Review of Big Trouble in Little China (1986) by Robot K — 12 Dec 2009

Okay, I know what you are thinking. A meat-n'-potatoes truck driver teams up with a a Chinese street gang lead by a sorcerer who drives a bus for a living to take on a 2000 year old wizard who commands an underground sect of supernatural warriors, mythical beasts, and cut-throat ninjas. ....Yes, it's a good movie. It's awesomely bad, in fact.

Oddly enough I can't seem to decide on what I would have changed in the film. The story is well paced, although purposefully silly. There are many "levels" to the adventure, which suit a film like this. Kurt Russel doesn't give an Oscar-worthy performance, but he doesn't have to. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that he played his part perfectly, and 24 years later my friends and family still quote ol' Jack Burton for laughs, and still find his blunt and arrogant demeanor to be one of the hallmark memories of the 80's action-film-explosion.

Perhaps it would be best to label this in the "so bad it's good" category, although I'm sure in the 80's it was taken slightly more serious. The special effects, fight choreography, and story are laughable by today's standards, even though originally the light-hearted moments were probably intended to be Jack's classic one liners and gaffs, and maybe some of the exaggerations on Chinese folklore and mysticism. In other words, my consensus is that time and style have changed this movie from an action-comedy to a comedy-action.

Nevertheless, I can't think of a better film to waste a Saturday night on, especially with some takeout. 85%.