ruck driver Jack Burton (Russell) is the kind of hero usually politely referred to as "unlikely." He hauls pigs in his semi while dispensing his quirky brand of wisdom over his CB radio. He's loaded with confidence and John-Wayne swagger. But when his friend Wang Chi's (Dun) fiancée is kidnapped before his eyes, Jack finds himself way over his head in a world out of Chinese legend.
Wang has saved for years to get the money to bring Miao Yin (Suzee Pai) over from China. When a Chinatown street gang snatches her at San Francisco's airport, Wang goes to get her back because he loves her. Jack goes because that's what John Wayne would do. While chasing the gang, Jack and Wang suddenly find themselves caught between warring secret societies. Then mythical characters start flying in and tossing lightning bolts. With each step, Chinatown peels back its layers like an onion, always revealing something stranger than before.
The trail leads to Lo Pan (Hong), a ghostly 2,000-year-old sorcerer who wants Miao Yin for her rare green eyes. By marrying--and then sacrificing--a green-eyed girl, he plans to free himself from an ancient curse and get his body back. Lo Pan commands an army of martial artists and demons from his lair beneath Chinatown. The good guys have a few allies too, including magician and tour bus driver Egg Shen (Wong) and attorney Gracie Law (Cattrall). However, Gracie's green eyes soon get her kidnapped by Lo Pan as well. The heroes infiltrate Lo Pan's labyrinth of Chinese hells to rescue Gracie and Miao Yin. Spells, swords, bullets and even people fly in a spectacular final battle to keep Lo Pan from escaping his curse and unleashing his dread powers upon the world.
Anything can happen, and often does
Big Trouble In Little China was John Carpenter's homage to the Hong Kong movies he loved at a time when most American audiences had no idea such things existed. Today, of course, Hollywood has embraced the intense action and anything-can-happen sensibility of Hong Kong films. But in 1986, Big Trouble In Little China was way ahead of its time.
It's also a blast. Drawing on thousands of years of Chinese fantasy, the film presents a dense, multilayered setting that gradually pulls viewers farther away from the familiar world. Russell's blustering performance provides much of the movie's charm. Jack assumes he's the hero, which means Wang and the others must be his sidekicks. But they're the ones who know what's going on, and have the skills to deal with it. Jack's main asset is that he's too slow to realize just how far out of his depth he really is. It's certainly not his wardrobe. Jack gives the film a comic touch that goes nicely with the action.
Other performances are also excellent, especially Dennis Dun as Wang and James Hong as Lo Pan. The script, adapted by W.D. Richter (of Buckaroo Banzai fame) from its original incarnation as a period Western, crackles with wit and actually makes the intricate plot comprehensible. And the film's mystical world is made convincingly real by stunning production design and (mostly) excellent effects.
Despite its strengths, audiences just weren't ready for Big Trouble In Little China in 1986. But the film has gradually built a devoted cult following, and this two-disc set is going to whip them into a frenzy. It's the ultimate resource on the movie, including a commentary track with Russell and Carpenter, an interview with visual effects producer Richard Edlund, deleted scenes, an extended version of the ending and much, much more. For the truly hardcore, there's even the music video for the theme song performed by Carpenter and his band, the Coupe deVilles. You might want to work up to that one, though.
