Big Trouble in Little China

Name: Big Trouble in Little China
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy
Released: July 2, 1986
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 53
Cast: Kim Cattrall, Kurt Russell

1986

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 82 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 82 Ratings

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Big Trouble In Little China

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Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: July 2, 1986 | PG-13

Starring: Kim Cattrall, Kurt Russell

Summary: An All-American trucker gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in Chinatown.

Director: John Carpenter

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 99 min

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Critic Reviews

Scott Foundas

Big Trouble in Little China is a far more enjoyable mash-up of classic Westerns, Saturday-morning serials, and Chinese wu xia than any of the Indiana Jones movies, with Kurt Russell in full bloom as Carpenter’s de rigueur hard-drinkin’, hard-gamblin’, wise-crackin’ loner hero—a bowling-alley John Wayne. Read full review

Marc Bernardin

There are two kinds of people: the ones who have seen — and love — Big Trouble in Little China, a John Carpenter kung fu Western buddy Chinese ghost love story, and those poor saps who aren’t burdened with having to try and describe it to the uninitiated. Read full review

Walter Goodman

What matters is the stunts and the spirit, and this latest set of exotic exploits of an indomitable hero (Kurt Russell) and a spunky heroine (Kim Cattrall) gives good value. Read full review

David Ansen

Tthough it is action packed, spectacularly edited and often quite funny, one can't help feeling that Carpenter is squeezing the last drops out of a fatigued genre. Ten years ago this would have been one wild and crazy movie; in this era of ruthlessly efficient entertainments, it's a rather one-note evening. [14 July 1986, p.69]

Roger Ebert

The first 30 minutes of the movie gave me lots of room for hope. It was fast-moving, it was visually spectacular, it was exotic and lighthearted and filled with a spirit of adventure. But then, gradually, the movie began to recycle itself. It began to feel as if I was seeing the same thing more than once. Read full review

Christine Arnold

The big trouble with John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China is its tone. This time out, the director of Halloween and Starman has concocted a cartoon with human characters -- or, as it is described in the movie's press materials, a mystical action-adventure comedy-kung-fu monster-ghost story. Any film that needs that many adjectives to explain itself is already in trouble. [03 July 1986, p.D9]

Rick Kogan

Though the film does contain a few minutes of patented Carpenter camera magic, it is unable to sustain either story or character. For all its flash and color, it is a dull film--an artless dig in the Spielberg garden. [02 July 1986, p.C3]

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User Reviews

Jemonov

Sep 6, 2018

This movie doesn't contain a single irrelevant scene, nay, not even a frame. Everything is there for the sole reason of being awesome. A perfect movie.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

Lambo442

Jan 23, 2019

Had this one on VHS as a kid and watched it over and over and over again until it was practically unwatchable due to wear and tear. It really is a young lad's wet dream, with martial arts, magic, machine guns and Kurt Russell dishing out the one liners and strutting through every scene withHad this one on VHS as a kid and watched it over and over and over again until it was practically unwatchable due to wear and tear. It really is a young lad's wet dream, with martial arts, magic, machine guns and Kurt Russell dishing out the one liners and strutting through every scene with his unique brand of bravado and swagger, saving the girl, beating the bad guys and then home in time for cornflakes.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

amontillado

Nov 26, 2017

This is a movie that the critics got wrong. The greatest collection of one liners, over-the-top schlock action, and Kurt Russel's bravado make this a tasty jam. You will laugh, you will cry from some of the greatest sentences ever uttered by a human being. You will also be amazed by how theThis is a movie that the critics got wrong. The greatest collection of one liners, over-the-top schlock action, and Kurt Russel's bravado make this a tasty jam. You will laugh, you will cry from some of the greatest sentences ever uttered by a human being. You will also be amazed by how the film fools you with who the real hero of the movie is, and I'm not just talking Kim Cattrall. If you love schlock, if you love cheesy one liners, if you are a nerd (a true blue one not one of the wannabes), then this is the movie for you. Perfect for groups or if you're by yourself (cause you are a nerd), crack open a cold one (if you're of age), dig into that pizza and enjoy.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

EdReview

Jun 30, 2021

The film is very funny, good protagonist, good actors, Kurt Russel fit perfectly the role of Jack Burton, the story is great and filled with fantasy and also religious elements of the Chinese culture. The FX for the year 1986 are great.
One of those film that can easily be watched with someThe film is very funny, good protagonist, good actors, Kurt Russel fit perfectly the role of Jack Burton, the story is great and filled with fantasy and also religious elements of the Chinese culture. The FX for the year 1986 are great.
One of those film that can easily be watched with some popcorn, not excluding the story and the characters and enjoying the adventures of the Ol'Jack Burton.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Boggiebamph123

Oct 9, 2022

Fun. Funny. Imaginative. I revert back to my 12 year old self when watching this film. Carpenter only asks you to check your adult sensibility and responsibility at the door. Let Kurt Russell/Jack Burton be your tour guide to to China Town. It's a comic book come to life. A perfect movie itFun. Funny. Imaginative. I revert back to my 12 year old self when watching this film. Carpenter only asks you to check your adult sensibility and responsibility at the door. Let Kurt Russell/Jack Burton be your tour guide to to China Town. It's a comic book come to life. A perfect movie it isn't. A damn good time it is. Nuff said.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ahmedaiman9999

Sep 30, 2018

-"Ol' Jack Always Says... What The Hell?"

Filled with cheesy one-liners, next-level campy spirit, bizarre and silly fighting sequences, oddball humor, and zany special effects. All these things made Big Trouble in Little China nothing but a funny guilty-pleasure, but I don't totally agree-"Ol' Jack Always Says... What The Hell?"

Filled with cheesy one-liners, next-level campy spirit, bizarre and silly fighting sequences, oddball humor, and zany special effects. All these things made Big Trouble in Little China nothing but a funny guilty-pleasure, but I don't totally agree with that opinion.

Actually, I think this movie is a strong proof that John Carpenter was one of the best, and most versatile filmmakers who worked in the eighties. With all the mentioned-above delightful ingredients, Carpenter didn't neglect making a good movie in the first place.

It's really impressive to see Carpenter among all this sheer fun utilizing many cinema tropes, such as; Chekhov's Gun, and MacGuffin. Or to see him really care about the main character improvement. Just try to remember how Jack Burton became totally different at the end from what he was when we introduced to him for the first time. Needless to say, that Kurt Russell gave an incredibly charismatic performance.

The movie is not without its flaws nonetheless, for there are some issues I couldn't help but notice. First and foremost, the first act represented a lot of characters, and potential sub-plots that didn't pay off neither as the story progresses, nor at the end of the movie.
Secondly, I think Margo, a journalist played by Kate Burton, was completely useless, and seemed to exist only to fill up some places. Finally, there was a lot of exposition that we didn't even need. I mean what's the benefit of telling us the same information two or three times. If some characters don't know some information that doesn't mean that we need to witness all the main characters, one by one, get the same information over and over again! I found the romantic relationship between Jack Burton and Gracie Law a bit cringe-worthy at first, but then it turned out that this was intentional, and this very relationship even became very satisfying for me by the end of the movie.

This is the movie that invented the expression "A blast from start to finish."

(7.5/10)… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Gelfling

Mar 3, 2020

I really wanted to love this, the basic idea sounds great after all. Unfortunately this movie is really just bad, not even so bad its funny. No, its just boring bad. As an action movie the action is just bad or mediocre. As a comedy its not really funny enough. As a fantasy movie thereI really wanted to love this, the basic idea sounds great after all. Unfortunately this movie is really just bad, not even so bad its funny. No, its just boring bad. As an action movie the action is just bad or mediocre. As a comedy its not really funny enough. As a fantasy movie there isnt much fantasy. As a special effects movie the FX are mostly bad or boring. Very disappointed. Ve… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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