Friday Flashbacks: Big Trouble In Little China

Big Trouble In Little China 1986
Director: John Carpenter
Writer: W.D. Richter
Starring Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton, Donald Li, Carter Wong, Peter Kwong, James Pax, Suzee Pai and Chao Li Chi

The collaboration of John Carpenter and Kurt Russell created some of the greatest genre films of the 80's and some of the most memorable characters in film history. Jack Burton tops all of their previous efforts, as they have made a character here that is unique, likable and funny as hell. This film is a hodgepodge of several genres and they never seem out of place. It is a supernatural, magical film, a comedy and a kung fu action flick all rolled up in one cornucopia of film watcher's delight. This is a film that moves at a rapid clip and because of that the viewer never has a chance to question the ludicrousness of the plot and the situations that the characters find themselves in. The film is also made with such a sly wink to the audience that you cannot help but be carried away by the whimsical nature of the film. This is a film brimming with crazy visuals and action sequences and characters you cannot help but become entrenched in and that is why this film still resonates with me even after seeing it over 20 times.
The plot basics are this, when trucker Jack Burton (Russell) agrees to help his friend, Wang Chi (Dun) pick up his fiancee (Pai) from the airport after arriving to get married from China, little does Jack know he will be thrust into the adventure of his life. It would seem that a ancient warlord by the name of Lo Pan (Hong) needs a girl with green eyes to become a man again and if he does so evil will have reign over the world. This dilemma puts jack in the middle of a battle between good and evil, while all he wants is to get his truck back. Lo Pan has the help of 3 mystical warriors entitled the 3 storms and Jack and Wang Chi must fight insurmountable odds to get the girl and the truck back. But how do you fight a enemy that has no physical body? Jack will need to find a way if he is to succeed.
This is a campy and fun movie. Carpenter's direction here is at top form. He is able to easily balance the comedy of the story with the high octane action sequences peppered throughout the film. A perfect example of this is the opening action sequence between the good and evil gangs. It bounces back and forth from Jack's sarcastic observations to the fist pummeling action with ease. The script is a delight. It is very funny and yet still action packed. The characters really come to life as well, with the stand out being Jack Burton. A wannabe hero who survives mainly through happenstance and luck and yet he still becomes endearing. The cast is excellent. Russell is a true standout and how he carries Burton with such a sense of bravado is amazing. His touch of giving him the mannerisms of John Wayne is a classic touch that really works well. Hong as the evil Lo Pan is very reminiscent of Fu Manchu and he really has fun with the character. Cattrall gives what I think is her best performance and is a great foil to Russell. Dun is very good as the true hero of the film, but is upstaged by the incredulity of Jack's. The actors who play the 3 Storms are great too, they rely more on presence than words and they are more than up for the challenge. Wong as Egg Shen is the other funny character in the film and he is hilarious to watch in action. The SFX and effects of the film is stupendous. The climactic battle between Dun and the storm in mid air is amazing to watch. And it is still a scene I have yet to see again. The score is another great one by Carpenter and the end credits song is a classic that I still hum as I think about the film. This is a masterpiece of action kung fu cinema and probably my favorite Kurt Russell performance.
This one gets 5 out of 5