Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

CJ7 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 3, 2008

Mixing humor with satire while using old CGI tricks that propelled his Shaolin Soccer (2001) and Kung Fu Hustle (2004) to prominent heights Hong Kong actor/director Stephen Chow returns with yet another comedy feature meant to entertain rather than impress – CJ7 (2008). Less flashy and with a stronger adult flavor pic won’t disappoint those who follow Chow’s work, winning the hearts of the undecided however is unlikely.

Ti (Chow), an honest but incredibly poor widower, pours everything he earns into his son’s (Xu Jiao) education. Day after day he goes to work wishing that young Dicky will achieve everything he hasn’t been able to accomplish. Yet at school Dicky is routinely reminded by his teacher (Lee Sheung-ching) and friends where he belongs, what makes him different. During such moments the youngster’s only consolation is the beautiful and kind Miss Yuenyoung (Kitty Zhang) who quickly understands how brittle Dicky has become. During a trip to a local toy-store Dicky asks his father for the much desired by school kids CJ1. But Ti cannot afford it. Heartbroken Dicky heads to a massive industrial garbage field not too far away from his home where he finds a most unusual substitute – a strange, furry toy, capable of impressive gigs. Dicky names his new friend CJ7.

Back at school things suddenly turn around. The once failing youngster quickly surprises everyone with impressive scores, earns the respect of his teacher and friends, and shocks everyone with his athletic skills. Unfortunately all of this proves to be just a dream with reality ready to test Dicky and his father yet again.

Luck is nowhere to be seen

Packed with a heavy dose of CGIs and plenty of clichés that won’t surprise those familiar with Chow’s stylistic preferences CJ7 follows a familiar route, one that certainly does not introduce anything new to the comedy genre. Here even the most impressive of laughs occasionally feels rather flat, far and away from Chow’s marquee edgy humor. A surprisingly strong cinematography and a series of particularly impressive shots from Chow’s home city of Ningbo however grant CJ7 with a bit of much needed adult flavor. An underdeveloped love affair between Ti and Dicky’s favorite teacher also helps in sprucing up what otherwise plays out only as an eye-candy feature, nothing more.

Still, knowing the type of cinema Chow has become famous for fans would certainly want to give CJ7 a chance. There is enough here to keep those who appreciated the visual excess in his Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle glued to the screen.

CJ7 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

CJ7 arrives on a 25GB disc presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1. What we have here is a sparkling transfer with an excellent degree of detail and a well-rendered color scheme that will certainly impress even the most demanding of viewers. The transition from daylight to nighttime scenes is rather impressive as detail is very prominent and natural grain well preserved. The abundance of digital effects has also granted this transfer with a sharp look that blends quite successfully with some of the more natural looking scenes. Finally the black levels are very strong with the nighttime garbage scenes showcasing excellent detail as well. The only issue some may notice with this transfer is that when CJ7 is present on the screen it becomes fairly obvious where and how CGIs are being used, thus, the picture does tend to reveal a rather unnatural edginess viewers would either embrace or end up being uncomfortable with.

CJ7 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

CJ7 arrives with three different lossless tracks mastered in Dolby True HD 5.1 – Mandarin, Cantonese, and Thai. This being said the True HD treatment here is hardly as impressive as some of the recent mix jobs heard on such discs as Cloverfield and Rambo. Still, it is impressively well-balanced and crisp. A few of the scenes where Dicky reveals his newly developed talents come forward in a brisk fashion but they will hardly test your home systems. Nevertheless, the basics are well covered here and you won't be disappointed with the audio treatment this disc has received.

CJ7 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, there aren't any supplements on this BR disc.

CJ7 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

After a four year hiatus Hong Kong actor/director Stephen Chow returns with CJ7. While not as impressive as the director's previous efforts the film certainly makes for a good transitional material that will keep those eagerly anticipating the arrival of Kung Fu Hustle 2 (2010) busy. There are enough of Chow's old tricks here that while not this reviewer's cup of tea are indeed one of the major reasons why his work is appreciated by many. If you happen to be one of those admirers this well produced BD disc is for you.