Big Trouble in Little China: Guy Thinks He's the Main Character

If ever a character embodied the words “bro thinks he’s the main character” it’s Jack Burton in “Big Trouble in Little China.”

This is one of the best action/comedy movies of all time. John Carpenter has described this movie as a film about a hero who isn't really the hero. He intended the movie to subvert the typical action hero trope by having Jack Burton, played by Kurt Russell, think he’s the main protagonist when, in reality, he’s more of a sidekick who blunders through the adventure. This film was meant to be a blend of different genres—action, comedy, fantasy—and that it’s essentially a "Western set in Chinatown." He aimed to create a fun and unconventional adventure that pokes fun at the traditional American action hero.

If this says anything about the human condition it’s that we always think we’re the hero, we think we’re the main character. The reality is we’re like Jack Burton, bumbling our way through life. There’s only one hero and His name is Jesus.