Smell the Movies
Smell the TV
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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| Year: | 1986 |
| Country of origin: | USA |
| Director: | John Carpenter |
| Genre: | Martial arts fantasy comedy. |
| Starring: | Kurt Russell , Kim Cattrall, James Hong |
| Rating: | 4/5 |
| IMDB link: | http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090728/ |
| Tagline: | Adventure doesn't come any bigger! |
| Favourite line: | Okay. You people sit tight, hold the fort and keep the home fires burning. And if we're not back by dawn... call the president. |
Silly, highly entertaining homage to fantasy based chop socky nonsense such as Warriors from the Magic Mountain. It can also be seen as a major influence on more recent Hollyood outings that have exploited over the top, martial arts based wire work to a large extent, such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix.
That aside, this is patent garbage from beginning to end, and what a fun ride it is.
Kurt Russell plays Jack Burton, a truck driver with a penchant for gambling. When he practically bankrupts his best friend, Wang Chi in the warehouse of a San Francisco Chinatown market, Wang persuades him to give him a ride so that he can pick up some money to help pay his debt. Unfortunately, en route they become embroiled in a battle between a group of 'good guy' martial arts dudes, and a trio known as The Three Storms, ancient and powerful figures from Chinese folklore who possess secret powers.
Breath-taking in its audacity - are we really meant to go along with any of this? - and with one of the worst scripts I've encountered in a mainstream movie, this brushes aside all of its handicaps and delivers an all out action fest, complete with hairy monsters and electricity wielding ancient masters.
Russell is perfectly cast, as is the whole ensemble, and what you have is a feelgood movie with a difference. The inversion of the 'buddy-movie' rules is also interesting, as Russell's muscular, square jawed hero status is gradually diminshed as the film progresses and its clear that he is helpless without his scrawny, geeky, Chinese sidekick.
One for all to enjoy, this was a box office disaster, but thankfully remains a cult favourite.
Nice one, John.
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