CJ7

For the Jeep vehicle, see CJ-7.

Template:Infobox Chinese Film CJ7 (traditional Chinese: 長江七號; simplified Chinese: 长江七号; pinyin: Cháng Jiāng Qī Hào; Cantonese Yale: Cheung gong chat hou) is a 2008 Hong Kong science fiction/comedy film co-written, co-produced and directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the film. It was released on 31 January 2008 in Hong Kong. It was also released on 14 March 2008 in the United States.

In August 2007 the film was given the title CJ7, a play on China's successful Shenzhou manned space missions—Shenzhou 5 and Shenzhou 6. It was previously known by a series of working titles—Alien, Yangtze River VII, Long River 7 and most notably, A Hope.

CJ7 was filmed in Ningbo, in the Zhejiang province of China.

Plot

Chow Ti (Stephen Chow) is a poor laborer working on construction sites. He lives in a partially demolished house with his son, Dicky (Xu Jiao). Chow is eager to save money so he can continue sending his son to private school, to ensure that his life will be better in the future. However, Dicky is often bullied by other children and his teacher (mainly due to his lowly status), and he usually finds comfort with a young educator, Ms. Yuen (Kitty Zhang Yuqi).

One day, while at a department store, Dicky begs his father to buy him a popular robotic toy called CJ1. Chow cannot afford it, and the situation ends badly when Chow spanks the stubborn Dicky in front of other customers. Again, Dicky finds comfort in Ms. Yuen, who is passing by. That night, Chow visits the junkyard where he often picks up home appliances and clothes for Dicky. He finds a strange green orb and takes it home, telling Dicky that it is a new toy, better than the robot they saw earlier. Dicky is hesitant at first, but agrees to keep it. The following evening, the orb transforms into a cuddly alien creature that befriends Dicky. After playing, he names the alien "CJ7", and then falls asleep. He dreams that the alien will help him gain popularity and good grades at school (parodying Stephen Chow's previous films, Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle). Buoyed by his dream, Dicky takes CJ7 to school the following morning, but he receives a zero on his exam and is humiliated during physical education. Frustrated, Dicky tries to dispose of the CJ7, but realizes his mistake and later reconciles with it. The next day, because of his alien pet, Dicky begins to make new friends at school. However, when his father discovers that he lied about his bad exam result, Chow confiscates CJ7, arguing that Dicky will never pass school if there are distractions. The father and son fall out, so Dicky sticks close to Ms. Yuen, who promises she will look after him. This cheers Chow up somewhat, who fears he might lose his son's love.

Later, while Chow is working on a skyscraper, his foot becomes entangled in a rope attached to an oxygen tank. The tank is knocked off the building, pulling him along with it. He later dies at a hospital, and Ms. Yuen takes Dicky home, explaining what has happened. The boy then shoves his teacher out of the house; through his tears he tells himself that his father would never leave him alone.

At the hospital, CJ7, using its otherworldly powers, revives Chow and transports him home. The next morning, Dicky, in tears of happiness, promises his father he will never give up at school or in life. The cost of CJ7's rescue is high, as his own life fades away through the exhaustion. While Dicky waits and waits for his pet to resurrect, his notepad opens on an unfinished page and a pencil writes a message (presumably from CJ7): continue with your schoolwork. Following the advice, things return to normal, with Chow attempting to flirt with Ms. Yuen (with little success), and Dicky playing with his new school friends. Finally, after he prays, Dicky sees a UFO land nearby, from which run hundreds of little aliens.

Production

As with the title CJ7, the earlier working titles, A Hope,Yangtze River VII and Long River 7, referred to the Chinese manned space program. The mission of Shenzhou 6 was completed in 2006 and the real Shenzhou 7 successfully launched in September 2008. The film had a budget of US$20 million, and heavily uses CG effects. Xu Jiao, the child who plays Dicky Chow, is in fact female. She had to cross-dress to be in the movie.

Homages

References to Chow's other films are made during some scenes, particularly during Dicky's dream sequence. These references include Dicky using his super sneakers to kick a soccer ball into the goal, which subsequently collapses (referencing Shaolin Soccer) and Dicky flying into the sky with his sneakers, jumping from the head of an eagle, seeing CJ7's shape as a cloud and using the Buddha's Palm, (referencing Kung Fu Hustle). The scene where Dicky tosses away his glasses while they self-destruct is a reference to John Woo's Mission Impossible II.

Cast

• Stephen Chow as Chow Ti
• Kitty Zhang Yuqi as Ms. Yuen
• Lam Chi Chung as The Boss
• Xu Jiao as Dicky Chow
• Lee Sheung Ching as Mr. Cao
• Lei Huang as Johnny

Critical reception

During its limited release in North America, CJ7 received mixed reviews from critics. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 51% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 73 reviews, much lower than Stephen Chow's previous films Shaolin Soccer (91%) and Kung Fu Hustle (90%). Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 46 out of 100, based on 18 reviews.

The film fared no better with local Hong Kong critics. Perry Lam of Muse gave a decidedly negative review of the film: 'We go to see a Stephen Chow movie for its great entertainment value and, occasionally, its terrific cinematic panache. We don't need to be told that we are morally superior because we don't have much money.'

Awards and nominations

28th Hong Kong Film Awards

• Best Film
• Best Supporting Actor (Stephen Chow)
• Best New Performer (Xu Jiao)
• Best Visual Effects (Eddy Wong, Victor Wong & Ken Law)

External links

• Official Sony Pictures international site
• CJ7 at IMDb
• CJ7 at Rotten Tomatoes
• CJ7 at Metacritic
• CJ7 at Box Office Mojo
• CJ7 at AllMovie
• Twitchfilm.net - A Hope
• CJ7 Review, Poster and Trailer