The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th…

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

1984 Directed by W.D. Richter

Beings from Another Dimension have invaded your world.

Adventurer/surgeon/rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his band of men, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, take on evil alien invaders from the 8th dimension.

Peter Weller John Lithgow Ellen Barkin Jeff Goldblum Christopher Lloyd Lewis Smith Rosalind Cash Robert Ito Pepe Serna Ronald Lacey Matt Clark Clancy Brown William Traylor Carl Lumbly Vincent Schiavelli Dan Hedaya Mariclare Costello Bill Henderson Damon Hines Billy Vera Laura Harrington Michael Santoro Jonathan Banks Robert Gray Gary Bisig Kent Perkins John Ashton Ken Magee James Keane Show All…

Alternative Titles

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, Buckaroo Banzai, Las aventuras de Buckaroo Banzai a traves de la octava dimension, Buckaroo Banzai - Die achte Dimension, As Aventuras de Buckaroo Banzai, Приключения Бакару Банзая в восьмом измерении

science fiction adventure romance comedy

103 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Todd Gaines ★★★★ 13

Here's the quintessential PG cool movie. Peter Weller is a brain surgeon / scientist / race car driver / rockstar / piano playing / bandana wearing badass. Only the 80's could bring us a movie like this. Yet, to me, it feels about 30 years ahead of its time.

I think every single person involved in this movie smoked some serious drugs. Jeff Goldblum dresses like Howdy Doody. John Lithgow sells crazy. The baddies look like bootleg versions of Admiral Ackbar. Ellen Barkin plays the Princess to Weller's Mario. Vincent Schiavelli looks like an alien already. Lewis Smith as Perfect Tommy is cool as fuck. Clancy Brown as Rawhide is a badass motherfucker and my favorite character. The crazy thing…
Review by Naughty aka Juli Norwood ½ 6

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Film #10 of the March Madness 80s Sci-Fi Movie Challenge!
letterboxd.com/naughty/list/march-madness-80s-sci-fi-movie-challenge/
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I don't know if I'm the right gender to appreciate this! Hell I don't even know if I'm the right species!
Review by Jonathan White ★★★★½ 39

After watching, and enjoying, Galaxy Quest the other night, and thinking that it could gain status as a brain dead dudeflick, suddenly I thought of my ultimate dudeflick, Buckaroo Banzai.

I first saw it on Pay TV many years ago when I was in my 20’s, shortly after its failed theatrical release, and immediately fell in love. At first, I didn’t quite know why. I’ve never been a comic book or superhero kind of guy, but this film didn’t really fit into those genres. It was something different and unique. Then it hit me .. this is EXACTLY what I used to fantasise about back when I was in elementary school. In fact, my best buddy and I even drew…
Review by Mr. DuLac ★★★★ 8

I've been ionized, but I'm okay now.
-Buckaroo Banzai

The film was so ahead of it's time that almost 30 years later we still haven't caught up to it. It's absurdest science-fiction that manages to make no sense and complete sense all at once. The characters utter dialogue that baffles the mind, but it's the kind of nonsense that could only be written by someone with actual talent... or a demented mind.

The plot is ridiculously fast paced and doesn't stop for a single moment to give you a breather. Within the first 20 minutes of the film, Buckaroo Banzai performs brain surgery, test pilots an experimental rocket car, discovers an alternate dimension, plays a gig with his band (Buckaroo…
Review by Dawson Joyce ★★★★½ 2

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is one of those rare films that one can only describe as bonkers yet daring, its absurdist wit and messy nature adding to its lovably goofy charm along with the wonderful characters, pitch-perfect comedic delivery, top-notch cast, rock-solid special effects, and uniquely quirky script.
Review by Stankshadow ★★★★ 4

Just got and watched my Shout Select Blu-ray and I'm a happy monkey boy.

I can clearly remember sitting in a friends basement reading one of those movie magazines like Starlog or Cinescape and first finding out about this and thinking, "How could a film like this exist and I don't know about it?". It took a long time to actually see it but once I did it was a wrap. I loved everything about it and still do. I understand why the film isn't for everyone though. It's quirky and all over the place but that along with it's fantastic art department are the main draws for me. The world of Buckaroo Banzai feels real and lived in. The…

Recent reviews

Review by aosuch ★★½

it's been 20 years since I saw this movie & it'll probably be another 20 before I think to watch it again
Review by Henry Jordan ★★★

Even when it's kind of ripping off Star Wars or Tron, it's hard to argue that the most impressive aspect of Buckaroo Banzai isn't that it is entirely unlike anything else. It's one of those films that can get by on gonzo charm without needing anything else, even if it is also a film starring Robocop, The Fly and Doc Brown.
Review by Nathan Flynn ★★★★

I had so much fun with this movie. The cast is killer, the script is hilarious and the whole world is so whimsically bonkers. If I have any issues, I think the directing and visual style left a lot to be desired. None of that takes away from a kickass movie. I also have now decided that I want Wes Anderson to direct Buckaroo Banzai 2.
Review by Jdsarmiento ★½

Can't remember anything about this other than loving its end credits.
Review by Daryl ½ 4

I haven't seen too many films without any redeemable quality, but this is one of them.
Review by Filmfrommen ★★

Has some charm, but it does not take itself serious at all, which kinda kills all excitement. And it isnt that funny either.

The effects are so bad, i guess it comes from the this-is-just-for-fun mentality that rarely creates something interesting.

And i also dislike when films desperately tries to be cult when they are being made (a problem many Troma films have)

So thats that.
Review by Michelle B ★★★

Watched while suffering with cold.

A surprisingly reassuring film, with a great cast. It asked me to play along and I did. I welcomed the pleasant distraction.
Review by Alex Bugella ★★½

I don't know. I'm kind of conflicted. There are moments that can be enjoyable for the 80's cheese, but most of the time it just tries WAY TOO HARD. Its almost offensive at times. For instance, the They Live kind of mechanism is fun and might not be done as well, while the titular character just rattles off ridiculous information as if hes seen it and researched it for years despite only just encountering it. Like how the fuck do you know that your ionization can spread and that simply touching someones head will give them the 'formula' for it?

Also, I wonder if John Lithgow feels about this movie the same way John Cusack feels about Con Air?
Review by trashman9000 ★★

this movie feels like someone wanted to be a safer weird al