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 CriticThere 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 CriticChow’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
Whimsical, 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
Good 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
The message, at least, is consistently and passionately delivered. But it's safe to say that this 90-minute flick doesn't require a very big thinking cap or much by way of analysis.
03/14/08
Chow bungles it spectacularly with CJ7, a kind of sci-fi comedy (with no kung fu) destined to disappoint his fans.
03/06/08
Bright, bouncy, kooky and comically tone deaf, CJ7 is the most bizarre kids movie I've ever seen.
03/13/08
Chow's loyal fans are sure to be disappointed by CJ7, and the film faces one other significant problem in traveling to these shores: Any kid who is the right age to appreciate this pap is going to be too young to read subtitles.
04/11/08
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
The tone veers wildly from sentimental family drama to cartoonish fantasy, and some of the attempts at humor badly misfire.
02/20/09
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
CJ7 is small and sweet.
03/14/08
Not crazy enough by a measure, CJ7 beats out family-film duds like The Spiderwick Chronicles in sheer buoyancy alone.
03/06/08
He knows he's the hundredth director to rip off E.T.: he's just going to do it better, and with jokes fit for a vintage Warner Brothers cartoon. [Blu-Ray]
08/13/08
Above all the movie has a heart, a mind and a gentleness of spirit that parents will welcome, while the frequent flights of fancy ensure that no child will be left behind.
03/07/08
Top CriticI like seeing directors try to branch out, but Chow's attempt just doesn't feel particularly well thought-out.
03/06/08
You always want to like a critter from space comedy but sometimes you just can't. CJ7 is one of those films.
03/17/08
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