CJ7 is everything a kid could want: It's a ball, it's a dog, it's a cat, it's a friend, it's a toy and it's from outer space. In other words, a Furby from another planet, combined with Wilson from "Cast Away." But Dicky is disappointed when he discovers its low-tech features. It poops, for one thing.
"CJ7" offers a mixed assortment of "messages" for children. On one hand, it seeks to show that poverty is nothing to be ashamed of and that integrity and forgiveness are more worthwhile values than competition or class status. (The greedy villain is a kid Dicky's age who proclaims his entrepreneurial lust for global domination to the entire schoolroom.)
Chow's movie does not seem to be a cynical marketing tool. However, the moment retail and fast-food outlets start pushing their own CJ7 toys made of potentially toxic materials, all its moral lessons will be rendered moot, and the movie will seem as crass and venal as "Mac and Me." Also, Dicky's dad really shouldn't have pushed his son into a small wooden box and then locked him in there.
But for those who are struggling with the consequences of their seemingly uncontrollable emotions, "CJ7" presents an illustration of why you should never say things you don't mean, even when you lose your temper. 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.
The American release of "CJ7" presents a paradox. This film is aimed at ages between "Teletubbies" and "Dora the Explorer," but unless your kids already speak Cantonese (or read lips in Mandarin, which is what most of the actors spoke during production), they're probably not going to be able to interpret the English subtitles. So the people who would most appreciate "CJ7" probably aren't old enough to see it.
It's rated PG for cartoonish violence, brushes with "Bambi"-esque mortality and the word "b-----t" in the subtitles. The latter shouldn't trouble you if your kids can't read profanity. Maybe the ideal non-Cantonese-speaking audience for "CJ7" would be kids who haven't yet developed language skills at all. It's not nearly as puzzling to follow as "Teletubbies," but probably just as scary in its own way.
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