History YMMV / BigTroubleInLittleChina

* ValuesResonance: The satirization of "WhiteSavior" tropes continues to feel timely and refreshing given that there are contemporary movies that can't seem to get away from them. Jack Burton isn't there to save or uplift his Asian compatriots, he's just there to get his truck back, get his money, and help them out since Wang's his friend and their goals mutually benefit with each other.

** Not only does Lo Pan and Egg Shen's duel looks like they're playing a video game, but the colors used for both of them, green and purple, respectively, are each associated with the UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} and UsefulNotes/PlayStation consoles.

--->'''Wang''': "Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run."\\
'''Jack''': "May the wings of liberty never lose a feather."

-->'''Wang''': "Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run."\\

--> Wang: "They've got this sorta clubhouse thing, you know, where they all hang out."\\
Jack: "Sharpen their knives, huh?"\\
Wang: "I can't ask you to-"\\
Jack: "Where is it?!"\\
Wang: "Thank you, Jack."

-->Wang: "Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run."\\
Jack: "May the wings of liberty never lose a feather."

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: In the [[ComicBook/BigTroubleInLittleChina comic book series]]. The new villain kidnaps Wang Chi but leaves Miao Yin behind. You'd think maybe this bit of SwappedRoles for the two would allow her to travel with Jack to get her fiancee back, allowing the writers to give the SatelliteLoveInterest from the movie a little bit of CharacterDevelopment. You'd think that... but you'd be wrong.

** You can see the rings that fix Lightning's spinning blades to his fingers.

** Or, possible, Awesome In Hindsight, with Lightning, a predecessor to Raiden of ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', complete with NiceHat. Kitana's famous KissOfDeath fatality also references [[spoiler: Thunder's death]] very closely.

* AwesomeEgo: For all his incompetence and short comings, Jack Burton's confidence and sarcasm are truly awesome to behold.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D03E9kUTTtQ Biiiiig trouble...In little China!]]

* CreepyAwesome: Silent, elemental theme henchmen the Three Storms.

** On the heroes side are neighborhood sorcerer Egg Shen and IntrepidReporter Margo.
* FountainOfMemes: It's a movie from the 80's, so it's expected. Jack Burton in particular is extremely quotable.

** "Like 'ol Jack Burton says..."

** The second encounter of The Beholder has it laying on the ground, literally licking its wounds. When it sees the heroes, it just gives an annoyed AsideGlance at them (before it's killed.)

* SlowPacedBeginning: The first third of the film is a series of half-heartedly delivered {{Info Dump}}s so it can get all the exposition out of the way. It's only after all that when the nonstop action begins.

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite a positive test-screening, the movie bombed at the box office ([[ScrewedByTheNetwork no doubt due to 20th Century Fox's other film]] ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' [[WhatAnIdiot being released the next week]]) and critical opinions were negative enough to make Carpenter leave studio film work. Nowadays it's considered one of his best films by fans and critics alike.

* HilariousInHindsight: Or, possible, Awesome In Hindsight, with Lightning, a predecessor to Raiden of ''Franchise/MortalKombat'', complete with NiceHat. Kitana's famous KissOfDeath fatality also references [[spoiler: Thunder's death]] very closely.

* HilariousInHindsight: Or, possible, Awesome In Hindsight, with Lightning, a predecessor to Raiden of ''Videogame/MortalKombat'', complete with NiceHat. Kitana's famous KissOfDeath fatality also references [[spoiler: Thunder's death]] very closely.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The Three Storms, Lightning in particular for being the inspiration for [[Franchise/MortalKombat Raiden.]]

* MemeticBadass: Jack Burton.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: The film's age means that many of its special effects looked dated to modern audiences, though were pretty good for their era.

* CultClassic: This film has become a huge cult hit as time has passed, to the point of being VindicatedByHistory.

* NarmCharm: Much of the movie, some of it deliberately.

* ValuesResonance: The satirization of "WhiteSavior" tropes continues to feel timely and refreshing given that there are contemporary movies that can't seem to get away from them. Jack Burton isn't there to save or uplift his Asian compatriots. He's just there to get his truck back, get his money, and help them out since Wang's his friend and their goals mutually benefit with each other.

* ValuesResonance: The satirization of "WhiteSavior" tropes continues to feel timely and refreshing given that there are contemporary movies that can't seem to get away from them. Jack Burton isn't there to save or uplift his Asian compatriots. He's just there to get his truck back, get his money, and help them out since their goals mutually benefit with each other.

* ValuesResonance: The satirization of "WhiteSavior" tropes continues to feel timely and refreshing given that there are contemporary movies that can't seem to get away from them. Jack Burton isn't there to save or uplift his Asian compatriots.

* ValuesResonance: The satirization of "WhiteSavior" tropes continues to feel timely and refreshing given that there are contemporary movies that can't seem to get away from them.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** The... THING in the sewer. The only one who questions what had just happened is Jack, because RuleOfFunny.
-->'''Egg:''' You will come out no more!
-->'''Jack:''' ''WHAT?!!'' What will come out no more?!
** The hairy beast-thing that captures Gracie and later hitches a ride with Jack. No explanation for it is ever given.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The... THING in the sewer. The only one who questions what had just happened is Jack, because RuleOfFunny.

* NarmCharm: Much of the movie, some of it deliberately, but probably the most straight-up example is the "Magical Video Game Battle" between Lo Pan and Egg Shen. It is both awesome (as intended) and ''hilariously ridiculous''.

* SlowPacedBeginning: The first third of the film is a series of half-heartedly delivered {{Info Dump}}s so it can get all the exposition out of the way. It's only after than when the nonstop action begins.

-->'''Jack:''' ''WHAT'' will come out no more?!

** Similarly, Rain of the same series not only uses water, but ended up gaining a ponytail and sword-fighting skills to better resemble Rain of the Three Storms. He even gained a fatality in ''Mortal Kombat 9'' referencing [[spoiler: Thunder's death!]]