Big Trouble is a story of a bomb, an advertising agent, a money launderer and his wife, two assassins, two cops, three high school teens, two inept thieves, two Russian arms dealers, a Jesus-like homeless guy, two FBI agents, and how their worlds all collide in sunny Miami, Florida. OK, so the plot is a bit out there, but that's all right, it DOES make sense. However, trying to explain it all would take up three pages and give away most of the movies' jokes.

In the hands of a less talented director, this mess of a cast and story might produce a horrible movie. This is not the case with Big Trouble. Director/Producer Barry Sonnenfeld is a modern master with ensemble casts (Get Shorty, Addams Family, Men in Black, Out of Sight), and the story is based on a book by comedian Dave Barry. The jokes are well written, and don't stoop to gross-out tactics like many comedies in recent memory. There is an especially funny incident involving airport security; it doesn't make light of the events of Sept. 11, but it is a great satire on how bad security was before the tragedy. (The movie was shot before Sept. 11, but was delayed due to the plot involving a bomb and an airport).

Big Trouble is the first really great comedy of 2002. There aren't more than 5 minutes between moments where you will laugh out loud, and sometimes the jokes come so fast you are laughing well into the next scene. Rather than attempt to convey a serious message or provide us with some gung-ho action scenes, Big Trouble is a pure comedy, a movie you see to laugh heartily and just have fun. Highly recommended.

- - Darken Rahl