Big Trouble in Little China

kurt russell

Everybody relax, I'm here.

~ Jack Burton

quick fox: C

dennis dun

winding dragon

One of these days, I hope somebody makes a satirical comedy where an Asian stumbles into Midwest suburbia where a retired Caucasian lawyer teaches the hero the secret, mystical arts of fly-fishing and grilling hamburgers. Until then, the best we can make do with is legendary John Carpenter’s cult classic, Big Trouble in Little China (1986). 

I watched Big Trouble in Little China after a couple friends recommended it to me. I had only heard of the film by name, and I was told to watch it with the understanding that it’s a direct spoof of the “Magical Asians” stereotype, which was popular during the ’80s thanks to movies like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Karate Kid. (Unfortunately, that type of film really hasn’t gone away since then. Case in point: The Last Samurai and The Great Wall.)

So with that warning etched in my heart, I thought I was properly prepared for what would come next. Spoiler: I wasn’t. Big Trouble in Little China is a conglomeration of every Asian stereotype found in Hollywood with a touch of subversion to remind the audience that nothing that happens is supposed to be taken seriously. White dude stumbling across ancient Asian mystic war? Check. Asian warriors literally floating in the air with lightning shooting out of their eyes? Yup. Then there’s the uptight blonde female whose sole purpose is to crave into her hidden romantic feelings for the muscular white male, the teashop used as rendezvous for the good guys, the elderly Asian who somehow knows everything about everyone, the illegal Chinese brothel run by a Dragon Lady, and much, much more.

Despite all that, I enjoyed watching Big Trouble in Little China… and I think my soul died a tiny bit writing that. For one of my classes in college, I wrote about my thoughts on the casting of Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Doctor Strange. I also wrote a piece a while back on my disproval of Scarlett Johansson as the Major in the upcoming Ghost in the Shell. And here I am laughing at a film that depicts the worst kind of stereotypes that have plagued Asians in the industry for decades.

But that’s kind of the point of Big Trouble in Little China. It’s a parody of the hero structure—in the film our “hero” is Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), a cocky truck driver who spends more time tripping over his own feet than actually fighting. The acting is exaggeratedly cheesy, the plot points are ironically formulaic, and don’t get me started on the puppet monsters. (Yes, you did read that right.)

Big Trouble in Little China is not the best comedy I’ve seen, but it’s a film that knew exactly what it wanted to be and served it well. 

kim cattrall