A family adventure-comedy based on the 18th Century novel by Jonathan Swift. In this contemporary take, Jack Black is travel writer Lemuel Gulliver who takes an assignment in Bermuda but ends up on the island of Lipiput where he towers over its miniature citizens.
Also stars Emily Blunt (Sunshine Cleaning) and Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall). This is director Rob Letterman's third feature, having previously specialised in animation with Monsters vs Aliens and Shark Tale.
Much like 2004’s Around the World in 80 Days remake, Gulliver’s is a star-studded reimagining of a classic piece of literature that shoots for the moon, aims for laughs and misses both targets by a country mile.
Basically a vehicle for Jack Black to showcase his man-child shtick to a more family friendly audience, director Rob Letterman (Monsters vs Aliens)’s film relies heavily, not only on the traditional costumes and special effects (some of the sets and size manipulation are truly impressive), but sadly also bodily function gags, school-boy humour (it’s wedgies a go-go here), and product placement.
Much is made of Gulliver’s cut-and-paste plagiarism but the charge could also be leveled at this movie’s scriptwriters, whose efforts seems simply a hybrid of The Final Countdown (dislocation via sea vortex), Transformers, Cast Away (mailman lost at sea and hope to see girl of his dreams once more) and most notably Wild Wild West.
Wasteful of comedic talent like Connolly, Tate and Segal, it’s a sad indictment of a film when the three-minute short preceding it, Scrat’s Continental Adventure, generates more guffaws.
By James Croot, Flicks.co.nz
I felt a bit torn between English comedy and the low IQ American "Jack Black" kind of humour plus too much primitive happy happy pancake pancake predictable script. I believe, due to some laughs, it still deserves two stars.
Nothing more nothing less. The odd laugh.. "slightly" interesting twist on the old story.
This movie was pretty good and fun to watch. I would recommend it to friends and fans of Jack Black. If you don't like Jack Black (who plays pretty much the same type of character that he plays in most of his other movies) then I would probably suggest saving your money or wait til out on DVD.
This is like the best movie ever i dont no wot some of u people r on about wots wrong with it
Don't read the bad reviews, it's a great family movie enjoyed by us all.
You may be imagining this is an animated film, and that Jack Black is voicing Lemuel Gulliver. Not at all. This is live action, and despite the 3-D, it's sorta old-fashioned, not that that's a bad thing.
A low-grade comedy that'll have Jonathan Swift turning in his grave.
While not the worst in recent 3D films, Gulliver's Travels is more gimmicky than a crackling good yarn.
For myself, I was but seldom inspired to peals of true laughter, though I did relish that part when Mr. Black, confronting a fire raging in the Palace of Lilliput, douses the blaze through heroic use of such means as Nature has provided him.
There seems to have been numerous versions of this story - so does the world need another one? And one in 3D?
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Sunday, 26th Dec 2010.
Release date: December 26th 2010.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
