Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
★★★ — Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Big Trouble in Little China arrived at a complicated moment for John Carpenter, whose previous studio outing, Christine (1983), had performed modestly, and who had struggled to gain traction with larger budgets after the relative disappointment of The Thing (1982). Fox green-lit this one with a $25 million budget, fairly substantial for a mid-1980s genre picture, though the studio reportedly had cold feet about its tone throughout production, uncertain whether it was an action film, a comedy, or a fantasy. It was, of course, all three simultaneously, which is precisely why it confused everyone at the box office, taking in barely $11 million on its initial release. The script, originally written by W.D. Richter as a straight Western set in the 1880s, was relocated to contemporary San Francisco's Chinatown during rewrites, a decision that gave the film its particular, distinctive energy. Carpenter and Kurt Russell were fresh off Starman (1984) together, and Russell reportedly relished the chance to play a character who is, essentially, the comic relief in his own story.
Big Trouble in Little China 1986) isn’t just a movie, it’s a neon-soaked, kung fu-infused fever dream disguised as an action comedy. Kurt Russell plays Jack Burton, a loudmouthed trucker with zero self-awareness who stumbles into a centuries-old mystical war beneath the streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown. He’s all bravado and backwards baseball caps, convinced he’s the hero even when he’s clearly out of his depth. And that’s the joke: he’s not in on it. Is it supposed to be funny? I guess so but it’s more “laugh with how insane this is” than straightforward comedy. The tone is wild, the logic is nonexistent, and the world-building is pure fantasy masquerading as urban legend. One minute you’re in a greasy spoon diner, the next you’re fighting sorcerers, flying skulls, and eight-foot-tall henchmen named Thunder. Kim Cattrall brings glamour and grit as love interest Gracie Law. It’s fun in bursts and John Carpenter’s direction gives it a pulpy, comic-book energy. But yeah, it’s weird. Not always coherent, often silly, and definitely not for everyone. It’s a cult classic for a reason: bold, bizarre, and bursting with style. Not a great film by traditional standards, but a damn entertaining one if you embrace the madness. Just don’t expect logic. Expect lightning demons. And maybe a little justice.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1986 | Watched: 2025-10-10
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Disney Plus
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from John Carpenter: Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) · They Live (1988) · The Fog (1980) · Escape from New York (1981)
More with Kurt Russell: The Fox and the Hound (1981) · Bone Tomahawk (2015) · Tombstone (1993) · Escape from New York (1981)
More from the 1980s: Nightmare City (1980) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Style Wars (1983) · Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
