Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violent 1980s martial arts movie is a campy guilty pleasure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Big Trouble in Little China
What's the Story?
When trucker Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) delivers a load to San Francisco, little does he know he's in for BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA. Jack reconnects with his old buddy Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) over a game of chance. Wang loses the bet, but before Jack can collect from his pal, they'll have to face three masked kidnappers, warring street gangs, a powerful crime lord -- oh, and a 2,000-year-old spirit trying to return to his body.
Is It Any Good?
If you and your teens want to laugh while you cringe at something so bad it's good, you've come to the right place. Cheesy one-liners, lots of fighting, hokey dialogue, high-waisted jeans, more fighting, gloriously awful creature costumes, incomprehensible plot turns, and even more fighting make Big Trouble in Little China a fun popcorn movie for the right fans in the right mood.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Big Trouble in Little China. Are movies today more violent? If so, how?
What makes a movie "so bad, it's good"? Do you think that's what the director was going for? How can you tell?
Did you notice any stereotyping in the movie? Are the Asian characters shown differently from the white ones, or are they pretty much the same?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 2, 1986
- On DVD or streaming : May 22, 2001
- Cast : Kurt Russell , Kim Cattrall , Dennis Dun
- Director : John Carpenter
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , TAFT Entertainment Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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