Video Cover
Big Trouble is an odd film, a combination of a Chinese ghost story with a slam bang action film. Kurt Russel does a virtual piss-take of his Escape From New York role (as Snake Plissken) to play a wisecracking truck driver - the laconic, John Wayne inspired Jack Burton.
As a favour Jack Burton agrees to help in picking up his friends fiance from the airport. The fiance is a beautful Chinese woman with green eyes, a rare attribute in Chinese women. The fiance is kidnapped at the airport by some strange looking chinese henchmen and by trying to prevent the kidnapping Russel is drawn into the fight to rescue his friends fiance. She is apparently being held by a local businessman, who is also an ancient Chinese spirit trapped in an ancient man's body (yep, tongue is firmly and wonderfully in cheek in this movie). If the businessman can marry and then sacrifice a green eyed woman he can lift the curse on his head and regain his powers and youthful form.
An annoying journalist (Kim Cattral) was also at the airport waiting for her friend and witness the kidnapping. She also becomes involved in the plot and provides the obligatory love interest for our hero Burton. The disprate group of heroes rope in an old Chinese mystic to help them rescue the green eyed lady from the clutches of the evil mad man. This evil Chinese spirit has three superhard demons to protect him, each with their own special method of attack. The action is piled on thickly, with the suspense taking a back seat.
Big Trouble.. is great film that you can only enjoy if you are in on the joke. JC wanted to do a tribute to the Hong Kong action/ghost movie such as the fantastic Chinese Ghost Story series. The movie is full of chop-socky action, Russel delivering killer one-liners and some mad, mad Chinese hauntings. The wackiness of the plot is well complimented by the sparkling special effects. Russel puts in another good performance and overall the film is intentionally a little cheesy. Thats not a bad thing though, taken as an enjoyable romp Big Trouble is an entertaining film.