Review of Big Trouble in Little China (1986) by Frost M — 07 May 2015

You'd have to be a cynic of immense magnitude not to find some entertainment value in Big Trouble in Little China. It may have done poorly upon its theatrical release, but it has developed a cult following as strong as any other John Carpenter film from that same era.

Jack Burton, for all intents and purposes, is not your typical action hero. The marketing team behind the movie tried to sell it as an action vehicle for Kurt Russell's character, which goes against what his character is all about.

He's a rude, uncultured truck driver who wants nothing more than to get back out on the road, avoiding trouble wherever he finds it. The idea of fighting off gangs of ninjas and attempting to save some people is not really on his list of things to do, of which there is very little.

If the marketing campaign had reflected this, it might not have made that much of a difference at the box office, but it certainly would have made for a more honest ad campaign. As such, the movie still found an audience on cable and on home video.

Big Trouble is a romp with lots of kung fu and action set pieces, as well as some impressive special effects, many of which hold up better today than most other movies that were released during the 1980's.

All of that mixed with Kurt Russell's goofy persona make for a fun, lighthearted movie that, while not perfect, is one of the most entertaining action movies ever made.