=Mental disability groups protest 'Tropic Thunder'|publisher=[[Associated Press]]|date=[[2008-08-12]]|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i586iSEdbKoVJV6tXZYDyPgPz7IwD92GKK300|accessdate=2008-08-12}}</ref>


Revision as of 20:18, 25 August 2008

Tropic Thunder
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBen Stiller
Written byBen Stiller
Justin Theroux
Etan Cohen
Produced byStuart Cornfeld
Eric McLeod
Ben Stiller
StarringBen Stiller
Robert Downey, Jr.
Jack Black
Jay Baruchel
Brandon T. Jackson
Steve Coogan
Nick Nolte
Danny McBride
Matthew McConaughey
Tom Cruise
CinematographyJohn Toll
Edited byGreg Hayden
Music byTheodore Shapiro
Distributed byDreamWorks Pictures
Release dates
United States:
August 13, 2008
United Kingdom:
September 19, 2008
Running time
107 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100[1]–150 million[2]
Box office$68,316,076

Tropic Thunder is a 2008 action comedy film directed by Ben Stiller and written by Stiller, Justin Theroux, and Etan Cohen. The film stars Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. as a group of prima donna actors filming a Vietnam War film when their fed-up writer and director decide to abandon them in the middle of the jungle, forcing them to fight their way out.

Stiller initially had the idea for the film while playing a small part in Empire of the Sun, and later brought on Theroux and Cohen to help him complete the script. After the film was greenlit in 2006, filming took place in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kauai over 13 weeks, and was deemed the largest film production in the island's history. The film had a large marketing promotion, including showing numerous screenings, selling the fictional energy drink advertised in the film, and posting faux websites for the characters, films, and products shown in Tropic Thunder.

The film met controversy among the disability advocacy community prior to its release on August 13, 2008. It received generally positive reviews with 84% and 71% rating according the review aggregator websites Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, respectively. It earned $26 million in its opening weekend.

Fake trailers

Prior to the film a fake commercial and several fake trailers are shown, in a similar matter to those shown prior to the 2007 film Grindhouse. The commercial depicts fictional rapper Alpa Chino promoting his two brands: the "Booty Sweat" energy drink and "Bust-A-Nut" candy bar. The first 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.[3] The final trailer, entitled Satan's Alley, features Kirk Lazarus and Tobey Maguire (cameoing as himself) as two gay medieval monks in a parody of films like Brokeback Mountain.[4]

Plot

During the filming of Vietnam veteran "Four Leaf" Tayback's (Nick Nolte) memoir, the stars—fading action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), five-time Academy Award-winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey, Jr.), rap star Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson), low-brow drug-addled comedian Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), and character actor Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel)—behave unreasonably, resulting in a $4 million explosion going off with no cameras shooting. With filming a month behind schedule only five days into shooting, the media dubs the 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 having it shut down. With inspiration from 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 afterward, the director is blown up by a land mine left by the French, but thanks to his preceding diatribe, only Lazarus realizes his death was real.

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 believe the actors to be DEA agents. When Tayback and pyrotechnics man Cody (Danny R. McBride) attempt to locate the now-deceased director, they are captured by the drug producers. In captivity, Tayback reveals he has never left the U.S. before, and originally wrote the book as a tribute. The actors trek through the hostile jungle, with Speedman the only one completely interested in finishing the movie.

After doing a "scene", Portnoy's stash of heroin is swept up by a passing bat, causing him to go into withdrawal. After Lazarus and Sandusky discover that the inept Speedman is leading them the wrong way, the rest split off from him, with Speedman continuing to follow the film's script while the others attempt to escape the jungle. Speedman is soon captured and taken to the Flaming Dragon's heroin factory, which he initially believes to be a POW camp from the script. The gang soon realizes that he is the star of the box office bomb Simple Jack (which happens to be the only movie they have on VHS) and they force him to reenact the film several times a day. The gang contacts Speedman's agent, Rick (Matthew McConaughey), and Grossman and asks for a ransom. Grossman curses out the gang, later telling Rick that they can benefit more by collecting the insurance claim on Speedman's death, offering the torn agent a share of the profits.

The other actors stumble upon the Flaming Dragon's heroin factory. After seeing Speedman 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 Chino and Sandusky sneak into the building the captives are held in. After the gang notices inconsistencies in Lazarus' story, the actors open fire on the gang, temporarily subduing them despite being armed with only special effects blanks. Portnoy kidnaps the gang's child leader from the fray in order to be led to the drugs. After barely defeating the prepubescent crime lord in combat, he finds an enormous mound of heroin; however, reflecting upon his failing low-brow movie career, he rejects the heroin and uses it instead to knock out two guards.

Portnoy, Chino, and Lazarus find Speedman brainwashed: after performing to an approving crowd several times a day, he now believes he is home. Before they can snap him out of it, Lazarus breaks down, as he has remained in character up to this point. He reveals that he is conflicted with his own identity, and Sandusky and Chino help him realize his identity as an Australian man and not the character Sgt. Osiris. With Speedman still dazed, they drag him out and attempt to escape in Cody and Tayback's recaptured helicopter. The gang quickly rejoins, crossing a bridge which is rigged to detonate by Cody. Speedman asks to remain behind with his "family", but he quickly returns with the murderous gang in hot pursuit. Tayback detonates the bridge just in time for Speedman to reach safety, and the actors and crew escape from the jungle (thanks to a timely arrival of Rick, who saves them from an RPG with a TiVo box). A documentary of the botched production is made from the hidden camera footage, and results in a multiple Academy Award-winning blockbuster film. The film breaks Speedman's streak of flops and he wins the award for Best Actor. The film ends with Grossman dancing to "Get Back" by Ludacris during the cast curtain call.

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.
  • Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus: An Australian multiple Academy Award-winning method actor who portrays the African American character Sgt. Osiris.[5]
  • Jack Black as Jeff "Fats" Portnoy: A drug addicted comedian-turned-actor well known for playing multiple parts and frequent use of flatulence in films.[5]
  • Nick Nolte as John "Four Leaf" Tayback: The author of Tropic Thunder, the novel for which the film is based on,[5] 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.[5]
  • 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 Underwood: The special effects wizard behind the film.
  • Brandon T. Jackson as Alpa Chino: A rapper who is attempting to cross over into acting.[5]
  • Bill Hader as Rob Slolom: Assistant and right hand man to Les Grossman.
  • Matthew McConaughey as Rick "Pecker" Peck: Tugg Speedman's agent.
  • Tom Cruise as Les Grossman: The foul mouthed executive behind Tropic Thunder.
  • 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.

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.[5] 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."[5] When initially approached by Stiller about the part, Downey said on CBS's The Early Show that his first reaction was, "Ben, this is insane!" and that Stiller responded, "Yeah--isn't it great?"[6] 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."[7] 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."[8] Stiller also previewed the film before several African American journalists and the NAACP who reacted positively to the character.[9] The script was initially written for Downey's character to be Irish, but was rewritten after Downey stated he could improvise better as Australian.[10] 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.[9] When asked by Harry Smith on CBS's The Early Show who his model was for his portrayal of the self-absorbed method actor Kirk Lazarus, Downey laughed before responding, "Sadly, my sorry-ass self."[6]

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.[10][11] Owen Wilson was then going to portray the agent, but after his suicide attempt in August 2007,[12] he was replaced by Matthew McConaughey.

Tom Cruise's role

Stiller had intended to keep Tom 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 film.[13] Images of Tom Cruise with a bald headpiece and in a fat suit appeared on Inside Edition, in November 2007,[14] and also appeared on the Internet.[15] Cruise's attorneys threatened a lawsuit if photos showing Cruise bald, bearded and wearing a fat suit were published.[16] 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."[17] 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."[16] 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."[18] The appearance and personality of the character is reportedly based in part on Stuart Cornfeld, Ben Stiller's producer partner of ten years.[19]

Production

Script

"No, I feel the tone of the movie is its own thing. I think there are elements of satire, but I don't think it should be categorized just as that. There are elements of parody in it, but obviously I don't think it's just that. I feel like hopefully it's its own thing, which has a lot of familiar stuff that we are playing off of."

—Ben Stiller, reacting to the film being called a spoof.[20]

Ben Stiller got the idea for the film while shooting Empire of the Sun (1987),[5] 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.[21][22] The film satirizes other Vietnam war films including Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill, and The Deer Hunter, among others.[23] 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.[22]

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.[3][24] 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.[24] Additional filming took place in Los Angeles at Universal Studios in Hollywood.[24] 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.[24][25]

Film set in Kauai in July 2007

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.[26][27][28] After filming was completed, it was determined that Tropic Thunder was the largest production ever filmed on the island.[24] 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."[26] Casting calls on the island sought 500 residents to portray the Vietnamese villagers in the film.[26]

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.[29] 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.[29][30] The explosion was made up of 12 individual explosions and resulted in a mushroom cloud that reached 350 feet (107 m) in the air.[29][30]

Visual effects

The visual effects throughout the film were created by more than six companies working on different scenes and elements of the film. The companies ended up with around 500 shots of visual effects throughout the film, and were at times altered weekly due to the reactions of test audiences in screenings.[31] In order to add comedy to the film, some of the explosions and crashes were embellished to look more extreme than what would have actually occurred. The visual effects supervisor Michael Fink reflected on the exaggerated explosions: "We worked really hard to make the CG crashing helicopter in the hot landing sequence look real. Ben was adamant about that, but at the same time he wanted the explosion to be huge. When you see it hit the ground, it was like it was filled with gasoline! It was the same thing with Ben's sergeant character, who almost intercepts a hand grenade...Now, I was in the Army for three years and no hand grenade would make an explosion like that...But it was a big dramatic moment and it looks really cool...and feels kind of real."[31]

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).[32] The groups revealed that it was the first time that they had ever protested together at an event.[32] 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.[33]

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.[34] As a result of its move from July, 20th Century Fox moved its comedy film release Meet Dave in its place.[34] 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.[35] 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?"[35]

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."[36] The trailer received the "Best Comedy Trailer" award at the 9th annual Golden Trailer Awards.[37] The film's red band trailer was the first one ever used by DreamWorks to promote a film.[38]

Appearances

Stiller signing autographs prior to a screening at Camp Pendleton on August 3, 2008

Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey, Jr. appeared on the seventh season finale of American Idol in a sketch (funded by themselves to charity) as The Pips performing with Gladys Knight, using archival footage of her.[39] The three actors also later performed a sketch at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards which featured the actors attempting to create a successful viral video to promote the film, with awkward results. Afterwards, the three later appeared to present the "Best Movie" award.[39]

Since April 2008, the film has had more than 250 promotional screenings.[40] On August 3, 2008 Stiller, Black, and Downey, Jr. visited Camp Pendleton, a California Marine base, to present a screening to over a thousand military members and their families. The screening was on behalf of the USO and included the actors heading to the screening by helicopter and Humvees.[41] On August 8, 2008, a special 30-minute True Hollywood Story aired about the making of Tropic Thunder. In video games, a themed scavenger hunt was incorporated into Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 and Stiller gave the approval for allowing his likeness to be used in the online Facebook application game based on the film.[42][43] There also was an update for the game Battlefield:Bad Company that sent a picture of the movie poster into the game as a billboard around a few levels.The picture is supposed to be taken out in the next update.

Faux documentary and websites

In mid-July 2008, a faux trailer for the mockumentary Rain of Madness was released, which is a parody of Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse.[44][45] The faux documentary included a movie poster and an official website prior to Tropic Thunder's release. Portions of the documentary will be released on the music website iTunes after the film's release, and then included on the DVD release.[20] In addition, several faux websites were created for the main characters and some of their prior film roles.

Energy drink

As a tie-in for the film's release, Paramount announced that it would be marketing an energy drink known as "Booty Sweat" which is shown throughout the film. This is the first product to be released concurrently with a film's release, as other fictional products are usually released prior to or after the film has ended its theater run.[46] Michael Corcoran, the president of consumer products for Paramount Pictures commented on the release: "Not to my knowledge has this ever been done before. We're very excited, because it has the potential to live for quite a while, well beyond the film."[46] The drink is going to be marketed in college bookstores, Amazon.com, and other retailers.[46]

Reception

The film has received mostly positive reviews. As of August 23, the film has an 84% positive rating based on 160 reviews from critics at the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.[47] At the website MetaCritic, which utilizes a normalized rating system, the film earned a favorable rating of 71/100 based on 38 reviews.[48]

After attending an industry screening in April 2008 Michael Cieply from The New York Times is quoted as saying the film "...is shaping up as one of [DreamWorks]’s best prospects for the summer."[13] A review in Variety by Todd McCarthy was critical, with McCarthy commenting: "Apart from startling, out-there comic turns by Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise, however, the antics here are pretty thin, redundant and one-note."[49]

Box office performance

Stacey Snider, the chief executive of DreamWorks, suggested that the film would earn around $30 million in its opening weekend and go on to be as successful as the 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, which earned $129 million domestically and a total of $260 million worldwide.[38] Bob Thompson, a writer for the National Post, speculated that the film would outperform The Dark Knight which had been the number one film in domestic box office performance for the four weeks prior to the release of Tropic Thunder.[50] In a list compiled prior to the summer's film releases, Entertainment Weekly predicted that the film would be the tenth highest domestic grossing film of the summer with $142.6 million.[51]

Tropic Thunder opened in 3,319 theaters, and for its first five days of domestic release earned $36,845,588. The film placed first in the weekend's box office with $25,812,796, surpassing Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Mirrors, both of which opened the same weekend.[52] It also ended the four-week streak of the number one film The Dark Knight. Reacting to the film's opening receipts, DreamWorks spokesman Chip Sullivan stated "We're thrilled, quite frankly. It played out exactly how we hoped."[53] In foreign markets for the film's opening weekend, it was released in 418 Russian and 19 U.A.E. locations earning $2.2 million and $319,000, respectively.[54] For 2008, the film is the seventh highest grossing domestic R-rated film.[55] As of August 23, 2008 the film has had gross receipts of $54,393,000 in the U.S. and $2,648,076 overseas for a total of $57,041,076 worldwide.[52]

Controversy

A group of "R-Words" protesting the film on August 11, 2008

Tropic Thunder has caused controversy in the disability advocacy community. A website for Simple Jack, a faux film exhibited within the film, was pulled on August 4, amid several groups' concerns over its portrayal of mental retardation, called "intellectual disabilities" by disability advocacy groups.[56] A spokesman for DreamWorks stated "We heard their concerns, and we understand that taken out of context, the site appeared to be insensitive to people with disabilities."[56] A coalition of more than 22 disability advocacy groups, including the Special Olympics and the Arc of the United States, object to the repeated use of the word "retard", which disability advocates call "the R-word" because of its negative connotations.[40] DreamWorks initially spoke of screening the film with the groups to determine if the film still offended the groups.[57][58] However, the screening was postponed to the same day of the premiere on August 11 instead of August 8.[59] After some representatives for the groups saw the private screening, they picketed outside the film's premiere.[60][61] Timothy Shriver, the chairman of the Special Olympics stated "This population struggles too much with the basics to have to struggle against Hollywood. We're sending a message that this hate speech is no longer acceptable."[62]

Disability advocates and others who have previewed the film report that the offensive treatment of individuals with mental disabilities is woven throughout the film’s plot.[59] Disability advocates are urging people not to see the film, claiming it is demeaning to individuals with mental disabilities. They fear it will encourage bullying.[63] Etan Cohen, the co-writer of the film, claimed "Some people have taken this as making fun of handicapped people, but we're really trying to make fun of the actors who use this material as fodder for acclaim."[64] He went on to state that the film lampoons actors such as Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks who portrayed mentally retarded characters in Rain Man and Forrest Gump, respectively.[64] A DreamWorks spokesman did not directly respond to the criticism, stating that the film "...is an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses, makes its point by featuring inappropriate and over-the-top characters in ridiculous situations."[40] The film's advertising has been altered, but none of the scenes in the film were edited as a result of the opposition.[40][61]

Soundtrack

Untitled

The soundtrack and score for Tropic Thunder were released on August 5, 2008, the week before the film's release. The soundtrack features songs from The Temptations, MC Hammer, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Edwin Starr and other artists. The single "Name of the Game" by The Crystal Method featuring Ryu has an exclusive remix on the soundtrack.[65]

  1. "Name of the Game (The Crystal Method's Big A** T.T. Mix)" by The Crystal Method (5:11)
  2. "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" by The Temptations (4:08)
  3. "Run Through the Jungle" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (3:05)
  4. "Sadeness, Pt. 1" by Enigma (4:13)
  5. "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer (4:14)
  6. "Ready Set Go" by Ben Gidsjoy (5:00)
  7. "I Just Want to Celebrate" by The Mooney Suzuki (3:51)
  8. "I'd Love to Change the World" by Ten Years After (3:43)
  9. "The Pusher" by Steppenwolf (5:48)
  10. "Movin' on Up" by Ja'Net DuBois (1:08)
  11. "Frankenstein" by The Edgar Winter Group (4:45)
  12. "Sometimes When We Touch" by Dan Hill (4:08)
  13. "War" by Edwin Starr (3:47)
  14. "I Love Tha Pussy" by Brandon T. Jackson (3:23)

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