BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)

Tagline: Jack Burton's in for some serious trouble and you're in for some serious fun.

(Action, Adventure, I Know...There's A Problem With Your Face) [PG-13]

"When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have ya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail."

Back in 1986 John Carpenter lost his damn mind and decided to put out BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA. The movie was not received well at the box office because back then, you simply didn’t do crap like this unless you wanted to produce one of the most beloved cult hits of all time. Unfortunately, it took a lot of time before the ground-swell of support finally launched this thing into the realm of appreciation it should have had from the start. It should be no secret by now, that I freakin LOVE this thing. So much, so that I watch it up to 6 times a year, every year, to this day.

This one starts out with Jack Burton (played by Kurt Russell) driving his rig in San Francisco where he meets up with long-time friend Wang (played by Dennis Dun). Wang loses a “nothing or double” bet and Jack follows Wang to get the money, only they stop at the airport first. Wang’s soon-to-be wife is kidnapped and the chase to find her eventually leads to a run-in with our immortally cursed villain David Lo Pan. Later Wang and Jack team up with Gracie Law (played by Kim Cattrall) and Egg Shen (Victor Wong) to take on this reclusive threat (because Jack is a reasonable guy who has just experienced some unreasonable things, and needs some friends around).

Why does Lo Pan need a girl with green eyes, much less two, to solve his “cursed” problem? Well, let’s say, you were not brought on this world to “get it.” Loaded with one-liners and overwhelming scene-by-scene awesomeness, I don’t think filmmakers will ever be able to attain this level of perfection again. Every piece of dialog is intricately laid in place as this tapestry of dark magic, monsters, martial arts, and ludicrous humor unfolds. There are soooo many great quotes in this movie, but I will finish off the review with a few words from Mr. Burton…

Speaking of checks, you will have to check your common sense at the door to watch this one, but BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA is one of the 80’s movies, that not only stand on their own today but are being flat-out re-made for new audiences. Isn’t that how it always begins…very small.

This one is an easy 7 out of 7 for me, even from the first time I saw it in the theaters as a 13-year-old kid.

GRAPHICS ARE THE PROPERTY OF CRONICLOVE PRODUCTIONS AND ARE USED FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY.