In 1986 there were two competing movies that featured unsuspecting American heroes becoming embroiled in the world of Chinese black magic and mysticism. One was John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China which flopped dramatically upon it's release, while the other The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy (who could do no wrong at the box office at the time) made stacks of cash. At the time I agreed with the masses.
It's easy to see why. Director Michael Richie merged the popular, wisecracking Eddie Murphy person and transplanted it into a adventure quest, with romance, special effects, action and culture clash comedy. It's light, breezy, fun and amusing and exactly the sort of thing a mass audience will fall for if it stars the biggest movie star in the world.
Amongst its shortcomings are a cheap visual look, some static direction, some rough effects (let's not forget ILM had a complacent rough spot from '86 to '89), a wooden leading lady in Charlotte Lewis (but, dear lord, is she attractive)and a story that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. But this is a film which is a star vehicle for Eddie Murphy, and no matter what you say about the guy...he's a damn funny man when embracing his cheeky, forthright youth persona. The ad-libs, the one-liners, and the double act routine with straight man (and suave villain) Charles Dance are hilarious.
Still, despite the laughs, after a few months I wound up deciphering the appeal of John Carpenter films and getting seduced by the offbeat wit of Big Trouble's script, characters, sound and look. And I've never looked back.
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