BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986) Revisited: John Carpenter Movie Review

1986's John Carpenter action-extravaganza, Big Trouble in Little China, is among the eighties' most beloved and celebrated movies. If you've seen the recent Thor: Love and Thunder trailer, Chris Hemsworth is wearing the same shirt Kurt Russell's Jack Burton wore throughout his adventure underneath San Francisco's Chinatown. Yet, the film itself was not a hit back in 1986. It was a box office disaster, grossing only $11 million domestically. The film owes its cult following to the fact that it made its debut just as the VHS boom was in full swing. While it may have bombed in theaters, cassettes flew off the rental aisles at video stores, and the movie also became a perennial favorite on cable. This was when its reputation started to grow, and in the early days of the internet, some of the first fan pages ever were for this Kurt Russell classic.
In this episode of Revisited, we dig into the film's roots, which began with a screenplay set in the Wild West. We explore Russell's casting and that his character, Jack Burton, is far from the Indiana Jones clone the studio marketed him as. We discuss the fantastic cast, including a young Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, Victor Wong, and the iconic and seemingly immortal James Hong, who plays the villain, Lo Pan!
Check out Big Trouble in Little China and let us know in the comments how you feel this movie holds up thirty-six years later.
For more MOVIE NEWS, visit: www.joblo.com
SUBSCRIBE for more of all the LATEST JoBlo Videos here: goo.gl/R9U81J
#bigtroubleinlittlechina #johncarpenter #kurtrussell

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

"Shut up, Mr. Burton! You are not brought upon this world to get it!" Pure dialogue gold.

[@markusforsberg6741]

Oh come on lu pan is

[@petermerchant4439]

"...and if we're not back by dawn, call the President."

[@adamkatt]

and remember, the check is in the mail.

[@dmc3079]

Have you paid your dues Jack?

[@feck2594]

Carpenter was right about the casting , everyone was perfect in their roles , it's one of the things that made the movie so damn good.

[@forlornfool221]

so true..

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

James Hong is an absolute legend. 93 years old and still going strong.

[@40g33k]

Also in Showdown in Little Tokyo, which I re-watched last night.

[@NaneelQueenOfDarknes]

Yes! and he is finally going to get a star on the walk of fame. About damn time i say. lol Luv him as covetous shen in Diablo 3

[@ArcherSuh4721]

@@40g33k Showdown in Little Tokyo is a truly underrated movie. The Sean Connery-Wesley Snipes movie Rising Sun came out two years later and it had the same basic premise and story, even the same actors (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Tia Carrere, who again plays the same love interest role). And even though Rising Sun was based on a novel, it was published a year after Showdown in Little Tokyo was released. I can't really say if it's a rip-off or not, but there are A LOT of similarities.

[@Bakaat777]

Great in "Blade runner". Funny as hell in "The Big Bang Theory".

[@weldonwin]

InDEEEEED!

[@gitgeronimo9375]

This film was so absolutely beautifully shot! It’s so original and weird, and Kurt Russell is incredible in it. Love this movie! It needs a proper 4K release.

[@What.99]

I’m actually kinda shocked that it doesn’t have a 4K release yet. I went searching so I could post you a link, because I was sure that this fantastic movie would have had a 4K release by now… I was very wrong. This movie deserves a 4K release…

[@gitgeronimo9375]

@@What.99 crazy, isn’t it?

[@What.99]

@@gitgeronimo9375 Yes. Crazy, and disappointing.

[@chrislail3824]

I consider this to be one of the most perfectly paced movies. Even with going through so many sets and scenes it moves along at such a brisk pace.

[@Zeithri]

The scene of the big fight with Jack, cheering and shooting his gun into the air and knocking himself out is one of my favorite scenes of all movies ever x3

[@GrimmPoetics]

It was his ideal too.

[@flippy101mph9]

I love how he just laughs triumphantly like he's some sort of hero He's not he's a fucking idiot 🤣🤣🤣 KZbin's saying this is an offensive comment COME ON

[@0dnan]

How I play video games is basically that scene.

[@pbxn-3rdx-85percent]

Kurt Russel oblivious to the lipstick on his lips is the best joke in this movie. Never gets old.

[@dissolution]

One of my favorite movies ever. Endlessly quotable, great characters, and fun for years. Lo Pan forever!!!

[@WAProdthejohman]

I remember watching this movie on tv in the 90s, as a kid into martial arts and fantasy, i loved it so much that i recorded it to a VHS tape and watched it hundreds of times! Everything it's great, the comedy, the effects, the characters, the action, the mythology, it's a freakin classic

[@crockett888]

one of the best 80's classic! i remember watching it on VHS.

[@DakoGuyver]

I've seen this movie so many times over the years. You get some snacks, some drinks, some friends, and have a good time.

[@etiennekosa]

A classic for sure. It's what motion pictures are supposed to be. Jack and Wang are a great team. I love the elevator scene after they drink the potion. "We really shook the pillars of heaven didn't we Wang?"

[@Crimson28]

“Follow the leader! One, two, three!” *opens door, sees henchmen, closes door, locks it* “We may be trapped!”

[@plutoniumcore]

"Hide!"

[@jules-yi8rn]

I remember watching this in the movie theater - what an amazing movie....I was quoting Jack Burton for months before my friends caught it on cable and knew what the hell I was talking about. It's a shame it failed to find an audience at the theater, but I'm glad that it's garnered a following - it earned it.

[@yadjekim]

I had the VHS in the 80's, still have it on DVD. It's been in my TOP 10 for decades.

[@BlazePiffington]

Just like some other John Carpenter products, this one was misunderstood when it first released in the box office. It’s just a hot octane from start to finish adventure. You just go along for the ride, really awesome how they employed a lot of the issues that happened back in 1920 San Francisco Chinatown along with Chinese lore

[@jamesmorant1406]

Your right it's good fun entertainment

[@chrisgill261]

Audiences in the 80s didn't know shit apparently

[@jamesmorant1406]

@@chrisgill261 no they didn't

[@willythepeachfacelovebird]

@@chrisgill261 We did though. Our parents didn't.

[@SuperMickyChow]

My perfect Rainy Weekend viewing when I was a kid was a VHS double bill of The Goonies followed by this! One of my all-time favourite movies

[@nickgangone9541]

I've love this movie and always will. Total classic.

[@odnewdylee]

Using Shanghai Noon as the backdrop while going over the original screen play. Nice lol.

[@thecunninlynguist]

A certified classic. Stupid kid me thought this was the mortal kombat movie (before an actual Mortal kombat movie was released) since it had a lot of similarities. Jack is the man!

[@reptilian_geneticist]

It was actually the inspiration for mortal kombat... this movie came out before mortal kombat existed

[@thecunninlynguist]

@@reptilian_geneticist yeah I know. I only thought it came out after the game cause I saw it after, despite it being years old by 92.

[@joeslickback]

"Have you paid your dues, Jack? Yes sir, the check is in the mail"

[@AC-dt1rk]

Snake Plissken and Jack Burton are my 2 favorite Kurt Russell characters. Both are classics

[@kendallrivers1119]

Hey, now Jack MacReady needs some love ;)

[@AC-dt1rk]

@@kendallrivers1119 the Thing is a classic also, no doubt 👌

[@soyburglar1878]

The ‘80s was such a wonderfully strange time for movies and music. Well, I suppose for American culture, period. I personally enjoyed the decade thoroughly from the age of 3 until 12, and can confirm that it was an amazing decade to be a kid. Movies like ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ and ‘Escape From New York’ were among my favorite, as were ‘Mannequin’, ‘Howard the Duck’, and ‘Follow That Bird’. I also appreciated some of the more adult-themed adventure flicks like ‘Remo Williams’, ‘Romancing the Stone’, and ‘Jewel of the Nile’. So wonderfully weird, but hella entertaining.

[@adriennereyes5405]

Love this film I'm staying clear of the remake if they ever make one

[@BatCaveOz]

This movie was criminally underrated.

[@KesselRunner606]

BTILC is right up there with Top Gun, Wrath of Khan or Back to the Future, as one of The defining movies of the 80s. A movie that doesn't age with time, but instead tells you everything to need to know about what it was like to see movies back then. How they were conceived, how they were scripted, how they were paced, how they were acted, the lighting and use of colour, the framing, the set design, the action sequences, the characters that were played to the hilt and larger than life, the lines that are instantly quotable before memes was even a word. Forever in love

[@kendallrivers1119]

Don't forget Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, Aliens, The Last Dragon, Predator, Lethal Weapon and Terminator. The 80s was a really special and innovative time for film.

[@fredskull1618]

It’s so weird that this wasn’t as big a hit in its day. I fell in love with this movie instantly when I was 7, when I saw the edited version on Saturday afternoon TV, and my mind was blown when I finally got a theatrical copy of the movie on VHS. So much fun.

[@thespicemelange.1]

I remember watching this when it first came out on VHS. It was so awesome! I couldn't get enough of it! I'd watch it every time it came on TV. This movie was so freaking awesome!

[@genozuzek7401]

John Carpenter movies are rarely box office gold, but they are usually entertaining. So many "auteurs" are trying to cram subtext into their movies, trying to seem profound or deep. But they fail at capturing interest. John Carpenter makes future memories of times we were entertained for 90 minutes.

[@TheWhatMan80]

"The check is in the mail"

[@markusforsberg6741]

And munching on he's disgusting looking bread.:D

[@Irisheyesd1]

I loved this movie from the get go. A hilarious tongue in cheek action flick. Kurt Is the only who could pull it off.

[@TriceUA]

Underrated classic!

[@catherineholden6388]

After it came out on video, some friends and I watched it. All of just sat there after the film, not sure what we had just witnessed. We finally realized we had just watched a magnificent comedy and it's been a favorite ever since.

[@flagg1129b]

Big trouble is absolutely one of my favorite movies of all time. Carpenter's movies were always so great under the radar type movies.

[@anapple.4338]

For the past few days me and my dad have been watching his favorite movies as a kid. So far we’ve seen the golden child and big trouble in little China, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them. These movies feel like a fresh of breath air, their so unique compared to a lot of movies today. Also rip victor wong

[@Bakaat777]

A friend of mine and I went to see this twice at the theatre... glad there were few there. One of our favorites of all time.

[@Harri927]

This is one of my favorite movies and I really love this movie.

[@wstine79]

I love watching this movie as a kid. All the Mystical elements drew me in. It's a shame people try to bash this film today because it was an Asian heavy film directed by John Carpenter.

[@kendallrivers1119]

Those people are idiots. What they think and say mean nothing. What will always matter is how much people still love this movie all these years later.

[@GrimmPoetics]

Who is doing that?

[@Zacknafin]

Watched this with my kids... They could not stop lolzing the whole movie. The whole cast is perfectly selected. Each a great character.

[@RayfieldA]

This is my first time hearing that this film was considered a Flop! I was 19 when this movie hit theaters. Myself and many of my friends Loved this movie!! We watched it multiple times!! Truly a classic. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@GrimmPoetics]

They can call anything a flop

[@Sticks_of_Truth]

This is a must for any film fan. John Carpenter's The Thing, Alien, Aliens and Big Trouble in Little China are in constant rotation for my favorite film ever. 75% of the time my answer will be Big Trouble In Little China in the top spot. The characters and performances are of such Timeless entertaining quality it's hard to pinpoint what ingredients in the recipe make this particular dish so damn tasty.

[@octagonseventynine1253]

Throw in 2001: Space Odyssey and I feel the same

[@Sticks_of_Truth]

@@octagonseventynine1253 I'd add so many others. With Kubrick I love Odyssey but I'm more of a Full Metal Shining man. Being There, Kill Bill, Leon and The Natural take up much of my mind space. I have a huge painting of David Lo Pan that I had made, with framed theatrical posters of The Evil Dead and Night of the Living Dead on each side. I'm a simple man that when truthful with myself is entertained the most by Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China and The Thing. Two of three other canvas framed posters on the other side of my room. With the other frame being that of a new modern masterpiece. A love letter to a ton of my favorite films. The television series Mr. Robot.

[@kendallrivers1119]

@@Sticks_of_Truth my man I love your taste! I'd also throw in the first Predator 1987, Jaws and Terminator 1 and 2 for me.

[@thomasturpin124]

One of the best comedy/action movies of all time. I actually repurchased it last week. An absolute classic!!

[@tinypinata505]

I've loved this movie since the beginning. Couldn't get enough of it.

[@Redfoot138]

I remember catching this on HBO in 1987 midway through. My 10-year old mind was blown away as my preconceptions about what an action movie could be were shattered. And why hadn't I friggin heard of this beauty!!??

[@Mayor_Of_Eureka17]

The editing choice and clips used here were simply fantastic

[@troywinston]

Oh, it holds up. It's always been, and always will be one of my favorite films. During this time period, John Carpenter made several of my top favorites, in fact. The Thing, The Fog, Halloween, Starman, and this here.

[@shoesncheese]

This movie was so lovingly made, overflowing with homages to the kung fu movies I used to watch on Saturday afternoons. The people weren't ready for it.

[@hellrock2829]

This is my favorite movie all time. I have lost count how many times i have watched this :)

[@SirSmoldham]

I heard rumors that Jack Burton was was going to be a part of the sequel "Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League." I was on the sets of "Big Trouble" because my friend and writing partner was head security guard at Fox. Many of the martial artists honored me by starring in my first feature. Those sets were awesome and the one the gang war took place was reused to great effect in one of my favorite Janet Jackson videos. "When I Think of You" done in one take to really show it off.

[@crithon]

just rewatched this, and it holds up better than I remember. James Hong really looks like he's having a lot of fun in all the wild NEON make up.

[@VegasLoungeAct]

This is one of the greatest 80s films. Love it.

[@WalldoTheWInner]

I finally watched this from start to finish the other day after only seeing bits and pieces over the years. It's one of my favorite movies now. 12 year old me would have been blown away.

[@weemark18]

what an underrated gem this movie is!!!

[@MisterBrimm]

One of my favorite movies of all time. Good for endless viewings.

[@eme.261]

I loved this freaking bag of lunacy movie so dman much, when I was younger. I'll have to rewatch it, soon, and hope I find it as funny as I used to back then.

[@octagonseventynine1253]

Top 10 favourite movie for me. Since childhood

[@leogarcia1761]

Jack's superpower was his great reflexes. It's how he kills the guy at the end

[@modnarer]

Yes sir, the checks in the mail

[@markgreiser464]

John Carpenter was a genius. Loved this Movie and "The Thing" and "They Live". Those were two of the most thought-provoking Movies I had ever seen.

[@chucksudduth]

One of my favorite movies. I saw this movie back in 1987, and bought it a few years ago on dvd. "Have you paid your dues Jack? Yessir the check's in the mail."

[@MackyFermion]

This is one of my favorite pictures and it is still one of the most unusually unique film experiences. 🤩

[@brianjohnson5272]

I always even at 4 years old thought of the Egg/Pan wizard duel as a magic version of a fighting video game.

[@ZrodyApo]

This movie was one that I watched early on in my childhood (while I wasn't supposed to 😇😆) and nearly 40 years later I don't regret a thing It's one of those classics you can't just not appreciate

[@peter08xxx]

I love Big Trouble in Little China, I've watched it so many times and never gets old! :D

[@djassassinuk]

One of my all time favourite movies.

[@ArcherSuh4721]

I'm genuinely surprised Big Trouble In Little China was never adapted into a videogame. It just seems like it would have been at some point...

[@sfd4603]

Thank you for revisiting this movie! One of my all time favorites!!!

[@ec1665]

"are you ready?" "i was born ready." best line of dialogue uttered by any actor in any movie ever.

[@MKPSG12]

I mustve watched this film 20-30 times, I absolutely love it! Kurt Russell is utterly hilarious in it!

[@hectorbartlett567]

It's cult classics movies like this, that made the 80's so great ... P.S, No one does cheesy roles better than Kurt Russell

[@davidravenscroft1641]

An absolute classic!!!!.

[@RaymondKarlVeasey75]

"It's All In The Reflexes." - Jack Burton

[@magniac3955]

I was amazed by this movie as child and still love it to this day. I can remember when Mortal Kombat came out and thinking man that guy Raiden looks just like the one from Big trouble in Little China.

[@ExcelsiorTech]

I saw this in a $1 theater with my dad when it was first released. The monster at the end coming out of the semi and the exploding man scared the crud out of me back then. Now this is one of my favorite movies. Highly quotable and fun!

[@s1n4m1n]

I guess I'm one of the few who saw it in theaters in 1986. Haha. When I saw the trailer for it I couldn't wait to see it. I was not disappointed in the least. It's always been a great film in my book and I eminently rewatchable.

[@formallyknownasj.a.2074]

One of my all time favorites. I grew up watching this movie in the 80s as a kid and have since passed it onto my son who loves it as well. Hell, there was a time where he put it on every night at bed time. Classic movie that makes me smile every time I watch it.

[@adamsabata9794]

Saw it in the theater during a matinee in 1986. Movie Gold from day 1. There were just 5 in attendance. My mother, brother, and myself near the back while a mother and son were in the front. One of my fondest childhood memories. Please share this movie with those you appreciate and love as it was made with those intentions. Plus, check out the commentary as Carpenter and Russell are a blast to listen too.

[@reptilian_geneticist]

It's pretty cool how the characters in this movie were the inspiration for Mortal Kombat...

[@bringyourtoystolife]

Victor Wong was in both this movie and The Golden Child.

[@jomirife]

Great movie, I watched it many times on VHS

[@daveishereuk]

One of my all time favourite films. Kurt Russell was awesome and so funny to watch.

[@sicklefinger]

I watched it in the cinema when it came out and thought it was a great movie. years later, I've seen it a bunch more, my opinion changed. It is a fantastic movie!

[@paulrash8861]

This movie simply can never be remade...it's to perfect the way it is

[@forlornfool221]

When I need to go back to my 80s on watch this.. bonus is my son's also enjoy

[@thegadflygang5381]

I like the opening addendum, for once agreeing with the studio. Seeing EGG SHEN stand tall for his friend and ally JACK BURTON comes across endearing and sets the tone for the movie. Jack may be trouble. He may be buffoonish. He might screw up. But he is a LOYAL FRIEND and by default brave

[@Dragonryder-iv6vi]

This :) exactly this.

[@billyrattlesticks6949]

This is one of the most 80's movies ever made lol it's why I revisit it so often, it's cheesy as hell and completely bonkers but everything just works. The cast are absolutely perfect, right down to the most minor roles, the music, direction, sound, comedy and action all just click. I love the shit out of this. Back when movies were made to entertain people, made from mostly original ideas and cast with people who were the best fit for a certain role, I miss the 80's, they just don't make them like this anymore. Kurt Russel is hilarious in this, James Hong and Victor Wong just bring charm to everything they're in and you can't not mention Al Leong who just popped up in everything in the 80's, usually to be killed off within a few minutes but he really was the 80's 'That guy' As for the planned remake of this with The Rock, I only have one this to say.....WTF????? NOOOOOO!

[@Unalochy]

Kurt Russell wanting to make sure that they so strongly pushed the part of him being an unskilled sidekick with a protag complex was so ahead of its time!

[@Anonymous38572]

I used to watch this almost daily when I was a kid I had it on DVD. Love this movie

[@christermyrberg3661]

Escape From New York/Escape From L.A. duology will always be my favourite from John Carpenter but this one is definitely my #2 from his filmography 👌

[@nickf6587]

Still one of the all time greats !!!

[@lfroncek]

At least once a week this movie plays in the background in my house while I'm working.

[@HuyPham-io4vu]

One of my childhood favorites.

[@OffRampTourist]

Thanks! This film and Buckaroo Bonzai are both favorites.

[@bennygerow]

This was one of the defining movies of my childhood!

[@watch-box]

Was, is, and always will be one of my all time favorite films. Introduced my children to it, and they now say the same. Please, please, please hollywood DO NOT remake (reboot, rehash, regender) it.

[@StevenAbney]

One of my all-time favorite movies. It’s a shame it was so overlooked and misunderstood when it came out.

[@mattchew6426]

An all-time banger of a movie...

[@chain_sawyer7469]

This movie is way under rated.Just like Season of the Witch.Its an awesome movie once given the chance!!

[@jamesbednar8625]

Good review!! Can remember seeing this movie in the theaters when it first came out in 1986. Was a fan thenand still am to this day. Great movie!!!!

[@virgil3241]

Just watched this last month. My 20 year old son wants to watch a bunch of older movies I think are essential watching. With this, The Thing, Christine and They Live (which is my all time favorite) we have a ton of John Carpenter covered. All the Lethal Weapons as well, Roger Rabbit, The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I could go one :-) But seeing this again for the first time in probably 20 years, it was just as fun as I remembered.

[@sirshmiggins2786]

You should Beetlejuice and Legand to that list for your son.

[@virgil3241]

@@sirshmiggins2786 Oh I have a huge list. But theres only so much time on the weekends as well.