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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

Play trailer Poster for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension PG 1984 1h 43m Sci-Fi Adventure Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Buckaroo Banzai is caught with his trusted allies, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, in a battle to the death between evil red aliens and good black aliens from Planet 10. Led by demonic dictator John Whorfin, who has taken over the body of Italian scientist Dr. Emilio Lizardo, the aliens try to get the Overthruster back from Buckaroo Banzai. But the good black aliens are willing to destroy Earth rather than let these renegades return to their planet.
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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

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Critics Consensus

Sci-fi parodies like these usually struggle to work, but Buckaroo Banzai succeeds through total devotion to its own lunacy.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Corliss TIME Magazine Aug 20, 2008
A state-of-the-art spaceship flying at the speed of light without narrative coordinates, Buckaroo Banzai is the very oddest good movie in many a full moon. Go to Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Aug 16, 2007
Richter's comic genre hybrid comes complete with its own mythology, and team of established superheroes, and is curiously appealing. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety Jun 5, 2007
It violates every rule of storytelling and narrative structure in creating a self-contained world of its own. Go to Full Review Chance Solem-Pfeifer Willamette Week Jan 22, 2025
The vast, delirious joke of W.D. Richter’s sci-fi comedy... is that it plays like the 189th issue of a comic book that actually has no prior issues. Go to Full Review Janet Maslin Video Review Aug 5, 2022
3/4
Unmistakably tongue-in-cheek, the movie follows Buckaroo (Peter Weller) to the frontier of ultra-hip sci-fi parody. John Lithgow gets a chance to pull out all the stops as a mad scientist, and when things are funny they’re very much so. Go to Full Review Alan Jones Starburst Jul 21, 2022
Too wacky and spaced out for its own good. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Squid M @RT05722511 Aug 10, 2026 A lovely mess of a great movie waiting for someone to too fix it, that no one did. See more Robert J @Slash_wisdom Jul 19, 2026 Buckaroo Banzai is just a fun film from start to finish. It embodies the energy of the 80s. Definitely worth a watch and just a good time. See more Torry N @Torry22n Jun 12, 2026 I hated this mess of a movie the first time I watched it. I warmed up to it the second time. LOVED it the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh... Now I wish I had written it myself. See more Bucky R @Bucky3085 Mar 31, 2026 Lithgow's finest role. Love this movie. See more Frans B @FransB Mar 23, 2026 Wonderfully weird, sensibly silly and absolutely absurd. Amazing writing, storytelling like you've never experienced and cinematography that rocked the 80's, for sure. Star studded cast and each and everyone of them shines (some literally) in character. If you thought you've seen all ridiculously weird movies that actually makes a little sense, also in a weird way, you have not seen Buckaroo Banzai. This one does not draw or color outside the lines, there are no lines. Cult status confirmed See more Roberto N. @Hover Feb 15, 2026 Do you like lunatic fringe comedy movies? Do you like science fiction? Are you ready to suspend any kind of belief in anything, sit back with a gigantic bucket of popcorn and a good Diet Coke, and just be entertained? Well, this movie is probably for you. It’s a real Romm. It’s truly a drive down lunacy Road, but if you like Monty Python or you like Green acres, it comes up with some pretty absurd comedy that some of us, including me find really refreshing and enjoyable. But it could be an acquired taste. See more Read all reviews
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

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Cast & Crew

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W.D. Richter

Director

Peter Weller

Buckaroo Banzai

John Lithgow

Doctor Emilio Lizardo

Ellen Barkin

Penny Priddy

Jeff Goldblum

New Jersey

Christopher Lloyd

John Bigboote

Movie Clips

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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Inter-Dimensional Ford The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Inter-Dimensional Ford 2:20 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Awesome Credits The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Awesome Credits 2:34 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Transmission to the President The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Transmission to the President 2:07 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Penny for Your Thoughts The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Penny for Your Thoughts 1:48 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. New Jersey The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. New Jersey 1:23 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Saving the Day The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Saving the Day 2:38 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. Lizardo Loses His Mind The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. Lizardo Loses His Mind 2:48 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Duck Hunting Discovery The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Duck Hunting Discovery 2:42 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - There You Are The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - There You Are 3:23 Now Playing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Holographic Warning The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Holographic Warning 2:05 Now Playing View more videos

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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

Jeff Goldblum Said It Best Mashup Jeff Goldblum Said It Best Mashup 0:58 Now Playing View more videos
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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

Buckaroo and some members of Team Banzai have formed the Hong Kong Cavaliers, a hard rocking bar band. Buckaroo (Weller) gives some advice to his fans at a rock n' roll bar: "No Matter Where You Go, There You Are." Dr. Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin (Lithgow) tries desperate measures to wrest the secret of the Oscillation Overthruster from Buckaroo (Weller) in the shock tower. (L to R) New Jersey (Goldblum), Billy (Santoro), Rawhide (Brown), Buckaroo Banzai (Weller), Reno (Serna), Pinky Carruthers (Vera), and Perfect Tommy (Smith). John O'Connor (Schiavelli), Dr. Lizardo (Lithgow) and John Bigboote (Lloyd) of Planet 10. John Parker (Carl Lumbly) is an emissary from the friendly aliens of Planet 10 who assumes the earthly guise of a Rastafarian to bring a warning for Buckaroo Banzai and the President. Dr. Emilio Lizardo (John Lithgow), once a distinguished scientist, but an attempt to penetrate solid matter drove him into the 8th dimension - where Lord John Whorfin of Planet 10 took over his body. Penny Priddy (Barkin) is a mysterious young woman to whom Buckaroo (Weller) is immediately attracted. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Buckaroo Banzai is caught with his trusted allies, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, in a battle to the death between evil red aliens and good black aliens from Planet 10. Led by demonic dictator John Whorfin, who has taken over the body of Italian scientist Dr. Emilio Lizardo, the aliens try to get the Overthruster back from Buckaroo Banzai. But the good black aliens are willing to destroy Earth rather than let these renegades return to their planet.
Director
W.D. Richter
Producer
Neil Canton, W.D. Richter
Screenwriter
Earl Mac Rauch
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Sherwood Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Sci-Fi, Adventure, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 15, 1984, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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