The Cinema-Mad Sibling Recommends: Previews for "Tropic Thunder"

Now usually, I'm not much persuaded by marketing campaigns. I'd rather just go see the film. In fact, usually I don't pay attention to marketing on purpose, so I can walk into that cinema without too many preconceived notions. But I simply have to make an exception this time. The pre-release antics are just too entertaining and, really, too effective. I can't help but notice. Gentle readers and fellow film fans, the Cine-Sib and I give you the following previews for the upcoming action-comedy movie "Tropic Thunder."

In a nutshell, the film stars comedians Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. (Don't think Downey's a comedian? Just you wait) as three spoiled actors filming a war movie. In a mishap, the three of them, while filming, find themselves lost in an actual war zone. Hilarity (we all hope) ensues. I can tell you right now that this film is not for the squeamish or the easily offended.

Here is the official preview trailer. It's pretty good, but it's nowhere near as entertaining as three other videos that are also promoting the movie. I link to them for your amusement. As usual, all due credit goes to the Cine-Sib:

~The red band trailer. Yep, this trailer itself is rated R for violent images and bad language. Maybe I'm just evil, but I laughed like a loon. I'll have high hopes for the movie if even the trailer has memorable lines like: "This scene is about emotionality!" and "I'm sorry your dingo ate your baby!"

~The surprise appearance by Black, Downey, and Stiller at the finale of "American Idol." The trio shows up with Gladys Knight in a Forrest Gump-ish mix of archival footage and current actors. The dancing is killing me even more than the outfits are! Black is his typically manic, silly self; Downey is an absolute smooth lounge lizard.

~The three guys' parodic setpiece video for the recent MTV Movie Awards. It's supposed to be the making of an amateur "viral video," and it's 4 minutes of completely demented humor. Jack Black ends up playing the hapless victim, Stiller the amoral mastermind, and Downey -- well, he's having the most fun of all as the scene-stealing trickster. Just listen for the evil, gleeful laughter.

A little silly, a little sophomoric, yet weirdly amusing in a slapstick kind of way, it's . . . I'll give you only the comment made by another film website: "I'm not going to give too much away, but any video which has the Iron Man hitting the Kung Fu Panda . . . with a hammer is worth your time."

Oh, and the video assumes that you, the savvy film fan, are well familiar with all sorts of details in the movie world, especially both "Iron Man" and "Kung Fu Panda."


These last two film clips are almost too funny to believe, though I suppose you have to be in the right mood. I have to say, too -- as a marketing campaign, the creative videos are a lot more effective than the usual push with movie posters/ads/commercials.

"Tropic Thunder" is rated R for violence and language, and it opens in theaters on August 15. I'll be there -- the last summer movie hurrah before classes start again!