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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]
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.
Top CriticChow’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.
Top CriticGood for kids, probably of all ages.
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.
Top CriticDespite its flaws, this is an entertaining fantasy adventure that both kids and adults will enjoy. Worth seeking out.
Whimsical, knockabout and slightly out there, it's an enticing watch and one which more adventurous young audiences won't find too alien.
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.
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.
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.
[D]ownright disturbing.
Not crazy enough by a measure, CJ7 beats out family-film duds like The Spiderwick Chronicles in sheer buoyancy alone.
The result is never boring, but it's often inexplicable.
"CJ7" has some moments of sweetness and CGI inflected humor, but comes off as slight compared to the filmmaker's previous efforts.
Chow's child-like sense of wonder is no guarantee that he can make a suitable film for kids.
Chow himself is extremely winning whenever he is on screen, but this is first and foremost a kids' film, not a vehicle for the one of the best comics currently working in movies.
CJ7 is too bizarre an amalgam of sappy sentimentality and life-on-the-streets edginess.
Even children, for whom it is intended, might just find it silly.
It's the low-tech side of Stephen Chow's fantasy that proves the most interesting.
A giddy, childlike enthusiasm dominates every frame of Stephen Chow's film, but unfortunately it's only mildly amusing: Like a hyperactive tyke, CJ7 has a rambunctious energy that ultimately wears you out.
Chow's comic fantasy is a sop to kiddie sentimentality that barely skirts rancid cutesiness by sheer virtue of its strange details.
August 11, 2008:
RT on DVD: New South Park, The Wire, and an Exclusive Look at Smart People,
This week we bring you an exclusive look from the DVD release of Smart People, starring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Page as a father and daughter whose intellect outweighs their... More...
March 06, 2008:
Critics Consensus: 10,000 B.C. is Primitive; Bank Gets the Job Done
This week at the movies, we've got prehistoric passion (10,000 B.C., starring Steven Strait and Camilla Belle), travel travails (College Road Trip, starring Maritn Lawrence and... More...
March 04, 2008:
Stephen Chow Presents Exclusive CJ7 Clip to RT Readers!
CJ7, Stephen Chow's sci-fi-comedy hybrid is coming out this Friday. We've got an exclusive clip for you here, which starts with an introduction recorded by Chow just for Rotten... More...
February 17, 2008:
Trailer & Poster review 
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 81% | Departures | 04/12 |
| 79% | Disgrace | 04/12 |
| 79% | Me and Orson Welles | 04/12 |
| 66% | The Merry Gentleman | 04/12 |
| 61% | The Girlfriend Experience | 04/12 |
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