If there was a movie that I would recommend to all audiences and by audiences I mean fans from several movie styles I would probably pick the one I consider the greatest movie ever made by John Carpenter, master of the 80's Cult films, and that movie is today's special guest at [Spam]-Alternative: Big Trouble in Little China, AKA Masacre en el Barrio Chino. So, let me convince you with a humble review.
first, Big Trouble in Little China is probably one of the most influential 80's movies in our world pop culture. Thousands of references to this film have been made in newer movies, videogames, comic books and even life style! For instance, take the greatest fighting videogame ever made Mortal Kombat and think about the similarities this game has with Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China and voila! most of the Mortal Kombat game were somehow born from the movie, take Raiden, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang & Kung Lao and add the magic and martial arts-meets-street fighting and that's it, you've found the Mortal Kombat formula.
Second, the movie, I mean the movie guys! the movie itself is a masterpiece, I for one think Carpenter's tour de force is this movie and I'll tell you why: this movie has it all, a good story which doesn't get stuck during the whole running time of the film but, there's more: the action scenes, the dialogues, the acting, the special effects & the music do add up.
Jack Burton fights martial arts and magic with guns.
The good guys team.
Want to know more about this ultimate 1986 classic? alright, shoulders to the wheel!
As stated above Big Trouble in Little China fits the definition of a cult film. Not popular on its initial release – being blocked by other summer films of 1986 such as ALIENS – it has since developed a following which it most certainly deserves. John Carpenter purposely made this a B-movie and I commend him for that, because it certainly is a blast and the chemistry between characters with Kurt Russell at the center is mostly entertaining.
The plot revolves around an ancient feud between two separate Chinese groups that has come all the way from its homeland to San Francisco which witless, wisecracking trucker Jack Burton (played by Carpenter's favorite Kurt Russell) suddenly finds himself right in the middle of. With his friend Wang Chi – a skilled Chinese martial artist who owns a restraint in Little China – he is pulled into a fight between good and evil and to save his truck! An ancient sorcerer – Lo Pan – needs to marry a girl with green eyes and then sacrifice her to lift a curse and retain his young form, or else be a frail old man for centuries to come; only being able to take his true form for brief periods of time. When Wang Chi's fiancée is abducted by Lo Pan's Three Storms – warriors possessing the powers of a storm – it is up to Jack and Wang to save her and end the centuries old conflict.
The evil bastard.
These guys can give you a shock.
Do I look serious to you?
As I previously mentioned this film was intentionally made a B-movie and the cast obviously had a lot of fun making it, with lots of tongue in cheek dialogue and intentional mistakes. It all adds to the campy fun that is Big Trouble in little China Town. The best part about it comes from the chemistry between Jack Burton and Wang Chi. You'd think Russell's character would be on top of things being the muscled American toting the gun, but Chi is the real hero with all his martial arts and fighting skills, but Burton never seems to get that constantly puffing his chest believing he is in fact the hero and Chi is the sidekick. This is the main humor that comes from this film, and I found that aspect incredibly creative considering it was a very unique idea that many people didn't get at the time but I believe the idea has begun to catch on and people can now appreciate that humor aspect of Big Trouble in Little China.
Nice Action Couple.
An old man always gives good advices.
Raiden's Father haha.
Check my stinking breath.
Now available on Blu-Ray. Worth every cent.
The film is great entertainment and will have you smiling at its foolishness throughout and it comes highly recommended by me if you're someone who can just sit back and enjoy this masterpiece in camp. It can be found in five dollar bargain bins across the United States so just pick it up if you get the chance. Get the popcorn out, turn off the lights and enjoy.
Here the movie trailer:
See you soon for the review of Escape from Los Angeles...
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