The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across 
the 8th Dimension
(MGM Region 1 Special Edition DVD)
(1984)
review by Annoyed Grunt

There are some cult movies that just don’t deserve a cult. I’m not the type who loves a movie because it’s so bad, but I can understand why some people do. But what I can’t understand is why some mediocre movies get to be so popular. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is one of those movies. There’s nothing massively wrong with it, but there’s nothing right with it either.

Describing the plot is a tall order for many reasons, partly because little of it makes sense to begin with. However, the main problem is that the plot is so off the wall that you can’t help but think it’s great. Trust me, I know first hand. Loosely inspired by Doc Savage, Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) is a jack of all trades. He’s a neurosurgeon, race car driver, scientist, rock star and part time super hero. He and his sidekicks have a direct line to the president and even have their own comic book. The flim begins with Buckaroo using experimental technology to drive a rocket car through a mountain, thus accidentally releasing alien prisoners from the 8th dimension.

But he’s not the first one to try this experiment. Among those who have tried it in the past is Dr. Lizardo (John Lithgow). Lizardo was caught between dimensions, went insane and became Buckaroo’s arch enemy. So now Lizardo has teamed up with the 8th dimension aliens to hatch some nefarious earth shattering scheme that only Buckaroo and his sidekicks can stop.

Well, that’s the gist of the plot. There’s also subplots including Buckaroo’s ex-wife’s identical twin, War of the Worlds and a watermelon. I’m sure Buckaroo fans will scream that I butchered the plot, but I’m sure they’d agree that the plot seems convoluted the first time around. Hell, that’s probably why they like it. I’m sure everything would make a lot more sense the second time around, but I was bored to death the first time. The plot can’t be that great if I can barely remember it, right?

Surprisingly, the special effects are decent for the era. They’re not great, but they’re a lot better than I was expecting from a cheap 80's film. But perhaps it would have been more fun to see some pie plates and fishing line. Despite the effects, the acting is strictly an adventure in the 2nd dimension. Peter Weller is slightly less cold and distant than he was in Robocop. Lithgow is completely over the top and everyone else barely registers. Richter’s direction is bland and unremarkable. Many of the action scenes are just games of tag down long, nondescript hallways. Much of the potential humour is ruined by his lack of comedic timing.

There are many lines that sound good on paper, but don’t really deliver on screen. “Wherever you go, there you are” sounded great before I actually saw the movie. There are a couple chuckle worthy non-sequiturs and a heavily armed child is always good for a laugh. The sad thing is that this could have been a good film. A sequel was planned, but was never produced due to a poor box office showing. The script was retooled and became Big Trouble in Little China. Now that’s how you make a zany, off beat box office failure. But W.D. Richter is no John Carpenter, Peter Weller is no Kurt Russel and Buckaroo Banzai is no Jack Burton.

The movie is nothing special, but the DVD is a real treat for fans. Treating the movie like it’s based on a true story, you’ve got deleted scenes, commentary and everything you’d want on a DVD, except maybe a good movie to go with it.

It’s worth noting that this DVD isn’t available in Canada, so someone had to expressly get it for me while on vacation. I’m told it’s due to some copyright issue with the music (Last House on the Left has the same problem), but I prefer to think otherwise. Since the US banned Alberta beef, I like to think we decided to ban overrated, crappy cult movies. Now if only Paul Martin could get to work on The Rocky Horror Picture Show...