Shows signs that Chow is trying to put more thought and heart into his films, with uneven success.
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03/06/08
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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
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
What could possibly have possessed Stephen Chow, the mad scientist of slapstick chopsocky who made Kung Fu Hustle, to follow up that psychedelic pinwheel of a movie by entangling himself in CJ7?
03/06/08
It is safe to say that no one makes movies quite like Hong Kong's clown impresario Stephen Chow.
03/06/08
If CJ7 is a slapstick action picture that doffs its cap to children's delight in casual brutality, it's also a sweet-tempered and oddly beautiful piece of schmaltz that sends up its own populist family values without ever betraying them.
03/06/08
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
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.
03/05/08
Chow’s thesis is more profound than There Will Be Blood's, and it’s expressed through a more sophisticated narrative.
03/05/08
A hyperactive, wishful-thinking special effects fantasy suitable for family outings.
03/05/08
Top CriticChow's comic fantasy is a sop to kiddie sentimentality that barely skirts rancid cutesiness by sheer virtue of its strange details.
03/05/08
Lacks any convincing magic or heart.
03/04/08
Kids will probably appreciate it more than their parents, but those with a twisted sense of humor should get a few laughs out of Chow's oddest film yet.
03/04/08
Even fans of Stephen Chow should probably skip his latest, kid-friendly flick. It’s only sporadically funny, and often grating, and at some point you realize that you’ve been suckered into watching an extended advertisement for a toy.
03/03/08
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
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.
02/17/08
Heavy on CGI slapstick and light on meaningful emotional content.
02/05/08
Top CriticLatest News for CJ7
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March 06, 2008:
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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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