Harrison Laine's Tropic Thunder review

Kiara Strings

27 Sept 201102:46

Summary

TLDRThe video script critiques a movie through a character analysis, pointing out flaws such as unoriginal and offensive humor, and actors' inability to differentiate between their roles and real life. It also discusses the movie's plot confusion and the controversy surrounding its depiction of mental challenges. Despite acknowledging the film's entertainment value and satire, the script concludes that the movie is decent but not exceptional, with some of the best scenes already shown in trailers.

Takeaways

🎬 The speaker likes the movie but acknowledges that others may not share the same opinion.
🤔 The movie features an action star attempting comedy, which doesn't resonate well with some viewers.
👎 The film includes characters that use toilet humor and impersonate overweight individuals, which can be off-putting.
🎭 There's a character who remains in character throughout the film, even when it ends, showing a deep commitment to their role.
🤷‍♂️ The speaker questions whether the characters are paying homage or blatantly copying real-life personalities.
🌴 The plot involves actors being stranded in a jungle, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
💸 The movie's production is described as expensive and problematic, with actors being kidnapped for real amidst a drug conflict.
💔 The producer's inaction in response to the kidnapping suggests a prioritization of profit over the actors' safety.
🔫 The film turns out to be a documentary about the chaotic behind-the-scenes of its own production, adding a meta layer of confusion.
🤷‍♀️ The speaker finds the movie offensive and unoriginal, but also acknowledges its satirical and entertaining aspects.
🔪 The movie has been criticized for its portrayal of mentally challenged characters, which some find exploitative.
🚫 The speaker contrasts the film's reception with that of 'Jersey Shore,' questioning the double standards in public outrage.

Q & A

What is the main critique the speaker has about the characters in the movie?
-The speaker believes that the characters are unoriginal and seem to be either paying homage to or ripping off real-life personalities. They mention an action star trying comedy, a person using toilet humor, and a method actor staying in character, which they find derivative.
What aspect of the plot does the speaker find confusing?
-The speaker finds it confusing that the movie is about a film being shot in a jungle where actors can't distinguish between real life and the movie, ultimately becoming a documentary about the behind-the-scenes of the movie.
How does the speaker feel about the originality of the movie's plot?
-The speaker believes the plot is unoriginal and has been done before, though they acknowledge it is funny in this iteration.
What is the speaker's opinion on the movie's treatment of mentally challenged characters?
-The speaker finds the movie offensive to mentally challenged individuals and criticizes it for this portrayal, noting that it received significant backlash for this reason.
According to the speaker, what is one of the main reasons people watched the movie?
-The speaker suggests that one of the main reasons people watched the movie was because it makes fun of mentally challenged characters, which they believe attracted a lot of attention.
What comparison does the speaker make to emphasize the perceived hypocrisy in reactions to the movie?
-The speaker compares the movie's backlash to the free pass given to Polly Shore and the cast of Jersey Shore for similar behavior, implying a double standard in how offensiveness is judged.
How does the speaker describe the movie's blend of satire and action?
-The speaker describes the movie as having decent satire and action but argues that this does not make it amazing.
What criticism does the speaker have regarding the movie's trailer?
-The speaker criticizes the trailer for containing a bunch of the best parts of the movie, suggesting that the film itself may not live up to expectations.
What overall rating does the speaker give the movie?
-The speaker acknowledges that the movie is fun and decent but ultimately believes it is unoriginal and not as good as people expected it to be.
Why might some people hate the movie, according to the speaker?
-Some people might hate the movie because of its offensive content, lack of originality, and the fact that it relies heavily on humor that targets mentally challenged individuals.

Outlines

00:00

😒 Mixed Opinions on a Flawed Action-Comedy

The speaker begins by expressing their mixed feelings about the movie, acknowledging its flaws while also recognizing its appeal. They mention an acquaintance who dislikes the film and decide to dissect the reasons behind this. The paragraph discusses the film's characters, including an action star attempting comedy, a character known for impersonating overweight personas, and another character who remains in character throughout the film. The speaker questions whether the characters are paying homage or blatantly copying real-life personalities. They also touch on the film's plot, which revolves around a movie production that is running behind schedule and becoming increasingly expensive, leading to a series of chaotic events in a jungle where actors are mistaken for real-life scenarios. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's critique of the movie's unoriginality and offensiveness, despite its humor.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Action Star

An 'action star' refers to an actor who is known for their roles in action films, often characterized by physical feats, fight scenes, and heroic characters. In the context of the video, the action star is attempting to diversify their acting range by trying comedy, which is a central theme as it highlights the actor's struggle to be taken seriously in a different genre.

💡Comedy

Comedy is a genre of film that aims to make the audience laugh through humor. The script mentions that the action star tries his hand at comedy, which doesn't work, indicating a key point of critique in the video. It shows the difficulty of transitioning from action to comedy and the potential mismatch of the actor's image with the comedic role.

💡Worst Movies

The term 'worst movies' is often used to describe films that have been critically panned or are considered to have failed in terms of storytelling, acting, or production. The script uses this term to emphasize the low quality of the film being discussed, suggesting that it is so bad it could be considered among the worst in history.

💡Toilet Humor

Toilet humor refers to jokes or comedy that are based on bodily functions or scatological themes, often considered crude or lowbrow. The script criticizes a character who uses toilet humor as part of their act, indicating a form of humor that the video's message deems as distasteful or inappropriate.

💡Character Immersion

Character immersion is when an actor remains in character throughout a film, even when not filming. The script mentions a character who is so immersed in their role that they do not break character until the movie ends, which could be seen as a dedication to the craft or an extreme form of method acting.

💡Homage vs. Rip-off

An 'homage' is a respectful imitation or tribute to someone or something, while a 'rip-off' implies a direct copy without acknowledgment or permission. The script questions whether the characters are paying homage to or ripping off real-life personalities, suggesting a critical view of the film's originality and respect for its sources.

💡Plot

The 'plot' of a movie refers to the sequence of events that make up the story. The script criticizes the movie's plot as being unoriginal and offensive, indicating that the storyline is derivative and potentially disrespectful to certain groups or individuals.

💡Prima Donna

A 'prima donna' is a term often used to describe a person, usually a performer, who is considered to be demanding and difficult to work with. In the script, 'prima donna actors' are mentioned as being difficult, which adds to the chaotic behind-the-scenes narrative of the film.

💡Drug Country

The term 'drug country' likely refers to a region known for drug-related activities or trafficking. The script uses this term to describe the setting of the movie, where the actors find themselves in a dangerous situation that blurs the lines between fiction and reality.

💡Satire

Satire is a genre of literature or film that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices. The script describes the movie as a 'decent satire,' suggesting that while it has humorous elements, it also serves a purpose in highlighting societal issues or absurdities.

💡Offensive

To be 'offensive' means to cause anger, resentment, or offense in others, especially by being insulting or disrespectful. The script repeatedly mentions the movie as being offensive, particularly towards the mentally challenged, indicating a significant point of controversy and criticism in the video's discussion.

💡Lethal Weapon

Lethal Weapon is a film series known for its action and humor. The script compares the movie in question to the later installments of the Lethal Weapon series, suggesting that while the movie being discussed is bad, it is still better than those films, providing a point of comparison for the audience.

💡Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore is a reality TV show known for its controversial and sensational content. The script mentions the cast of Jersey Shore as getting a 'free pass' despite the show's potential to be offensive, contrasting this with the movie's criticism, and highlighting a perceived double standard in societal reactions to different forms of media.

Highlights

The movie features an action star attempting comedy, which doesn't work.

Inclusion of a character known for dressing up as overweight personas and using toilet humor.

A character remains in character throughout the movie, even to its end.

Questioning whether characters are paying homage or blatantly ripping off real-life personalities.

A rapper character playing a soldier, representing a stereotype.

Critique of the movie's plot, which involves a film production running behind schedule and becoming more expensive.

Actors are stranded in a jungle, blurring the lines between the movie and real-life events.

One of the action stars is taken hostage in a drug country, with the producer's inaction for monetary gain.

The movie turns out to be a documentary about the behind-the-scenes chaos of its own production.

The film is described as offensive to the mentally challenged.

Comparison of the movie's originality and offensiveness to that of 'Avatar'.

The movie is considered unoriginal and offensive, but still funny.

Criticism for being more offensive than 'Lethal Weapon 3' and '4'.

Controversy over the movie making fun of the mentally challenged, yet receiving less backlash than 'Jersey Shore'.

The movie is not amazing, but decent as a satire and action film.

Acknowledgment that some people might hate the movie for its content.

Comment on the movie's best parts being in the trailer and not living up to expectations.

The movie is considered late to the genre and not as original as perceived.