The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Directed by W.D. RichterAdventurer, 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.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Ratings & Reviews
- jackmeatJanuary 1, 2025My quick rating - 6.5/10. This is just such a classic. Entire documentaries have been made about this flick. Not because it was groundbreaking, but because it truly is one of those cult movies that just has to be seen.
- Paul SchwartzAugust 26, 2025Classic, if you don't like this movie, you're in the wrong aisle to begin with
- johnr339October 19, 2025I’m not entirely sure what The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is supposed to be, but I can confirm it exists. It’s part sci-fi, part action, part rock concert, part fever dream, and somehow it all just… works? Or maybe it doesn’t. Hard to tell. Peter Weller plays Buckaroo Banzai—a brain surgeon, physicist, rock star, and all-around overachiever who makes everyone else in the 1980s look like underachieving mall employees. He delivers every line with the seriousness of a man who truly believes he’s saving the world from interdimensional aliens and late-stage hair metal. Then there’s John Lithgow, who walks straight out of another universe (possibly the 9th dimension) and steals every scene with an accent that defies both geography and sanity. His wardrobe seems to have been designed by a mad scientist who also moonlights as a circus costumer. It’s glorious. Ellen Barkin, meanwhile, embodies 1980s femininity like she’s auditioning for a Duran Duran video while holding a philosophy degree. And Jeff Goldblum—well, he’s a cowboy. Literally. A cowboy in a sci-fi movie. He doesn’t need to make sense; he’s Jeff Goldblum. And then there’s that end-credits scene: the entire cast power-walking down what appears to be the Los Angeles River, looking deadly serious while doing absolutely nothing fast. It’s one of the most unintentionally iconic moments ever filmed. W.D. Richter somehow directed a movie that feels like it shouldn’t exist but must. It’s messy, chaotic, confusing, and unforgettable—like finding a VHS tape labeled “Cool Dreams I Had Once” and realizing someone had the budget to film them. In short, I’m not sure what I watched. But I know I liked it. Sort of. Maybe. Definitely.
- RichardOctober 17, 2025This 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.”
- Donald SimardOctober 10, 2025Just a fun movie
- Richard ThorntonJuly 22, 2025It almost works, but doesn’t. Props for really going for it and just being as super weird as it is. The cast is doing great with a script and lore that doesn’t feel finished to me.
- LimimiApril 15, 2025A movie made by millenials a decade before millenials could even write. It's a goofy, high concept golden age comic in live action, with absolutely no concern whatsoever for your comprehension. Which isn't to say it's incomprehensible, the plot is fairly straightforward, it just doesn't care if you figure it out or not. Peter Weller plays Buckaroo Banzai, a neurosurgeon/rock star who invents interdimensional travel, which immediately puts the planet in peril when the insane Dr Lizardo (John Lithgow) learns of it. With the help of neurosurgeon/cowboy Jeff Goldblum, his band, and the suicidal ditz Ellen Barkin however, he is able to save the day.
- gooserexJanuary 28, 2025Cult classic, just enjoy it for what it is.
- Khaos StrifeJanuary 14, 2025I had no idea what I was getting into when I watched this for the first time. I was confused, I was excited, I was lost, and then I fell in love with this movie. It’s random, it's exciting, it's off the wall with everything, and it left me wanting more of this craziness. It’s not for everyone, but it's worth the watch at least once.
