The “Kung Fu Hustle” director made his own “ET” with this sci-fi family drama.

If Stephen Chow‘S Kung Fu hustle and bustle Made you laugh with laughter, prepare to cry with his ET-inspired sci-fi family drama, CJ7. This is not your typical father-son story CJ7 brings an adorable alien guest into the family. Chow Ti (Chow) is a single father who lives with his son Dicky Chow (Xu Jiao), in the urban ruins of their neighborhood. Ti works as a construction worker during the day and can barely make ends meet. When Dicky asks if his father could buy him the latest robot toy, the CJ1, Ti simply can’t afford it. Later that night, Ti comes across a strange green ball in the junkyard and decides to give it to Dicky, claiming it to be a better toy than the CJ1. You don’t know This orb is actually a mysterious flying saucer remnant that transforms into a cuddly, dog-like alien creature that Dicky affectionately calls CJ7.

Despite the AND-inspired science fiction setup, CJ7 is a heartwarming story about a father and son who stick together through thick and thin despite their differences and disagreements. Ti simply wants to do something good for his son with the few resources he has and ensure that he grows up to be a good, honest person, even though he lives on the poverty line. Dicky, on the other hand, just wants to make his father proud, despite his poor academic skills. Meanwhile, CJ7 the alien provides plenty of giggles throughout the film, later the creature reveals his true nature when he puts himself on the line to save a character in trouble. While CJ7 presents itself as an entertaining film for families, but is also a tear-jerking reminder of the unconditional love of a parent who, despite their flaws, is always there for their child.

What is “CJ7” about?

Despite living in a shabby, cockroach-infested house near the junkyard and deep in debt, Ti is determined to give his son a better life. Instead of sending Dicky to a public school like the rest of his colleagues, Ti enrolls him in a wealthy private school. I hope it offers better options. Meanwhile, Dicky is having a hard time adjusting to his new surroundings. Unlike his privileged, wealthy classmates, Dicky comes to school in a dirty uniform with worn-out shoes and travels alone instead of being dropped off by his parents like his classmates. Because of his appearance, he is constantly ridiculed and ridiculed by his teachers and classmates for looking dirty and poor. But even though Dicky is underestimated, he has more ambitious goals than his peers. The others may dream of becoming an actor or businessman, while Dicky just wants to grow up to be a good person with integrity. But after discovering CJ7’s many powers, Dicky decides to take him to school with him in the hopes that this newfound companion will make his life easier.

Forget flesh-eating aliens, CJ7 is the ultimate friend

Time to talk about the star of the film – the CJ7 alien. Unlike the deadly facehuggers of Alien: Romulus or the man-eating denim jacket from NoThe cute and cuddly CJ7 alien behaves like a playful puppy. It wags its tail, rolls around on the ground, and barks when excited. Plus, it can even catch things in its mouth, like when Dicky throws his smelly socks at it. But as an alien, CJ7 of course also has some extraterrestrial traits. His rubbery body allows Dicky to stretch, squeeze or even smash him, and CJ7 bounces back just fine, if not a little annoyed.

In addition to his shape-shifting body, CJ7 has a unique superpower: the ability to regenerate living and non-living objects. When it notices the broken fan in Dicky’s house, CJ7 springs into action, emitting bright beams of sound from the antenna on its head. These beams magically regroup the fan’s atoms, first repairing the internal wiring and then reassembling the mechanical parts until the fan is working properly again. However, this performance comes at a price.After use, CJ7 becomes weak and requires a lot of rest, indicating that this ability drains a lot of energy from the small creature. CJ7’s power plays a crucial role in the film’s emotional climax, where he must use this remarkable ability to save someone on the verge of death.

In “CJ7,” the family sticks together no matter what happens

Since they have no other relatives by their side, Ti and Dicky can only rely on each other. Although Ti cannot spend as much time with his son as he would like due to his demanding manual labor, he cherishes every moment he can spend with Dicky. Ti makes sure his son is well – helping him keep up with his studies, feeding him whatever they have, and even taking him to watch TV from outside an electronics store since they don’t have one at home .

Like any father and son or family, they have to fight. When Ti finds out that Dicky is trying to cheat on his school exams, he immediately reprimands him for his dishonesty. In response, Dicky becomes upset that Ti has confiscated CJ7 and proclaims that he never wants to speak to his own father again. Ti snidely promises that if Dicky scores over 60 on his next exam, he will never talk to him. Although Dicky initially approaches the test out of spite, he is thrilled when he achieves good results and can’t wait to show off to his father. However, when he learns that his father had a devastating accident at work, Dicky realizes how much he really loves him and can’t imagine life without him.

When it comes to storytelling and plot, CJ7 may not reach the same heights as Chow’s more internationally acclaimed hits Kung Fu hustle and bustle or Shaolin football (Though eagle-eyed audiences may notice a few cheeky references to these films). But what it lacks in punchlines, action and quirky characters is This is more than made up for by the touching connection between Ti and Dicky. Despite Ti’s imperfections, his love and intentions for Dicky are always in the right place, and that ultimately makes for a wholesome and heartwarming family adventure film.

CJ7 is currently available to stream on Netflix in the US

WATCH ON NETFLIX