Review of Big Trouble in Little China (1986) by Schnitzelpoof — 15 Nov 2019

It's a fun movie. I watched it as a child many times, and recently gave it another try, to see if it stands the test of time. I especially loved how the protagonist is full of bravado, but low on wit, and tends to get into trouble with his bullheaded approach. There's a joke there about action heroes, which works very well.

The villain is sinister, his henchmen are both ridiculous and powerful, and the good guys do things in the name of love - either the love of a woman, or the love of one's truck.

While ostensibly dealing in "dark" material like forced prostitution and gang violence, everything stays fun, and that's clearly the idea.

For the 80s, the effects, all the Chinese lore, and cinematic martial arts fighting style were new. The movie deserves extra credit for that.

My one issue with it is that the constant action can be tiring. We're talking almost 100 minutes rife with martial arts, gunfights, and lightning bolts.