CJ7

I'm not a kid and I don't have kids so perhaps I'm not the best person to judge this film, but judging from the noise of the kids around me in the cinema I think that they enjoyed this film as much as I did. (On the other hand many professional critics hated it!)

It is a simple story: kid is teased at school, finds a way to get back at tormentors. Add an extra terrestrial in the form of a green toy dog with a white furry head, that can do magic making kids more powerful than adults and you have the ingredients for a successful family film.

Dickie is a boy who tends to get into trouble and whose day labourer, solo dad (Stephen Chow) sends him to a posh private school. Dicky is the unfortunate victim of bullying from both kids and teachers (Unlike Ben X, Stephen Chow turns some of the bullying against the bullies). He also want an expensive toy (a CJ1) his father can't afford and throws a tantrum in the toy store. While scavenging at a rubbish dump, dad finds a green rubber ball which he brings home for Dicky telling him it is a CJ7. The ball transforms into a white-headed green dog. If you are still reading you should probably go and see the film.

Useless fact from the official web site is that the 9 year old boy hero of the film, Dicky, was played by 10 year old actress Xu Jiao. I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't read this.

Also note that the non-Cantonese speaking film goers will need to be able to read subtitles to enjoy this film.

Ian's rating 4/5