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CJ7
長江七號
2008 88 min Hong Kong PG 12+
★6.2
Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Director: Stephen Chow
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A poor construction worker, who struggles to keep his son in private school, mistakes an orb he finds in a junkjard for a toy which proves to be much, much more once the young boy starts to play with it.
Budget:
$20M
US Gross:
$207,378
Worldwide:
$47.3M
Starring
Stephen Chow
Actor
Yuqi Zhang
Actor
Jiao Xu
Actor
Awards
Asian Film Academy 2009
— Best Debut
Key opinion
CJ7 is a genre-bending blend of gritty poverty drama and whimsical fantasy that frequently divides viewers regarding its intended audience and tone. While many praise Stephen Chow’s heartfelt direction and the charming, adorable design of the alien creature, others find the shifts between dark social commentary and slapstick humor jarring or confusing.
| Production | The alien creature 'CJ7' is universally praised as a charming, adorable, and visually captivating addition to the film. | |
| Acting | Stephen Chow delivers a strong, nuanced performance as the impoverished but loving and dedicated father. | |
| Theme | The film attempts a jarring tonal shift between harsh, bleak depictions of poverty and lighthearted, infantile fantasy, leading to disagreement over whether it is appropriate or effective for its target audience. | |
| Screenplay | Critics are divided on the screenplay, with some finding it a touching, original fable and others criticizing the narrative for feeling disjointed, cliché, or lacking a clear, satisfying resolution. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the humor are split: some find it a delightful evolution of Chow's comedic style, while others view the performances of the child actors as over-the-top, grimacing, or disrespectful. |