What an insanely glorious way to waste a normally wonderful cast. Everyone seems out of place and is terribly misused. The "story" is total chaos, and not the good kind. I guess this works if you've seen this as a kid way back when, but definitely falls flat now.

I don't understand the hate directed at Buckaroo Banzai. It's a goofy pulp feature with a great cast that's harmless and entertaining. A franchise with these characters getting into further weird adventures would have been pretty cool.

A sporadically funny pop culture item that mixes movie genres and changes tones so rapidly the audience may be left behind.

A total mess but not without merit. Half the fun is marvelling at how a probably good film was butchered by the terrible editing.

thought i would like this based on the comparisons to big trouble in little china. nope

Almost too smart-assed for its own good, this sci-fi comedy gets by thanks to some very funny ideas and a terrific cast, especially Lithgow sounding like Bela Lugosi trying to read the St. Louis phone book.

Okay Movie

Genial spoof of science fiction and other movie genres.

Ridiculous and entertaining.

Weird, weird little film. Scores high for the performances and the originality.

Starts off entertaining, meanders for a while, picks up steam towards the end, and then kind of fizzles out. The cast is filled with contemporary b-listers and "hey, it's that guy!" types. Still, you have to give the movie credit for being so determinedly inane.

OK, I have tried, several times, to watch this movie. It is soooo....booooring. Lithgow overacts as usual, but it isn't funny and I just cannot get through the first 30 minutes. Sorry, Buckaroo.

The best b-movie that knows it's a b-movie. It's very quirky and humorous and not annoying at all. Everything is very earnest and disarming. At the very least, see this for John Lithgow's performance. Also, I love the credits scene.

This is awful in every way that counts. To describe it briefly, the timing is off. For everything. Jokes, cuts, thrills...everything is poorly delivered. Anything potentially clever about it is utterly butchered by its execution. It's like if Repo Man were directed by a seven-year-old. I simply loathe these kinds of "Hey, let's make something that's destined to be a cult movie!" movies that spend more time reveling in their absurdity than actually making a good film.

As much a cult film as you could ask for, BUCKAROO BANZAI boasts a remarkably inventive, infamously inscrutable script by Earl Mac Rauch, delightfully off-kilter sets and visual effects, a great kitschy score, a solid lead performance from Peter Weller and a hilarious supporting one from John Lithgow as a scientist possessed by an evil alien. The pace is uneven and the story is too convoluted for its own good (and the ending is weak), but the madness is infectious. A shame the sequel never was.

I have no idea if this is an incoherent mess of a movie or if the Pynchon references are supposed to indicate that it's actually smarter and more complex than it looks. Whatever the case, it's a lot of fun.

The script is excellently over-the-top, the actors know what they're doing, the set and costume design are in the groove. But the direction, the cinematography, the *sound mixing* (my god, the sound mixing) - they're completely unwilling to work with the premise, seeming to think that they're making a gritty urban drama.

Buckaroo Banzai is unique, quirky, and throws one into a strange, interesting universe where he/she has to figure things out on the fly. It tries to inject humor throughout (not always successfully), and has some funny details and Easter eggs.The sci-fi, while mostly mumbo-jumbo, does add a neat vibe of weirdness to the picture. But damn it, in the hands of a quality director this would have been GREAT, not decent. Ultimately, this was a wasted opportunity, and what a fucking opportunity it was.

"The definition of a cult movie... [The] dumb plot is forgettable and the characters are dull, but the real stars of the movie are the bizarre campy action, surreal dialog and outrageous 80s costumes. Unclassifiable weirdness, but boring."

Amusing enough, Jeff Goldblum is the greatest, etc.

Takes all the rustiest sci-fi/adventure tropes and attempts to revitalize them with Carpenterish direction and music. The result is always confusing and often tonally bizarre but I cannot deny that I enjoyed the living shit out of it for whatever reason. Probably gets bonus points with me for the Thomas Pynchon reference (Yoyodyne) and because it's difficult for me not to identify with a protagonist who is a musician.

Buckaroo Banzai is probably too badass for his own good. There's not even a slim chance that I can ever identify with his character. To me, watching him dominate scene after scene of this film removed all traces of tension, drama, and urgency and I could not behind him as a hero. This film definitely picks up well after his Hero's journey is over and, for him, evil aliens intent on destroying the world only pose a minor threat. Any potential fun is squandered as a result. C

Look at any summary of the film, and if you can comprehend it, there's a chance you'll love this movie. It's absurd, but it's also very funny and unique. The seemingly low budget only enhances it, giving it an instant cult classic feel. Meh!