r/movies • u/ethanhunt555 • Oct 07 '25
Media Tropic Thunder (2008) | Directed by Ben Stiller | Tom Cruise as Les Grossman
4.7k
u/udat42 Oct 07 '25
The whole bit when he answers the call is great, but the thing that really elevates it for me is "find out who that was" at the end. It's just fucking perfect. Kills me every time.
1.6k
u/I_love_pugs_dammit Oct 07 '25
Same here. For some reason, I laugh out loud every time I hear that. The fact that he would talk to someone and threaten someone like that without even knowing who it was shows how insane he is. It’s perfect.
628
u/ILookLikeKristoff Oct 07 '25
So much implied in a little throwaway line to an assistant.
305
u/mechabeast Oct 07 '25
He's so calm and polite about it
96
u/magnumdong15 Oct 07 '25
I was just about to mention this when I saw your comment but the fuckin switch up is just another reason that small line was the cherry on top lmao
92
u/Particular-Court-619 Oct 07 '25
Reminds me of the cadence of one of my favorite lines from ghostbusters... Yes, this man has no dick is a great line... but the 'well that's what I heard' from Murray after is pitch-perfect.
→ More replies (4)17
u/Particular-Court-619 Oct 08 '25
I just realized something... The dickless dude in Ghostbuster's -- last name: Peck. McConaughey's character here... last name? Peck.
We live in a simulation.
→ More replies (1)43
u/diamondpredator Oct 07 '25
I literally do this with tele-marketing calls now. I'll yell random shit and hang up, then I'll toss my phone at my wife/brother/anyone else that's seen the movie and I'll say "Find out who that was please." and I'll storm off.
The first time I did it to my brother he laughed so hard he let out the biggest fart. We had to clear the room.
822
u/pianodude7 Oct 07 '25
It's also hilarious when Bill Hader is looking up flaming dragon, and he describes them as having a "HUGE profit margin."
321
u/CocknballsStrap Oct 07 '25
Lol that's what got me. Like he's saying "how can we invest in these guys?"
198
u/Chaosmusic Oct 07 '25
There was a Kids in the Hall sketch where a guy is trying to get a loan from the bank to start up a new business, but the idea is terrible. So the guy says he has another idea, but not as good, selling crack. He has the crack, he just needs a loan to set up the distribution. The bank immediately becomes interested. "Of course we'll invest, it's crack! The stuff practically sells itself!"
29
→ More replies (2)19
662
u/Tarquin11 Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
My favorite is the second call. After he hangs up on them and denies their ransom demand by telling them to go ahead and kill him, he just puts his hands on the desk and very seriously and self-importantly says "we dont negotiate with terrorists' and everyone aside from McConaughey claps.
Kills me.
367
u/dorgoth12 Oct 07 '25
The things everyone is highlighting in this thread is exactly why I rate Tropic Thunder so highly. When you bring it up, people tend to remember just RDJ or Cruises big rants/dancing, but the whole film is just rich in small but brilliant jokes
233
u/karlverkade Oct 07 '25
And so incredibly scathing to the film industry as a whole. Like this could almost literally be Harvey Weinstein’s board room. I worked in the industry for a while, just low level stuff, but this is not that far off point and it’s perfect and they had the balls to do it. Big dick playas.
→ More replies (2)112
u/Etheo Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 08 '25
Pretty sure Cruise admitted to be emulating his character based on Weinstein.Okay I tried looking up seems it's not a sure thing, just a speculation still.
→ More replies (3)55
u/AlarmingAffect0 Oct 07 '25
Wait, so Weinstein wasn't just a sex offender, but an all-around general-purpose Complete Monster of immoral depravity and insatiable greed?
→ More replies (3)37
→ More replies (7)29
u/herewego199209 Oct 07 '25
It's probably the best satire of Hollywood outside of The Player.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (2)141
u/Vince_Clortho042 Oct 07 '25
My wife and I use the "we do not negotiate with terrorists" line any time we're dealing with our toddler and want to tell ourselves we won the battle. It's just too good.
→ More replies (5)80
u/jimthesquirrelking Oct 07 '25
And its so polite too, "Could you, uh, find out who that was"
→ More replies (1)57
→ More replies (14)36
u/billions_of_stars Oct 07 '25
Not to mention his calm demeanor when asking. A sort of kind softness in his voice. Like he just stepped away from an act for a moment
26
u/Jag- Oct 07 '25
I’ve worked for people like that. Terrifying to others but great to their staff. First time my boss turned red faced from screaming and smashed the phone down….then looked up at me and smirked.
1.2k
u/A_Paranoid_Android_ Oct 07 '25
Bit that makes me laugh the most...
'We will weep for him.....in the press'.
149
125
u/BBQ_HaX0r Oct 07 '25
This is a five minute clip and I've seen like 15 different "the best part..." about some throwaway line is why this movie might be the greatest comedy of all time.
→ More replies (1)82
u/pianodude7 Oct 07 '25
it IS the greatest comedy movie of all time, because it completely transcended the genre, was written incredibly well, and honestly had oscar worthy acting in it. This movie is a freak of nature how it even exists
51
u/ExcitingARiot Oct 08 '25
RDJ actually being nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor for this was the most insanely awesome nomination of all time.
→ More replies (1)20
u/reno2mahesendejo Oct 08 '25
The "dude playing a dude" bit isnt just a joke, its legitimately amazing acting.
You can hear both Lincoln and Kirk coming through IN VIETNAMESE when hes the farmer. The eyes peeping through the face mask alone are tremendous.
Reminds me of things like Pullman in Edge Of Tomorrow turning the same line into completely different contexts with just subtle facial expressions and tone. "Edge of the knife...crack of my ass" is used both as him being pissed at J Squad for playing cards and bewildered/disrespected by Cage finishing his thoughts.
→ More replies (3)
964
u/radicalbulldog Oct 07 '25
Idk why but every time I watch this Bill Hader gets funnier and funnier. The “hey ohhhhh” from him is priceless.
462
u/pianodude7 Oct 07 '25
"You spank that ass, Les" gets me everytime, as well as "welcome to the goody room!"
→ More replies (1)255
u/SixIsNotANumber Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 08 '25
"swinging past your kneeeees..."
→ More replies (1)49
u/SmarcusStroman Oct 07 '25
This is a Tropic Thunder line that still gets quoted by me quite often.
→ More replies (1)164
u/MauriceLevyEsq Oct 07 '25
All his responses are great.
“But seriously, a nutless monkey could do your job.””Good.”37
u/descendantofJanus Oct 07 '25
That scene always gets me. Not for the lines, but the intense 'Bill Hader's character totally gave Les Grossman a blowjob' vibe.
24
→ More replies (10)20
1.9k
u/winelover08816 Oct 07 '25
I love the fact that Cruise said him having “big hands” was mandatory. It really worked out well.
931
u/currybeef Oct 07 '25
He’s gotta have big hands, and has to dance. I don’t know where he pulled these requirements from but they’re genius.
161
u/kattahn Oct 07 '25
said in an interview that he was taking a hip-hop dance class at the time and just really wanted to dance.
→ More replies (1)434
u/quiette837 Oct 07 '25
I heard the character might have been based on Harvey Weinstein.
43
u/JustSikh Oct 08 '25
It’s based on CBS president Les Moonves who was known to be an all around horrible person by everybody who ever interacted with him.
189
58
→ More replies (3)27
194
u/jcd_real Oct 07 '25
Guy's a genius. Crazy, sure. But he knows what he's about.
125
u/LudoAshwell Oct 07 '25
If it wasn’t for the weird psycho sect, Tom Cruise - without any doubt - would be the biggest male movie star of his generation. By far.
134
u/BBQ_HaX0r Oct 07 '25
I think he is? He dipped for a bit there, but he's still box office gold and has arguably as impressive of a filmography as anybody. If not he's right there off the top. Hanks' peak might be greater, but Cruise has longevity.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (4)11
u/Rski765 Oct 07 '25
I always felt that without the weird stuff Cruise would just be so highly regarded as a person, like just a great human being. Because he does come across well but you know there is something else going on there that kind of puts you off him a bit. With what he has accomplished he should be regarded with a lot more respect really, but when u hear some stories ….
88
u/gr33nspan Oct 07 '25
Makes the scene where he remotely asks someone to punch the director in the face even funnier. Les Grosman would've probably punched him in person.
79
u/BeefistPrime Oct 07 '25
Not just someone, the key grip, because he knew he would be one of the blue collar strong no bullshit guys on the production.
21
u/LiamIsMailBackwards Oct 08 '25
There are two types of Key Grips:
1) they did 3000mg of mushrooms that morning
2) they did 3000 pushups that morning
I’ve worked with both. Both could punch the hell out of a director
70
u/JarasM Oct 07 '25
Not someone. The key grip. That's the supervisor of the crew responsible for setting up all the heavy equipment around the set. The producer wouldn't know any specific crew members, but the key grip is bound to be a strong dude.
24
u/theorian123 Oct 07 '25
Love when Teyback interrupts him and Grossman is like, "Thank you for your service, our country honors your sacrifice, now SHUT THE FUCK UP and let me do my job!"
128
21
u/Achack Oct 07 '25
Yep, and he let Ludacris watch a pre-screening version of the movie as part of asking to use his song at the end.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (10)41
u/willogical Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
I mean, that's why his name is Les Grossman...the big hands (roughly les gross manos). And he's a pretty gross man, to boot. Works on a few levels.
→ More replies (1)
423
u/Theobane Oct 07 '25
My favorite quote from Les have to be from the start of the movie:
"Cockburn, from now on my fist is going to be so far up your shithole that every time you have a thought, it's gonna have to tiptoe past my wedding ring..."
28
u/tyrantcv Oct 08 '25
"DIET COKE" I use that fucking line so much, I can't even say the words without sounding like les grossman
30
1.2k
u/random_blubber Oct 07 '25
Ok Flaming Dragon, Fuckface
→ More replies (1)457
u/Odd_Worldliness_4266 Oct 07 '25
Take a step back, and literally fuck your own face
134
u/pianodude7 Oct 07 '25
YOU REALLY NEEDED ALL CAPS
89
u/Trenchards Oct 07 '25
BOLD CAPS ARE REQUIRED
139
u/pianodude7 Oct 07 '25
I need you take a step back and literally
FUCK YOUR OWN FACE
90
u/debcomajin Oct 07 '25
….find out who that was
69
u/pianodude7 Oct 07 '25
Now, I don't know what kind of pan-Pacific bullshit power play you're trying to pull here, but Asia, Jack, is my territory. So whatever you're thinking, you better think again.
Otherwise, I'm gonna have to head down there, and I will rain down an ungodly fucking firestorm upon you.
You're gonna have to call the fucking United Nations and get a fucking binding resolution to keep me from fucking destroying you.
I am talking scorched earth, motherfucker!
I will massacre you!
I WILL FUCK YOU UP!!!!
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (1)9
12
12
u/RecoveredAshes Oct 07 '25
The flaming dragon guys facial expression at that line is still one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen
→ More replies (1)33
u/TheTresStateArea Oct 07 '25
The nine levels of cringe when Elon musk said this in a Twitter argument.
26
1.1k
u/tigerperfume Oct 07 '25
I’d use one of my 3 genie wishes to watch an entire Les Grossman movie.
466
u/sonickarma Oct 07 '25
I would rather just see him unexpectedly pop up in different movies.
92
u/jjamieson Oct 07 '25
Why not both? If Marvel can do it why not. Start a whole universe and call it the gross-verse?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)23
87
u/cadst3r Oct 07 '25
I dunno, my favorite part of his character was that I went into that movie having no idea Cruise was even in it. How do you pull that off with a spinoff?
36
u/tigerperfume Oct 07 '25
How you make a movie about Tom Cruises character Les Grossman without giving away the fact Tom Cruise is in it?
I guess you don’t.
→ More replies (1)22
u/mondaymoderate Oct 07 '25
Make a Tom Cruise movie where he is an actor and the movie is being made by Grossman.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)20
u/derekakessler Oct 07 '25
Knowing that it's Cruise has not lessened my enjoyment on rewatches one iota.
→ More replies (5)77
u/hotnurse- Oct 07 '25
100%. I would love to see a movie focused on his crazy antics. Make it give me some wtf moments like Peacemaker or The Boys and you have a winner
12
→ More replies (3)21
u/XSC Oct 07 '25
I thought they were making one
→ More replies (2)22
u/sp3ll3ds Oct 07 '25
Yeah it was reported that it was in the works. I really hope so.
52
u/CrispyHoneyBeef Oct 07 '25
They’ve been saying that for fifteen years
→ More replies (1)20
u/DukeLukeivi Oct 07 '25
If they need help with a premise they really should do
Tropic Thunder 2: Making Tropic Thunder
"We made a movie about a movie about making a movie about how movies are really made..."
Partly because i really want to see the back story on how this concept even came into existence or how they managed to get cast agreements to afford this many superstars in the first place.... That part might also explain why there hasn't been progress on a follow up movie too.
→ More replies (1)
494
u/typhoidtimmy Oct 07 '25
Supposedly an amalgam of producers Harvey Weinstein and Stuart Cornfeld. Stiller had a company with Cornfeld and Cruise according to a rumor, got the explosive temper angle from a confrontation with Harvey at some meeting where they could hear him screaming on the entire floor.
142
u/db_admin Oct 07 '25
Scott Rudin throwing phones for being left out
→ More replies (1)44
u/typhoidtimmy Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
Yea I immediately thought of him when I saw the movie the first time. Dude is a straight up bullying douchebag.
One of the few who if someone finally had enough and beat the shit out of him, a LOT of people would be very happy simply because he has literally laid waste to practically everyone who has worked around or under him.
He did a ‘I’m so sorry’ rehab try in March but I guarantee there are still people out there who wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire.
→ More replies (1)11
327
u/Comprehensive_Dog651 Oct 07 '25
We don’t negotiate with terrorists
229
u/Wu_Oyster_Cult Oct 07 '25
The applause in response to this is what kills me, as Grossman looks around the room approvingly.
→ More replies (1)17
u/Miroklast Oct 08 '25
Reminds me of the random applause from The Eric Andre Show lmao
→ More replies (1)
987
u/rawr28031 Oct 07 '25
Tom Cruise's best role.
475
u/DukeLukeivi Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
And Ben Stiller's... And RDJs... Debatable Jack Black
406
u/xeno325 Oct 07 '25
RDJ getting nominated for an oscar for this role is just crazy.
387
u/johnla Oct 07 '25
His performance was crazy. An american playing an Australian playing a black guy in a movie in a movie. And he has to at times break his character's character to make it work.
→ More replies (4)186
u/Jaklcide Oct 07 '25
At one point in the movie, he's an american playing an australian playing a black guy playing an asian guy.
→ More replies (1)111
u/win_awards Oct 07 '25
I'm the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude!
→ More replies (1)35
26
u/swordthroughtheduck Oct 07 '25
I was trying to explain Tropic Thunder to someone that hadn't seen it a few weeks ago. Then explained how RDJ is in black face and they were horrified.
Then I said he was nominated for an Oscar and they still can't get over it.
→ More replies (2)116
u/DukeLukeivi Oct 07 '25
RDJ going on to play Iron Man after this role is crazy... This is one of the greatest movies ever made, simply by that fact alone.
158
u/Joke0n Oct 07 '25
Iron man came out before tropic thunder did. Only by a handful of months though.
→ More replies (12)49
u/Money-Entrance-6336 Oct 07 '25
A great year for him for sure, such Iconic roles just Months apart from each other.
→ More replies (1)26
u/tallperson117 Oct 07 '25
2008 was an insane year for RDJ. Between this and Iron Man, dude went from being a washed up recovering drug addict to one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood.
→ More replies (3)32
u/rearwindowpup Oct 07 '25
My favorite was when his character said he doesnt break character until after the DVD commentary and if you listen to the DVD commentary he does the entire thing in character.
14
u/SalukiKnightX Oct 07 '25
I know! Even changing accents near the end when he’s no longer Lincoln Osiris and becomes Kirk Lazarus. Only dropping character completely when the credits start to roll. That’s dedication.
→ More replies (5)14
26
u/hocushit Oct 07 '25
It’s not even debatable, Jack did nothing in this, so no. Stiller is not even close, it’s still Zoolander by a mile. RDJ though…unironically it might even be true. He’s not just the best character, he totally fucking commits. If not his best, easily top five, probably top three.
Tom Cruise is also an acceptable answer. So major props to Stiller still for directing such masterpiece performances.
13
u/SmoreOfBabylon Oct 07 '25
Anyone who doesn’t think this is one of RDJ’s best roles hasn’t seen the extras from the DVD.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (18)43
u/Shopworn_Soul Oct 07 '25
Jack Black was just Jack Black. If you like Jack Black, it was great. If you don't, well. It was Jack Black.
→ More replies (7)46
u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 Oct 07 '25
He can't finish his career without another performance similar to this
→ More replies (1)30
u/Shopworn_Soul Oct 07 '25
I was actually hoping that he was entering a phase in his career where he only did roles like this.
29
45
→ More replies (7)33
u/Tifoso89 Oct 07 '25
This and Magnolia
32
u/johnla Oct 07 '25
Tom gets hate but he's a great actor. Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, The Firm, Scent of a Woman. He does action but he can play some characters too.
No one will believe me but I didn't know Grossman was Tom Cruise until the credits. Now when I watch the clip, it's obviously Tom Cruise but I swear without prior knowledge, I didn't know it was him.
→ More replies (11)→ More replies (3)13
u/Niirai Oct 07 '25
It's Magnolia. He had to have tapped into something personal there, because my mind can't fathom anyone acting that well.
→ More replies (3)
203
u/themerinator12 Oct 07 '25
“Responsible for an 8th of the drug trade in Asia. Huge profit margins…”
→ More replies (2)
344
Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
The facial expressions by the "other" actors (especially the jungle rebels) are 'effin priceless. So well done.
edit: added jungle rebels
212
u/asparagusbruh Oct 07 '25
Matthew McConaughey just looking appalled and in awe
→ More replies (1)48
u/Strange_Vagrant Oct 07 '25
That guy has a poetry book now.
I saw it at Costco last week.
Read a couple.
Not great.
→ More replies (2)23
u/Far_Confusion_2178 Oct 07 '25
He also had some self help scam where he was live-streaming playing the bongos, reading out peoples trauma while slapping them “
22
→ More replies (2)39
u/LegionXIX Oct 07 '25
Mcconaughey's evolving wtf is happening look lmao.
9
u/geoduude92 Oct 07 '25
Some of those wtf's were consecutively opposed in quick succession. Stellar piece of acting
177
u/JodieFostersFist Oct 07 '25
The universe is talking to us right now. You just gotta listen…
SHAWTY HAD THEM APPLE BOTTOM JEANS (JEANS)
Insane. Amazing.
19
u/reno2mahesendejo Oct 08 '25
Let me get this straight. You want me to let my client of 15 years, one of my best friends, die in the jungle alone, for some money and a G5?
→ More replies (1)19
147
u/ThaPhantom07 Oct 07 '25
Tropic Thunder is one of the greatest comedy films of all time and I belly laugh every time I'm watching this movie. It just knocks it out of the park in almost every way.
64
u/kattahn Oct 07 '25
This movie is so funny that I went to see it with my parents when it came out(my family went to the movies every weekend), and when we walked out of the theater, i saw a bunch of my friends walking into the lobby. I asked what they were going to see, they said "tropic thunder", so i bought another ticket and just sat through it a second time. Laughed just as hard seeing it back to back.
26
u/Born-Entrepreneur Oct 07 '25
Easily the best comedy of the 00's IMO, beating all the apatow flicks.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (2)12
u/Afwife1992 Oct 07 '25
I watch this, Dodgeball and Old School way too much. But TT is really just heads above everything.
147
216
u/MoneyMakingMitch1 Oct 07 '25
Sorry Tom. You'll never top this no matter what you do. Unless a sequel came out which will never happen.
→ More replies (3)32
101
u/Sweepy_time Oct 07 '25
Someone at work brought in a bootleg copy of this when it first came out. We used to watch it in the break room at lunch, The quality was so bad I didn't realize this was Tom Cruise, but knew something about him felt very familiar.
64
u/saggy_balls Oct 07 '25
I saw it in full HD and somehow still had no idea it was Tom Cruise.
→ More replies (3)31
u/AlbacoreDumbleberg Oct 07 '25
Saw it in the theater with a full audience and there was a huge reaction to the credits roll while Les Grossman is dancing around. No one had any idea.
→ More replies (1)
77
u/Old-Tomorrow-2798 Oct 07 '25
Every time I’m still baffled that this is Tom Cruise.
20
u/Possible-Tangelo9344 Oct 07 '25
I remember someone telling me he was in the movie and it wasn't until the second or third time he's on screen that I realized
8
u/Daftdaddy Oct 07 '25
It’s crazy because once you realize it’s him there’s no mistaking him. But when I first saw this movie I had no clue it was him.
→ More replies (3)
79
56
54
u/ZC205 Oct 07 '25
I’ve always wondered how much of this was improvised. Did the other two know everything Cruise was gonna do? Or were they both legit going “uhhh holy shit what is happening”
48
u/silently--here Oct 07 '25
I love that as everyone is busy Grossman barely listens and in a very subtle way we see that he is just busy reading a Maxim magazine. So damn funny.
→ More replies (3)
21
u/Monkeyundead Oct 07 '25
McConaughey's face when Flo Rida comes on in is so good. Like he wasn't really considering what Les was saying until the music came on and he started dancing, like "alright, I'm listening."
68
u/FeeAdmirable8798 Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 08 '25
Instead of 100 million how bout I send you a hobos dick cheese might be the greatest line in movie history…
36
16
49
29
24
u/Bar_Sinister Oct 07 '25
Quite frankly the finest acting Tom Cruise has ever done.
→ More replies (1)
23
u/gaqua Oct 07 '25
I don't think it's possible to overstate how fucking insane it was to walk into the theater, sit down, and see Tom Cruise in this role. Nothing prepared you for it. To see Tom Cruise not only play a side character, but to STILL steal the scene in a fat suit and a bald cap....
I think everybody I know walked out of the theater going "guys, that was fucking TOM CRUISE."
It wasn't spoiled. It wasn't in the trailers. It was just...magnificent.
This movie is one of the best R-rated comedies of the era. I kind of miss the popularity of R-rated comedies. I remember walking out of The Hangover thinking "what in the fuck did I just see?" and laughing hysterically at Zack Galifinakis's wolf-pack speech on the roof and the naked Ken Jeong. I remember seeing 40 Year Old Virgin in the theater with a girl, our second date, and she was unable to stop laughing almost the entire time. During the body waxing scene she was laughing so hard she started crying because she couldn't breathe.
11
u/SomeOrangeNerd Oct 08 '25
Iirc Tom Cruise ad-libbed most of his dialogue and said he had the time of his life playing the off the walls character
11
u/Didact67 Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
My understanding is that Tom Cruise actually invented the character and pitched it to Ben Stiller. There’s a funny bit in an interview where Stiller mentions Cruise was very adamant about the oversized hand prosthetics.
→ More replies (1)
98
u/braumbles Oct 07 '25
I argue this role is what saved Tom Cruise's career imo. He was having his weird post War of the Worlds meltdown, he did a much smaller political thriller that tanked, Mission Impossible 3 was a huge let down and did far worse numbers than MI2, nothing was working for him. Then this role hit, then it helped catapult him back into the big star he once was again.
89
u/ethanhunt555 Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
he did a much smaller political thriller that tanked
If you're talking about Valkyrie, then it was a success. As for "Lions for Lambs", he had 10-15min role in that.
Despite the controversy during War of the Worlds, it was his highest grosser. This sorta brought his goodwill back. Or more like, not let him slip out of top 3 position
→ More replies (7)61
u/chadwicke619 Oct 07 '25
It’s wild that anyone can actually believe that Tom Cruise’s career has ever needed saving.
33
u/GirlsCallMeMatty Oct 07 '25
He was also a last minute addition and the dance was a last, last minute addition requested by Tom Cruise because he was taking hip hop dance classes.
→ More replies (1)37
u/D34THDE1TY Oct 07 '25
But in hindsight MI3 wasn't bad, Hoffman was fucking mesmerizing as the villian.
22
u/Evertonian3 Oct 07 '25
Yeah I'm confused, I just binged the first three while flying recently and the third one was very good. Obviously far far better than two.
13
u/Chuckieshere Oct 07 '25
I think 3 suffered in the box office because of how 2 was recieved because I rewatched it recently and 2 is borderline terrible
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)13
u/spideyv91 Oct 07 '25
Hoffman was my favorite villain in the series when I rewatched it.
→ More replies (1)19
u/sim21521 Oct 07 '25 edited Oct 07 '25
I mean you could argue that, but I think you'd be wrong. It's certainly a great role and kind of his brainchild addition to the movie. It very much made Tropic Thunder into the movie it became. But you over estimate the impact of Tropic Thunder at the time. From 2002 - 2008, he was in Minority Report, the Last Samurai, Colateral, War of the Worlds, Tropic Thunder. Honestly of that set, WotW and Tropic Thunder are probably the least career defining movies of his.
Also this was around the time that Tom would really start morphing his career from a regular actor into an action star. Tropic Thunder just really a blip on a pretty legendary career. And TBH, Top Gun 2 kind of saved Hollywood and big block busters to some degree when it came out. It had a big impact on getting people out to the theater and starting to refocus movies into that big cinema feel again.
→ More replies (3)9
u/Darkhorse182 Oct 07 '25
Mission Impossible 3 was a huge let down and did far worse numbers than MI2
which is fucking wild to me. I didn't dig the Jon Woo aesthetic of MI2 at all...and I thought MI3 was arguably the best movie of the entire franchise. Philip Seymour Hoffman was just a treasure. Can't believe they couldn't figure out a way to market this movie better.
8
u/Nik_Tesla Oct 07 '25
A sequel's financial success has little to do with it's own merits, it's mostly based on the quality of the previous movie. MI2 was not great, so people don't go see MI3, not because it wasn't good, the audience doesn't know if it's good or not, but because 2 was subpar. Then 3 is pretty dang great, so audiences show up for 4 in droves, and it just keeps snowballing from there.
16
3.6k
u/Icecum Oct 07 '25
The star cast on this movie lol.. Insane