Cheung Gong 7 hou 2008

Logan Hill, New York Magazine/Vulture: 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. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: Even with its flaws this comedy is more interesting kids' fare than most sanitized studio releases. Read more

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: CJ7 is wildly entertaining at times, but when it comes to telling an actual story, Chow could use some tutoring from the clever folks at Pixar. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: Shows signs that Chow is trying to put more thought and heart into his films, with uneven success. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: 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. Read more

Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times: Its occasionally endearing schmaltz is eclipsed by bizarre shifts in tone and a lackluster story. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: I don't doubt [Stephen Chow's] talent. With this one, though, I doubt his story sense and his borderline-insane mixture of tones. Read more

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: 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. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: 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? Read more

Amy Nicholson, I.E. Weekly: 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. Read more

Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly: 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. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: It is safe to say that no one makes movies quite like Hong Kong's clown impresario Stephen Chow. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: It's the low-tech side of Stephen Chow's fantasy that proves the most interesting. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: CJ7 is heavy on slapstick and may appeal to very young viewers who won't need to bother much with the subtitles. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: 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. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: China has a lot to answer for these days -- unsafe food exports, unsafe toys, Tibet. And now CJ7. Read more

Jim Emerson, Chicago Sun-Times: 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. Read more

G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle: This is lesser Chow because there is less Chow. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: A wonderfully ridiculous homage to E.T. Read more

Kamal Al-Solaylee, Globe and Mail: 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. Read more

Philip Marchand, Toronto Star: The presence of Xu Jiao, who never tips her gender for a moment, and is winsome without being cute, is enough to keep the audience watching. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: 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. Read more

Richard Kuipers, Variety: Heavy on CGI slapstick and light on meaningful emotional content. Read more

Variety: Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: CJ7 is too bizarre an amalgam of sappy sentimentality and life-on-the-streets edginess. Read more