The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The Eighth Dimension

I had to let this film simmer and marinate in my head for a few days before actually writing this review, and to figure out exactly where I stand with it. In the end this is a cutl movie where I kept feeling like I should like it, and it certainly is fun...but...it didn't click. And I don't think it's because I "don't get it". I think it's because, well...it's somewhat boring and there are scenes where it feels like the actors are more in on the joke than the audience should be. However, there are several parts that I enjoyed, and the concept alone was fun and easy to accept (and setting it in New Jersey...New Brunswick, which is a few miles from me?! Hilariously perfect.)
In an imagined universe where Buckaroo Banzai is a genius physicist who is also a master neurosurgeon and who headlines a hit band, the Hong Kong Cavaliers (playing the guitar, trumpet, piano, and singing), who has a direct line to the President of the United States (who spends the movie suspended in a chiropractic bed), and is world-famous, featuring in comic books, as well as other media...oh, he's also a samurai. That's right. This dude is the coolest motherfucker ever, so it's obvious that he needs to be played by Peter Weller.
This is pretty much laid out in the opening title crawl, and then we are introduced to Buckaroo, conducting brain surgery with his friend Rawhide (Clancy Brown, who, for some reaosn, I kept confusing with Reno, another character played by Pepe Serna). We then see Buckaroo in the middle of the Salt Flats, testing out his oscillation overthruster, a device that, we learn, was developed by his father and Dr. Lizardo in the 1930's, and allows him to travel through solid matter in his unwieldly supersonic rocket car.
And then...things...start to get really wierd. The Lectroids, a race a space beings from Planet 10, across the galazy, arrive in giant, rock-shaped "spaceship" (if it could be called that) and settle into orbit, and we learn that the Red Lectroids, all named John, are disguised as members of Yoyodyne, a corporation and are trying to obtain his overthruster in order to free their evil overlord, Dr. John Whorfin, who happens to be trapped in the titular 8th Dimension. Oh, and the dudes in the rock spaceship who happen to inexplicably appear with little explanation and sound like Rastafarians? Theyr'e the Black Lectroids, and have arrived to contact Buckaroo and give him this message: stop Whorfin, or the Earth blows up to prevent his escape.
Along the way, Buckaroo tries to woo Penny Pretty, who may or may not be the twin sister of his...wife? Girlfriend? Significant other, I'll leave it at that. Buckaroo's band team up to help him stop the Red Lectroids, defeat Dr. Lizardo (who is possessed by John Whorfin), protect the overthruster, and, in general, just be cool as fuck. The cast, for the most part, seem to be having a blast, and Lewis Smith as Perfect Tommy is, as his namesake suggests, perfectly played, pefectly cool, and perfectly awesome. Jeff Goldblum as New Jersey is my favorite thing in the whole movie, dressed as a cowboy (with 10-gallon hat, and boots) and asking one of the most memorable lines (NEW JERSEY: "Why is there a watermelon there?" RENO: "...I'll tell you later.") Christopher Lloyd appears as evil henchman John Bigbooty (sorry...Bigboote), and has several funny moments playing off the late Vincent Schiavelli as John O'Connor.
However, my biggest cast problems are John Lithgow as Dr. Lizardo and Peter Weller as Buckaroo. Lithgow's insane accent was difficult to follow, and I had often wondered what in God's name he was saying, and his overacting contrasted too much with the straight-laced seriousness of Peter Weller's Buckaroo. The motivation for his flashback (after seeing news of Buckaroo jumping into the 8th Dimension on the news, Dr. Lizardo essentially electrocutes himself in order to relive his 1930's 8th Dimensional leaps) is nonexistant: he has a flashback just because he can. But once the climx (if you can call it that) occurs, he does one another of the best lines in the film (DR. LIZARDO/WHORFIN: "Take her to the Pit! Use-a more honey! Find out what she knows!") The ending airborne dogfight, plagued by cheap 80's effects, also plays very anti-climatically.
Peter Weller...man...I don't know. On the one hand, it's a testament that he can portray a character so cool and awesome that he is almost bored with how cool and awesome he is, but at the same he seems almost lifeless. He speaks in a monotone for the most part, with slow, deliberate movements. The man is the epitome of calm calculating awesome, but he's almost too cool to relate to. His friends and fellow bandmates/adventurers were more memorable and likeable because, well, they had more energy, more zest, more fun. If the story had centered on New Jersey following the main characters around and constantly asking "What...uh...what...what's a Lectroid? Why does that car have a rocket engine on it?" I would have been much more happier. I think maybe New Jersey is exactly the sort of character to reflect the mindset of the audience: completely clueless as to everything that is going on, but still going along for the ride and finding it memorable if not an exercise in patience.
Director W.D. Richter and writer Earl Mac Rauch each obviously enjoyed the story, loved the characters, and tried to create a rich, dense universe for Buckaroo and his friends to roam. It is no surprise that there is a massive cult following for the film, and I can respect that. I can understand the references made within the film (and, later, to the film...even by Star Trek: The Next Generation for God's sake!), and it's great that there is a denser, more complete plethora of books and trivia about Buckaroo Banzai so that I, as an audience member, can get all of the references and jokes.
But, after trudging through the film, I felt like it was too long a journey to get interest, and once outside the film, only now I'm curious simply because I want to know what the fuck it was that I saw. When I watch a movie, I don't want to think "Wow! Now I get to read a book to understand the references! Now I get to do some research! Yeah!" Throw me some hints, pique my interest first. Then I'll give you a shot. Don't give me Ellen Barkin's Penny Pretty tied to a table as a slug slowly slides towards her (was it going to hurt her? Why didn't the Lectroids just put it on her face?). Don't introduce some organic ball attached to Buckaroo's rocket car and then do nothing with it. And don't make Buckaroo a samurai and not show him samurai-ing out.
That said, I loved the side characters, I loved a lot of the one-liners, I loved Vincent Schiavelli and Christopher Lloydd, loved Perfect Tommy, and absolutely loved every scene with Jeff Goldblum. I also love the ambition of the film, a set-up to a later series that, sadly, never came to fuition. After 2 or 3 installments, I think this could have become a much more dense, enjoyable universe that I might actually have been interested enough to follow. Oh...and the last scene, with everyone dancing in the aqueducts...classic classic classic. I love it.
You throw hints out there, with traces of backstory. Don't throw everything on screen and then expect me to track down the point of the film. A film should give at least some explanation as to its intentions. As my friend Rob said to me after I tried to explain the title Quantum of Solace and started my explanation with, "Well, the short story...": "I don't want to read when I see a movie. I want to see the movie. I don't want homework afterwards." Maybe it's worth doing the homework on this...but I'm not excited about it.
Just tell my what that watermelon is doing there and call it a day.

I enjoyed the film. I just didn't love it. And I'm not trashing it either. Over time, and maybe anoher viewing in a few months, I might change my mind. I might love it. I might hate it. But it's worth a shot...just be patient with it, and don't make fun. You shouldn't make fun, because remember: no matter where you go, there you are.

7.5/10