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.
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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 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
Good for kids, probably of all ages.
08/08/08
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.
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
Despite its flaws, this is an entertaining fantasy adventure that both kids and adults will enjoy. Worth seeking out.
08/08/08
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
Shows signs that Chow is trying to put more thought and heart into his films, with uneven success.
03/06/08
Chow is so heavy-handed at erecting wish-fulfilling or sentimental setups that each slapstick reversal becomes easy to predict. He showers heroes and villains alike with sap.
04/04/08
CJ7 is precisely the 80-something minutes of delirium and cheesy special-effects you'd expect from the man responsible for the chaos of Shaolin Soccer and the lunacy of Kung Fu Hustle.
03/21/08
an odd and sloppy grab bag of bits and concepts likely to appeal only to hardcore fans while leaving others scratching their heads.
03/07/08
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
The tragic events and their oddly cavalier presentation make CJ7 one of the most emotionally-scarring kid flicks since 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
02/22/08
He's a cute little furball, but no Mogwai.
03/07/08
Even with its flaws this comedy is more interesting kids' fare than most sanitized studio releases.
03/28/08
This is a fable of forgiveness and regeneration, but it delves into a child's deepest, darkest fears. Fortunately, things turn out OK in the end.
03/28/08
Top CriticI don't doubt [Stephen Chow's] talent. With this one, though, I doubt his story sense and his borderline-insane mixture of tones.
03/27/08
The tone veers wildly from sentimental family drama to cartoonish fantasy, and some of the attempts at humor badly misfire.
02/20/09
In spite of the hole the writers dig themselves in accidentally turning the main hero in to a really unlikable presence, "CJ7" is a great twist on the boy meets alien tale...
08/13/08
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