Big Trouble in Little China
Directed by John Carpenter (1986)
How do you know when you have a weird sense of humor? When you think,Big Trouble in Little China is one of the funniest movies ever made. With a rocking synth soundtrack by director John Carpenter himself, this movie is a pulp masterpiece of the ’80s. Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) is a brash, cocky antihero who doesn’t realize he’s actually the sidekick in his own story. The real protagonist is Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), a skilled, sincere, and immensely likable character who acts as the perfect counterbalance to Jack’s clueless bravado.
Kim Cattrall plays a sharp-witted Chinatown tenet investigating the kidnapping of Wang’s green-eyed fiancée by an underground syndicate of black magic sorcerers. Leading this bizarre cabal is the immortal and malevolent Lo Pan, played with gleeful menace by James Hong. You can tell he’s having the time of his life in the role—switching from decrepit old man to towering spectral overlord with theatrical flair. Lo Pan is a villain for the ages: equal parts terrifying and amusing.
The film wastes no time diving headfirst into absurdity and never looks back. It throws you into a universe where ancient Chinese mysticism and martial arts fantasy are hidden just beneath the surface of modern San Francisco. Jack is the perfect audience surrogate—confused, overconfident, and always one step behind the action.
What makes the film so special is its tone: it’s dark and strange, filled with real danger and stakes, but it’s also laugh-out-loud funny. Carpenter and screenwriter W.D. Richter never wink at the camera, but the movie’s self-awareness is baked into its DNA. The logic of the world is wild but consistent, and the story unfolds with such confidence that you never stop to question it. A floating eyeball security demon? Sure. A lightning-wielding sorcerer doing backflips through the air? Why not. The film earns your trust, then delights in defying every expectation.
I’ve loved this movie since childhood, and it’s only gotten better with age. It’s imaginative, eerie, hilarious, and endlessly rewatchable—easily one of John Carpenter’s best, and definitely my personal favorite.
Rating: A
