67. Big Trouble in Little China (1986) - Dir. John Carpenter
Big Trouble in Little China is John Carpenter's fusion of western action convention and eastern mythology. It is a modern day wuxia pian, set in the west, featuring characters out of their element doing battle against forces from an altogether foreign land and distant time. While the action itself is not up to par with the true martial arts films of the time, it totally works as a whole package. It is an American film that truly does capture the gonzo genre-mashing attitude of its mid-school Hong Kong contemporaries. It's funny, reverent, well-written, and endlessly entertaining.
In a wonderful twist on stereotypical roles, the true hero of Big Trouble is not Kurt Russell's Jack Burton, it's Dennis Dun's character, Wang Chi. This is an incredibly brave move and adds a novel element to the film's narrative. Kurt Russell had previously been the heroic star of two Carpenter flicks, The Thing and Escape From New York, and so many, erroneously, assumed that he would be the hero of this film as well. In truth, however, Jack Burton is a bumbling idiot full of false bravado, good intentions, and a decent heart. He's a lucky bastard who, through sheer perseverance, stumbles into victory and into the arms of the ladies.
Wang Chi, on the other hand, is the true action hero of the film. Because the film takes place in Chinatown, Wang is in a familiar place - this is his 'hood. Chinatown represents his world enveloped inside of a larger foreign one; Chinatown is a microcosm of his own culture. Once Jack Burton steps off of his semi-truck, and places his foot on Chinatown soil, he becomes the fish out of water and the blind man needing a lead. John Carpenter totally turns the tables on the audience, and his film is all the better for it. Far too often in western martial arts films, we find a hunky “American” (Usually Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal) being the hero in their home country and while abroad. This notion that the westerner is always the bad-ass hero-type, even when in a foreign land, is rather insulting and played out; its an example of cultural-imperialism in its most base form.
In many ways, this film was far ahead of its time, or perhaps it completely missed the boat - I tend to believe the earlier. The kung fu craze in the west, started by Bruce Lee, had long since passed, and the next wave of martial mayhem was still a few years off. In this regard, Big Trouble stands as a proud and brilliant beacon of light in the dark caves of genre cinema. That it plays everything relatively straight, this is not a film poking fun at kung fu cinema, also adds to its anomalous stature. It opened in theatres in 1986, and there just wasn't anything else like it at the time. In many ways, I think it is Carpenter's bravest film. To follow up a series of strong horror and thriller films with a fantasy martial arts comedy is either a stroke of genius, or the signs of a madman gone off the deep end.
Speaking of madmen, I cannot fail to mention the great Lo Pan, played by the amazing James Hong , a truly memorable villain if there ever was one. Who can forget Lo Pan's evil, scratchy voice, or his light emitting eye balls? Or how about his long, razor-sharp fingernails and his ghost-like visage? Lo Pan simply kicks ass, and Hong's portrayal of the ancient, evil sorcerer is one of the all time great genre performances. Hong is funny, frightening, and memorable in the role, and totally nails each nuance of the character.
More than anything though, Big Trouble in Little China is entertaining. From beginning to end, it moves with a great pace. It has a creative and exciting narrative, and the film is overflowing with inventive set pieces, characters, and situations. John Carpenter, Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun, James Hong, and a young, and very gorgeous, Kim Cattrall, all come together to craft one amazing picture. Add in a bevy of rockin' special effects, some killer action, and the absolutely amazing Carter Wong as Thunder, one of the four elemental martial-wizards, and you have the blueprint for ass-kickery, and kick ass it does.
