John Carpenters 1986 ‘Big trouble in little China’ is an action and adventure film for adventure seekers and action lovers. It’s a film that will take you into the dark streets and sewers of California’s China town where the evil warlord Lo Pan (James Hong) hungers to become mortal. The old emperor Lo Pan has been cursed for 2270 years with a body of no flesh, making him become the form of a ghost. In order to become mortal and appease Ching Dai the God of the east, Lo Pan has to marry a Chinese girl with green eyes. If Lo Pan becomes mortal, he will be able to rule China town or even spread his evil powers on the whole world, causing havoc.
We haven’t lost all hope yet, as the American action hero Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) teams up with his old friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun). Jack Burton is a truck driver who delivers pigs across America with his truck, the (Pork Chop Express). As Jack Burton meets up with Wang Chi to play a game of gambling, Chi tricks Burton into going with him to the airport to pick up his fiancé Miao Yin (Suzee Pai) who coincidentally is a Chinese girl with green eyes. As Jack Burton and Wang Chi arrive at the airport, Burton first meets the young Gracie Law (Kim Cattrall) the nosy reporter and love interest, also waiting for a girl from China. As Chi waits to pickup his fiancé, a Chinese street gang called (The Lords of Death) are interested in kidnapping Miao Yin for their own ill gotten gain and are successful in their attempt. Burton and Chi fight to get Miao Yin back with the help of Gracie Law but all their efforts diminish when Lo Pan finds Miao Yin and holds her captive in a secret location, they then have to try to defeat the evil warlord Lo Pan and all his powerful henchmen. From this point on the film takes its twist and turns with a rollercoaster action packed adventure full of Chinese magic and mythical creatures to keep the audience waiting in suspense.
In ‘Big trouble in little China’, Jack Burton is a character who is very quick witted in what he does but in a haphazard sort of way. In his own idealistic world he likes to think that he is a lone ranger in the Wild West, or a modern day Indiana Jones able to take on whatever trouble comes along this includes defeating the bad guys, rescuing the damsel in distress and saving the day. Burton in the end somehow manages to pull it all off but not without the help of his old pal Wang Chi.
As a martial artist myself, this film appeals to me as I love to watch great fighting and exciting realistic effects. The special effects which include stuntmen flying and exploding all over the screen are superb and highly convincing considering the team only had a budget of two million dollars to stretch. What I also like about this film is that the genre is like a buffet and would appeal to a wide audience, this film has it all, action, comedy, horror, romance and fantasy. The film theme is mixed with the old and new world, Lo Pan is actually to some a real life character told to children in an ancient Chinese fable believed to be true by many. The story is brought to life in this twisted modern day time now led by a clumsy, egotistical action hero.
In my opinion although John Carpenter was pressured to make a quick release of ‘Big trouble in little China’ due to a similar film, (Eddie Murphy’s) Golden Child, being released at the same time, Carpenter managed to direct one of the all time greatest classics sure to be loved for years to come by old and young alike.
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