Big Trouble in Little China

It plays better than it reviews — the watch lands harder than the write-ups suggest.

• “Big Trouble in Little China is a far more enjoyable mash-up of classic Westerns, Saturday-morning serials, and Chinese wu xia than any of the Indiana Jones movies, with Kurt Russell in full bloom as Carpenter’s de rigueur hard-drinkin’, hard-gamblin’, wise-crackin’ loner hero—a bowling-alley John Wayne.”

  Scott Foundas, Village Voice · 90

• “There are two kinds of people: the ones who have seen — and love — Big Trouble in Little China, a John Carpenter kung fu Western buddy Chinese ghost love story, and those poor saps who aren’t burdened with having to try and describe it to the uninitiated.”

  Marc Bernardin, Entertainment Weekly · 83

• “What matters is the stunts and the spirit, and this latest set of exotic exploits of an indomitable hero (Kurt Russell) and a spunky heroine (Kim Cattrall) gives good value.”

  Walter Goodman, The New York Times · 80

• “Big Trouble is plenty conscious of its silliness, which it embraces fully. It sets up its own parameters of ridiculousness and then runs with them, winking a little, but sticking to its story.”

  Josh Modell, The A.V. Club · 70

• “It falters a little in its confusing climactic battle, but is breathlessly paced, wittily scripted, amusingly played, action-packed and relentlessly spooky.”

  Kim Newman, Empire · 60