Having achieved great critical and commercial success with his last two movies Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle, director Stephen Chow must've felt he's earned the right to make a departure. For although CJ7 retains very recognizable elements of Chow's style, one might do a double-take upon learning that, at its fore, it does not feature martial arts. Known for over a decade now for a wacky brand of action-comedy, the Hong Kong filmmaker has opted instead to focus on computer-generated creature shenanigans for the kids. The results are decidedly mixed.

Chow's basic themes are intact, as this is the story of a dirt-poor boy named Dicky Chow (impressive first-timer Xu Jiao, actually a girl!) and his father Ti (Chow) struggling against the odds to maintain dignity in the pursuit of a better existence. They are underdogs in the game of life, and Ti constantly reminds his son to be a good person despite this -- do well in school, don't get into fights, don't lie, etc. Not that Dicky is a bad kid -- really, he's a regular boy who can still be shaped and influenced by external forces.

At this point, you might expect confrontations with school bullies (and there are some here) would force Dicky to learn kung fu or something, but Chow goes against his usual template in many ways. There are no particular antagonists, no arch-villains, just everyday adversities (augmented by exaggerated comedy, a remaining Chow trademark). There's a potential love interest for Ti in the form of one of Dicky's teachers (Kitty Zhang), but it doesn't seem to get actively developed. And then, from outer space, an alien object falls into Ti's hands, and he presents it to his son as a new toy.

The toy becomes a cg-rendered being, a small puppy-like thing with a furry, noseless head, large expressive eyes, and a gelatin-smooth green body. Dubbed "CJ7" by Dicky, the little critter is the movie's gimmick, its high concept, its draw. The movie tries to capitalize on CJ7 by making him as adorably cute as possible, instilling it with cartoon-character movements, sounds, and personality. One can already see the merchandising opportunities that might've occurred to the backers of the film -- make the thing cute enough and every gal in Asia will want to carry some version of the thing around, protecting cell phones, adorning purses, and riding in the spaces under the rear windows of cars.

However, in the movie, CJ7's presence never takes over the story. For an alien creature around which a film premise could revolve, it is remarkably passive. It has a special power which father and son take for granted, and is otherwise abused for tragicomic purposes. It is also extremely selfless, as if it doesn't have the programming to be able to be vindictive, and perhaps this plays as part of the lessons that Dicky must learn in order to gain some measures of maturity.

CJ7 is thus used mainly as a tool that indirectly catalyzes Dicky's development. Some may applaud this, believing any other movie might've focused mostly on CJ7's hijinks and possible creation of a chaotic third-act crisis, but the absense of corny qualities doesn't automatically mean the current implementation works better. In fact, I found the alien's presence somewhat awkward. CJ7 sure looks like he was meant to be a focal point in the movie, but he really isn't, so the whole thing doesn't quite come together. Also not helping is Chow allowing his story's sentimental elements to share as much of the stage as its comedic elements -- this might've worked, except  the comedy is so broad and physically abusive that it doesn't blend as well with the film's softer moments.

Chow claims he's a big fan of E.T., so surely CJ7 is his version of that film, but I think he had a tough time working in the genuine emotional underpinnings that made Spielberg's movie succeed with his brand of Looney Tunes humor. Also, where E.T. was a character in his own right, CJ7 is pretty much just a cutesy play pal, which looks too suspiciously like he was created for the purpose of selling toys. I like seeing directors try to branch out, but Chow's attempt just doesn't feel particularly well thought-out. The ultimate evidence of this fault comes from one very good scene, replete with Chow's comic invention, for long after you've found out it was a dream, you can't help wishing the movie had actually opted to continue in that direction instead.

(Released by Sony Pictures Classics and rated "PG" for language, thematic material, some rude humor and brief smoking.)

Review also posted at www.windowtothemovies.com.