Rating: Summary: Action and Comedy. Does it get any better? Review: "Shut up, Mr. Burton. You were not brought upon this Earth to 'get it'."A lot of people hated this movie when it came out... the only reason I can think of as to why is because it was right after Escape From New York. I suppose they were all thinking that this film would be like Escape. It's not. It's more like the Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai. It's a comedy first, then an action film. And as a comedy, it is FANTASTIC! Kurt Russell plays Jack Burton, a truck driver who finds himself in a strange web of Chinese Drama as he and pal Wang Chi (played by Dennis Dun) set out to rescue Wang's girlfriend from the evil David Lo Pan. One of the most overlooked actors in this film is James Hong who portrays David Lo Pan. Hong plays Lo Pan to the top. Maybe it's his background as a comedian, but James Hong makes the unbelievable David Lo Pan beleivable and real... and at the same time, keeps it comic and campy. And this film is nothing if not campy! On the action side, it's classic Chinese Opera updated (slightly) for the 80's. Guys flying around, swordfights in mid-air, and lots of Kung-Fu! The choreography is good, and the fights are done very well. I don't know if Dennis Dun did his own stunts and fighting, but if he didn't, the stuntman was a dead-ringer for him ...and was amazing! As in all of John Carpenter's films, the visual effects and special effects are great. It's hard to beleive that only about 10% of the movie was filmed on location in San Francsico. The rest was all done on sound stages. If you're looking for a good chuckle with a bit of martial arts thrown in, this is the film for you!
Rating: Summary: An 80's classic!! Review: When I first saw this in 1986,being a a Carpenter fan,I was disappointed.However.after having watched the fantastic 2 disc dvd today,I have to say that compared to the crap passing as summer blockbusters these days that it is an underrated gem of a movie, Kurt Russell is at his very best here,hamming it for all its worth,his Jack Burtonisms delivered like no one else could,the"white tiger "scene being a standout.Great photography,art direction,music and action.Great disc.Glad I bought it.Another great thing about dvd,you remember films you thought you had forgotten,and to look back on them with the sort of presentation on these discs ,well it breathes a whole new life into them.
Rating: Summary: Definitely worth the wait Review: This marks the 3rd John Carpenter-Kurt Russell Laserdisc/DVD release featuring their running commentary (after Escape from NY and The Thing). On Big Trouble in Little China, they spend less time talking about the nuts and bolts of the movie per se, but it's still great to have this feature. As both Carpenter and Russell allude, Big Trouble in Little China found its audience several years after its theatrical release. This movie is great! After "Enter the Dragon" it is the ultimate Saturday midnight matinee! There is never a dull moment. The film is fast-paced but the action is never relentless or mind-numbing. It is a heck of a lot of fun. There has been some controversy about how this film depicts Asians. I am Asian and while I understand the argument in terms of film writ large, I don't think BTLC is guilty of perpetuating stereotypes. If this was a Chinese director no one would have said a word. BTLC draws upon the entire cinematic tradition of Asian martial arts films--some serious, some outright comic--and features noted actors Dennis Dun and Victor Wong, who always bring a level of intelligence to their roles. I found nothing disagreeable about this film at all. I think this is one of John Carpenter's best all around films period.
Rating: Summary: Better than "Crouching Tiger" . . . Review: . . . because it doesn't take itself seriously. And it's simply a better movie, period. Classic camp from Carpenter and Russell (the commentary track is priceless). Oustanding performances are turned in by the entire cast. The fight scenes are very well choreographed and the story maintains a quick and even pace. This DVD is loaded with goodies.
Rating: Summary: Welcome 2 disc set Review: Wonderful print of big fun movie. It gets better with age
Rating: Summary: Lasts the test of time Review: Definately it has gotten better with age. The print quality will be a treat for carpenter fans.
Rating: Summary: A Great, Quirky but Fun Flick!!! Review: Big Trouble in Little China is what a Popcorn movie should be. Lot's of action but at the same time lot's of laugh's as well. John Carpenter has thrown in some key, funny moments that really keep the film going smoothly. And Kurt Russel is at his best as the non-typical hero who keeps dropping his weapons and getting his butt kicked, but his fast "reflexes" are what keeps him alive it seems. Some good creepy scenes from fright-master Carptenter, but not too much gore to keep the younger viewers from watching! The sound and video transfer are both great, didn't see anything distracting at all! Great Flick!
Rating: Summary: Big Laughs Review: For those of you who haven't seen Big Trouble in Little China--Stop whatever you're doing right now and go get it. This movie is terrific. It is one of those two in the morning with a big bucket of popcorn movies. It has got everything, action, ..., laughs and all with this self-depreciating smirk that is absolutely refresing in an evironment of too-cool-for-you hollywood [stuff]. Kurt Russel (who is an overlooked but extremely talented actor) gives a tour-de-force performance that holds the whole movie together. Not many people would say this, but it is entirely his effort that makes this movie worthwhile. His character, the inflated Jack Burton, is quite frankly a total loser. This fact is entirely obvious to everybody but him and his persistance in percieving himself as totally cool despite all evidence to the contrary is what makes him so endearing. Not only is he not cool, but he insists on proclaiming his coolness with this exagurated John Wayne swagger that ends up making a mockery of everything and everybody. In the end, he does become sort of cool just by sheer force of will, it happens sort of by random and it is, amazingly, totally believable. It seems perfectly natural when his coolness is achieved and acknowledged, and the inevitablity of this conclusion is summed up best by Jack Burton's own assessment, "It's all in the reflexes!"
Rating: Summary: 3.5 On The Amazon Scale Review: John Carpenter is, by far, one of the most dignified names in horror. His name alone is enough to grab the attention of raving fanboys and make them expect some sort of extreme horror fest. And he always delivers...with a few exceptions among these few filmic endeavors lies the classic comedy gem Big Trouble in Little China. Don't expect horror here, folks. Don't expect a movie full of cool martial arts, good camera work and editing, or fantastic special effects. Just expect a movie that is all fun and really nonsensical. That in mind Big Trouble can be big fun. The story follows Jack Burton, a trucker with a penchant for cracking wise even in the most perilous of situations. You see it seems Jack, upon following a debt owed to him by an old friend from Chinatown, has just fallen between a cataclysmic battle between an ancient Mandarin sorcerer (equipped with the powerful two large groups of goons and the mystical 3 storms) and a clan of good-doers with the intention of thwarting his ancient evil. This is were it gets sticky, people are introduced to the plot .... Does it make sense that so and so is introduced here and he/she just pop in there? No, but don't try to make sense of it just have fun. Jack, who loses his truck amidst the initial encounter between the good guys and the bad guys, sets out to recover it and get his money. To do so he must help his friend recover his girlfriend who is to become the Mandarin sorceror's bride. Along the way he conveniently falls in love with the girl who the ancient sorceror Lo-Pan chooses as a second bride. Witty one-liners, attitude, cheesy but fun effects, and lots of fun follow. Folks, i love John Carpenter. His horror films revolutionized the industry and made me lose lots of sleep, but this is not his typical film. .... Carpenter knew this was very unbased material and he just had fun with it and fun is what you get from this movie. And lots of it. .... Technically this dvd is a fun little package. The sound is a nice dolby digital 4.1 or a dts track depending on what you choose/have. Its nice, nothing flashy but at least they don't lie to you and tell you it has a higher grade sound. There are two discs, the first containing the movie and commentary. The commentary is fun as [heck] and the movie is such as well. The second disk features include trailers, tv spots, deleted scenes, alternate ending, a cheesy video featuring John Carpenter (my favorite part), and other fun bits. A nice little package....
Rating: Summary: Dan Inosanto? Jackie Chan? who else is in this film!?! Review: This is a must own movie!!!! If you are into anime, manga, cult classics, or any kind of kick-butt action films, you MUST own this!!!!! It is just too tight to describe.
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