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The Hollywood machine and the archetypal characters that run it are skewered in "Tropic Thunder." From loud-mouthed producers to pampered mega stars, no one is sacred in this new film being hyped as "the best comedy of the year."

If you're going to believe the propaganda behind "Tropic Thunder" and the ensuing backlash that followed, you may be misled to think that the movie is the be all and end all of cinematic comedy gems. While certainly not the best, "Tropic Thunder" is one of the better funny films produced this year.

The plot is pretty simple. A bunch of self-centered actors are sent to Southeast Asia to star in a war movie. How will these spoiled thespians survive the jungle and escape real bad guys?

This movie-within-the-movie begins with a group of really funny fake trailers starring the main characters of "Tropic Thunder." There's an absurd action sequel featuring Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), an immature comedy involving passing gas by actor Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black), and a drama made for the Academy awards starring the multiple Oscar award-winning method actor, Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.).

All these actors are looking for new challenges. Speedman, the action guy, wants to resuscitate his career after a failed attempt at wooing the Academy with a drama called "Simple Jack." In that film, he plays a mentally challenged farmhand who can talk to animals. Speedman sees his new role as John Four Leaf' Tayback' the one to put him back on the Hollywood stratosphere.

Portnoy is the star of a popular gross-out comedy franchise called "The Fatties," and now he's looking to branch out and be "legit." Lazarus is an Aussie thespian who's always on the lookout for new challenges and ways to transform himself for the sake of art.

All these self-absorbed prima donnas think that doing an epic war movie directed by the Brit, Damien Cockburn (UK comedy star Steve Coogan soon to be seen in the funny "Hamlet 2"), will elevate their careers. Lazarus goes to the most extreme measures to realistically portray every one of his characters - in this case, having his skin surgically dyed to play an African-American sergeant, Lincoln Osiris.

Co-written, produced and directed by Stiller, "Tropic Thunder" is a parody of many war films such as "The Deer Hunter," "Apocalypse Now," and "Platoon." Stiller says the inspiration came to him when he witnessed his actor-friends brag about going off to fake boot camps to star in films such as "Hamburger Hill."

Stiller muses, "It was funny

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