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Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
If you took the gag from Star Wars (1977) where Han Solo cockily chases the stormtroopers and then panics because there are actually too many, and turned that energy into an entire movie, you’d have Big Trouble in Little China. Indeed, possibly no movie hero has ever peacocked more convincingly but accomplished less than truck driver Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), whose friends Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) and Egg Shen (Victor Wong) lead the battle against the demon lord of the San Francisco underworld.
Directed by John Carpenter during one of the great filmmaking hot streaks of all time, Big Trouble is a rarely seen kind of action comedy—neither spoof nor satire and containing not a single moment of genuine sentiment. On the one hand, Carpenter takes the stormy atmosphere, breakneck pacing, kickass martial arts, and effects-driven spectacle of Big Trouble quite seriously, but whenever the movie would seem to slow down for exposition or character development, it slips into screwball comedy and intentional non sequiturs.
“This does what again exactly?” asks Jack, about to drink Egg Shen’s homebrewed serum before the climactic battle.
“Huge buzz!” the sorcerer replies. No further explanation given or needed. Gather a few archetypes and a cast that is visibly delighted, and all the other “rules” of action comedies are negotiable. Big Trouble in Little China screens Dec. 15 at Clinton Street Theater.
Also Playing:
Academy: Eyes Wide Shut (1999), The Holiday (2006), The Godfather Part II (1974), Dec. 10 and 11. Batman Returns (1992), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983) and Female Trouble (1974), Dec. 12–18. Cinemagic: Gremlins (1984) and Home Alone (1990), Dec. 10. Tokyo Godfathers (2003), Dec. 11. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), Dec. 11. The Holdovers (2023), Dec. 12, 13 and 16. Krampus (2015), Dec. 12 and 14. Love Actually (2003), Dec. 13–15. Paddington 2 (2017), Dec. 14. Back to the Future (1985), Dec. 15. Back to the Future 2 (1989), Dec. 16. Clinton: Russian Fairy Tale Animation shorts, Dec. 10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Dec. 13. They Live (1988), Dec. 16. Cult Classics: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Dec. 14. Hollywood: Darkman (1990), Dec. 12. Days of Being Wild (1990), Dec. 13 and 14. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Dec. 12–16. Tomorrow: Batman Returns (1992), Dec. 12. Home Alone (1990), Dec. 13. Belladonna of Sadness (1973), Dec. 14.
