STEPHEN Chow, the Chinese actor-director responsible for the delightful martial-arts spoof “Kung Fu Hustle,” has less fun with “CJ7,” a fitfully entertaining, self-conscious homage to “E.T.: The
Extra-Terrestrial.”
A comparatively restrained Chow, playing a widowed and financially hard-pressed construction worker in his new film, takes a back seat to 9-year-old actress Xu Jiao. Chow has cast her in the gender-bending role of his son Dicky, a student who’s bullied by his classmates and even some of his teachers.
All that changes when Dad gives Dicky a toy the old man finds in a landfill. It turns out to be an adorable alien creature with remarkable powers, including the ability to reverse a sudden tragedy and fix Dad up with a pretty teacher (Kitty Zhang).
Like its predecessor, “CJ7” is heavy on slapstick and may appeal to very young viewers who won’t need to bother much with the subtitles.
Running time: 88 minutes. In Cantonese, with English subtitles. Rated PG (action violence, rude humor). At the Empire, the Lincoln Square and the Sunshine.