CJ7
Encyclopedia
CJ7 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 title
s—Alien, Yangtze River VII, Long River 7 and most notably, A Hope.
CJ7 was filmed in Ningbo
, in the Zhejiang
province of China.
) 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.
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.
) 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.
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.'
Hong Kong films of 2008
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 2008:.-2008:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 2008 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
science fiction
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
/comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
co-written, co-produced and directed by Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
, who also stars in the film. It was released on 31 January 2008 in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It was also released on 14 March 2008 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In August 2007 the film was given the title CJ7, a play on China's successful Shenzhou
Shenzhou program
The Shenzhou program is a manned spaceflight initiative by the People's Republic of China. The program put the first Chinese citizen, Yang Liwei, into orbit on 15 October 2003....
manned space missions—Shenzhou 5
Shenzhou 5
Shenzhou 5 — was the first human spaceflight mission of the People's Republic of China , launched on October 15, 2003. The Shenzhou spacecraft was launched on a Long March 2F launch vehicle. There had been four previous flights of unmanned Shenzhou missions since 1999...
and Shenzhou 6
Shenzhou 6
Shenzhou 6 was the second human spaceflight of the People's Republic of China, launched on October 12, 2005 on a Long March 2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The Shenzhou spacecraft carried a crew of Fèi Jùnlóng and Niè Hǎishèng for five days in low Earth orbit...
. It was previously known by a series of working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
s—Alien, Yangtze River VII, Long River 7 and most notably, A Hope.
CJ7 was filmed in Ningbo
Ningbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...
, in the Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
province of China.
Plot
Chow Ti (Stephen ChowStephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
) is a poor laborer working on construction sites. He lives in a partially demolished house with his son, Dicky (Xu Jiao
Xu Jiao
Xu Jiao is a newcomer actress from China, who is most notable for her comedic performance in the film CJ7. Despite being a girl she played a boy in the film.-Films:*CJ7 as Dicky Chow*Mulan as Young Hua Mulan...
). Chow is eager to save money so he can continue sending his son to private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, 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
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
, 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
Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
and Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 action comedy film directed and produced by, and starring Stephen Chow. The other film producers were Chui Po-chu and Jeffrey Lau, while the screenplay was written by Huo Xin, Chan Man-keung, and Tsang Kan-cheung...
). 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
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. 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 7Shenzhou 7
- Backup crew :Of the back-up crew, only Chen Quan had not previously flown in space.- Mission highlights :The Long March 2F rocket launched the Shenzhou 7 into an initial elliptical orbit of 200 x 330 kilometres inclined at 42.4 degrees on 25 September 2008. About seven hours later the spacecraft...
successfully launched in September 2008. The film had a budget of US$20 million, and heavily uses CG effects.
Xu Jiao
Xu Jiao
Xu Jiao is a newcomer actress from China, who is most notable for her comedic performance in the film CJ7. Despite being a girl she played a boy in the film.-Films:*CJ7 as Dicky Chow*Mulan as Young Hua Mulan...
, 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 SoccerShaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
) 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
Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 action comedy film directed and produced by, and starring Stephen Chow. The other film producers were Chui Po-chu and Jeffrey Lau, while the screenplay was written by Huo Xin, Chan Man-keung, and Tsang Kan-cheung...
). The scene where Dicky tosses away his glasses while they self-destruct
Self-destruct
A self-destruct is a mechanism which causes a device to destroy itself under a predefined set of circumstances.Self-destruct mechanisms are also found on devices and systems where malfunction could endanger large numbers of people...
is a reference to John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
's Mission Impossible II.
Cast
- Stephen ChowStephen ChowStephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
as Chow Ti - Kitty Zhang YuqiZhang YuqiKitty Zhang Yuqi is a Chinese actress. Her first major role was in Stephen Chow's 2007 Hong Kong film CJ7, which brought her media attention and kickstarted her acting career.-Biography:Zhang was born in Shandong province...
as Ms. Yuen - Lam Chi ChungLam Chi ChungLam Chi-chung is a Hong Kong actor.-Actor:* The Haunting Lover * Flirting Scholar 2 * All's Well, Ends Wel 2010 * Just Another Pandora's Box * Here Comes Fortune * Chinese Paladin 3...
as The Boss - Xu JiaoXu JiaoXu Jiao is a newcomer actress from China, who is most notable for her comedic performance in the film CJ7. Despite being a girl she played a boy in the film.-Films:*CJ7 as Dicky Chow*Mulan as Young Hua Mulan...
as Dicky Chow - Lee Sheung ChingLee Sheung ChingLee Sheung Ching , sometimes credited as Shing-Cheung Lee or Sheung Ching Lee, is a Hong Kong film and television actor; he is also a former playwright.-Filmography:-External links:...
as Mr. Cao
Critical reception
During its limited release in North America, CJ7 received mixed reviews from critics. The review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 51% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 73 reviews, much lower than Stephen Chow's previous films Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
(91%) and Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle is a 2004 action comedy film directed and produced by, and starring Stephen Chow. The other film producers were Chui Po-chu and Jeffrey Lau, while the screenplay was written by Huo Xin, Chan Man-keung, and Tsang Kan-cheung...
(90%). Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
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
Muse (Hong Kong Magazine)
Muse is a bilingual Hong Kong-based multimedia publisher specializing in content related to Hong Kong's art and culture scene.. Until December 2010, Muse published an award-winning monthly arts and culture magazine...
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 Awards28th Hong Kong Film Awards
Ceremony for the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards was held on 19 April 2009 in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and hosted by Eric Tsang, Teresa Mo, Sandra Ng, Vincent Kok, Kay Tse, Denise Ho, Lam Chi Chung, Chin Kar-lok, Louis Fan, Tin Kai Man, Michelle Lo and Wong Cho Lam.-Best Film:-Best Director:-Best...
- Best Film
- Best Supporting Actor (Stephen Chow)
- Best New Performer (Xu Jiao)
- Best Visual Effects (Eddy Wong, Victor Wong & Ken Law)