The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Adventurer, brain surgeon, rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his crime-fighting team, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, must stop evil alien invaders from the eighth dimension who are planning to conquer Earth.
RichyE reviewedOctober 17, 2025
This film didn’t just air, it invaded. I caught Buckaroo Banzai on TV by accident and it felt like stumbling into a parallel universe where neurosurgeons front rock bands, aliens speak in bureaucratic riddles and John Lithgow channels pure chaos.
I was hooked before I understood a single plot point.
It’s weird. Gloriously, unapologetically weird.
The kind of movie that doesn’t explain itself because it assumes you’re already part of the Hong Kong Cavaliers. And somehow… that works. The fashion, the one liners, the world building, it’s like a comic book fever dream with a synth soundtrack and a wink to the audience.
I loved it so much I tracked down the DVD, complete with extras that feel like decoding a secret society. It’s proudly shelved next to my cult classics and every rewatch is a reminder that cinema used to be brave enough to be bonkers.
And yes, I’m still bitter about the sequel tease: Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League. That end title promise was a cruel joke to every fan who believed.
We deserved it. The world deserved it. But hey, maybe that’s part of the charm.
Like Buckaroo himself said: “No matter where you go, there you are.”