Big Trouble in Little China

(Note: This review refers to the Blu-ray version of the DVD.)

John Carpenter's genre-bending action fantasy throws smart talking trucker Kurt Russell into San Francisco's Chinatown underworld of flying sorcerers, armies of martial arts monks, and demon monsters. It's a total lark, directed with a delight for colorful spectacle and energetic action, with a touch of tongue-in-cheek humor via the oblivious efforts of Russell's would-be hero. Carpenter's love letter to Asian martial arts fantasy didn't catch on in the United States back in 1986, but it's since become a cult classic. In a world of Crouching Tigers and Hidden Dragons, think of Russell as Cocky Hyena: "I was born ready!" Longtime friends and frequent collaborators Carpenter and Russell show why they are fandom's most entertaining duo on a commentary track that covers everything from making movies to their longtime creative relationship to "Captain Ron"! Also features: extended scenes; a mundane, eight-minute documentary featurette from 1986; an interview with visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund; and a new isolated score.