Chow’s film is a charming, funny illustration of family life that explores the notion of being given a second chance. A kids’ comedy with a heart.
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08/08/08
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CJ7 (2008)
49
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:76
Fresh:37
Rotten:39
Average Rating:5.3/10
Consensus: Eccentric and sweet, Stephen Chow's latest is charming, but too strangely and slackly plotted to work as a whole.
Theatrical Release:08-08-2008
Synopsis: Chinese writer-director-comedian Stephen Chow (SHAOLIN SOCCER, KUNG FU HUSTLE) takes a break from his usual action-comedy adventures for an E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL-inspired tale of family bonds... [More]
Reviews for CJ7
Top CriticGood for kids, probably of all ages.
08/08/08
With its fast action, cute critters and schoolyard antics, children and fans of Kung Fu Hustle should enjoy Stephen Chow's CJ7, which further cements his reputation as a commercially gifted director.
08/08/08
Top CriticDespite its flaws, this is an entertaining fantasy adventure that both kids and adults will enjoy. Worth seeking out.
08/08/08
There are some nice surreal touches, such as getting enormous adults to play two of the eight-year-olds. But I can't forgive Chow for a misjudged and frankly offensive ending, which is culpably evasive about the reality of life and death.
08/08/08
Top CriticWhimsical, knockabout and slightly out there, it's an enticing watch and one which more adventurous young audiences won't find too alien.
08/08/08
Chow’s kung fu fans may be disappointed that he’s made a family film, but on its own terms it’s well crafted, quite touching and frequently LOL.
08/08/08
It's awful. Awful. That's all. Keep walking. For the love of all that's holy. Keep. Walking.
03/21/08
China has a lot to answer for these days -- unsafe food exports, unsafe toys, Tibet. And now CJ7.
04/11/08
While the characters bring energy and enthusiasm with potty humor and exaggerated jesting, the plot crosses into the cliché and an alien Lassie comes forth that leaves us with a Hollywood ending.
03/05/08
For all its mawkish plot turns and indecipherable trippiness, this is not a boring movie. It's just wiggy. And schmaltzy. And Spielbergian. And, uh ... wait. I think I've got a Jujube in my teeth.
03/21/08
Chow's latest might sell a lot of toys; still, it can't sell tears and the great gooey third act burns out like a meteor.
03/06/08
[D]ownright disturbing.
03/13/08
The choice between fantasy and reality is ultimately what CJ7 addresses and dramatises. Chow's film is charming, to be sure - but that is just the half of it.
08/06/08
Chow’s thesis is more profound than There Will Be Blood's, and it’s expressed through a more sophisticated narrative.
03/05/08
This is a wildly inventive and funny film that is a breath of fresh air.
06/18/08
CJ7 is a deceptive little delight, a movie that wisely avoids the pitfalls of its obvious homage to set its own cinematic course
05/16/08
Always intriguing but not always fully involving, CJ7 still features, as with its resurrecting dog, Chow's enlivening touch. Even when his film isn't completely absorbing, it seems he never met a dying genre cliché he can't reanimate.
05/29/08
Chow loves his comedic exaggerations, and for good reason: he executes silly with dazzling skill. CJ7 might be a minutely less aggressive production from Chow, but that doesn't make it any less unreal or hilarious.
07/29/08
Not crazy enough by a measure, CJ7 beats out family-film duds like The Spiderwick Chronicles in sheer buoyancy alone.
03/06/08
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