This article contains spoilers for Big Trouble in Little China. Read at your own risk.
With its release in 1986, Big Trouble in Little China has become a true classic for many film fans. Directed by John Carpenter and starring Kurt Russell as Jack Burton, the movie tells a fantastical tale of black magic in the heart of Chinatown. In order to defeat the villain and his minions, a hero must rise to take a stand. Although he is the protagonist, Jack Burton is certainly not this hero.
I absolutely adore the character of Jack Burton. His charismatic attitude is a delight to watch and he is the perfect audience surrogate for this story. However, what makes him so perfect is how he is essentially the bumbling sidekick. The truth is, the champion of Chinatown is Wang Chi (played superbly by Dennis Dun). During the action sequences, it is he that takes out most of the henchmen. While Wang is confidently controlling the situation with his martial arts, Burton is either awkwardly taking the safety off his gun or carelessly knocking himself out. Jack Burton is the sidekick, but this is why we love him so much.
He is a man that so earnestly wants to be the star, that as audience members we can’t help but cheer for him throughout. When he gives his speech about staring the storm in the eye and saying “Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it.”, you believe him. Perhaps he knows that he is not the warrior he wants to be, maybe he doesn’t. Either way, he is a personality that is far more relatable than other film icons of the ’80s. He is an everyman, a normal individual pulled out of the real world and dropped into a bizarre adventure. It’s because of this that audience members can see themselves in him.
This is why it feels so impactful when he does manage to take out a bad guy. We want him to be the superstar that he thinks he is. His charm wins us over early on, so by the time he storms the final arena we are completely on his side. In the end, taking out the main villain Lo Pan just reaffirms these personal beliefs, as we realise that his arrogance will not stop after the credits roll. Honestly, we wouldn’t want it any other way.
A big part as to why this all works is the performance by Kurt Russell. On the surface, his appearance alone is reminiscent of the action stars from the same era. Realising that he is not as skilled as previously thought is a wonderful twist because it offers a completely new dynamic for the movie going forward. I had no problem watching Burton trying his best to catch up to Wang because Russell’s wide-eyed performance, alongside John Carpenters direction, fit so perfectly. Jack Burton is no hero, but neither are any of us.
What Carpenter was able to do with Big Trouble in Little China was remarkable. He managed to create a narrative that is equally funny and engaging. It’s a film that I have watched many times over. I attribute this timelessness to the immersive world and the aforementioned characters. Above it all, it is important to remember these words that a wise man once said…
When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol’ Jack Burton always says at a time like that: “Have ya paid your dues, Jack?” “Yessir, the check is in the mail.”