Review of Big Trouble in Little China (1986) by Zoran S — 09 Aug 2011

Mediocrity has never been so entertaining, in another John Carpenter cheese fest, fresh for laughter and strange action packed scenes of ungodly tripe. The reason this Carpenter film works so well, is that it never takes itself extremely seriously.

The film is meant to be a spoof on the martial arts films of the past, and yet it's a myriad of genres put together as well. The martial arts are really well done, but most of the time they are laugh out loud hilarious, as the facial expressions of the fighters reflect someone with digestive problems rather than a serious foe.

The main character is that of Jack Burton, an ordinary truck driver hauling a load through San Francisco's Chinatown. Throughout the film he is painted as an ordinary guy, even when faced with danger.

He frequently falls down, misses his enemy by inches, and gets knocked out by rubble. Still, he continues fighting, and his perseverance is the cornerstone to a true hero. The performances were genuine, though the dialogue was subsequently tailored for disaster.

Russell is a bit callous, but certainly has empathy under the surface, and Cattrall's lines are plain annoying, ranging from desperate to spunky. Because the film is set in America but has the trappings of a Chinese kung fu film, we're given the best of both genres, a world between that of comical fight scenes, and the reasonable Average Joe common sense of Russell.

It's funny, ridiculous, and full of bevy 80's special effects that will remind you of your childhood. All around a good time.