Re “Tropic Thunder”: I think you’re attributing awareness of nuance to people who don’t let nuance stand in the way of their hate boner. I seriously don’t think that movie could be released now, just a few years later.

No, the first “Deathstalker” didn’t have that particular lameness to it, thank Crom.

The lack of negative heat “Tropic Thunder” got from Robert Downey Jr. being in blackface might have been because the movie was careful to give the impression it was the character who was doing it and not the real-life actor; also. the (actual) black character raises objections. Hence the exchange “What do you mean ‘you people’?” / “What do YOU mean ‘you people’?!” which I always think of when I’m watching “Blade Runner” and Roy Batty says “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe…”

Did the first “Deathstalker” employ the device of the hero being a cocky young guy who talks in modern slang and breaks the fourth wall, or was that only in the sequels? I appreciated that they were trying to liven up a genre that had become tiresome, but that aspect didn’t work for me. That same actor also appeared in “Chopping Mall” which IIRC was also a Jim Wynorski joint.

And that’s the bit that became a meme — “Never go FULL [whatever we’re talking about]” — so…

At the time, the real problematic part was apparently the use of “retard” in the movie. Robert Downey Jr. talked about it a while back on Joe Rogan’s podcast and said something along the lines of Ben Stiller getting any flak that was directed at the movie. I wouldn’t recommend the rest of that episode, as super-famous actors are some of the least interesting people in the world, but that bit is worthwhile.