DICK STEEL (24 May 2012)

A Nutshell Review: Gulliver's Travels

Don't expect the modern update of Gulliver's Travels to be true to thecenturies old tale, as the story by Joe Stillman and Nicholas Stollergoes for broke in making this one light comedic affair suitable for thewhole family. Meaning it's for the broadest common denominator to enjoyin a festive outing during this holiday season without worrying toomuch about nasty plot gymnastics, gory violence or sexual innuendos,being utterly effects laden (quality is questionable though) and in thegimmick of 3D without exploiting that medium properly.Jack Black plays LLemuel Gulliver as a big man with big dreams butsmall on the confidence front, which spells disaster in many ways,being stuck in a mailroom job for a decade, delivering office memoswithin the New York Tribune, and lacking the courage to do anythingmore than admire his infatuation Darcy Silverman (Amanda Peet), theeditor for the travel desk, from afar. Deciding to seize an opportunitybased on a whim and a lie, Darcy assigns him to the Bermudas for astory, and Gulliver ends up going through a magical water spout, endingup in the land of Lilliput where his size becomes an issue for theLilliudians who ropes him down (probably the only reference true to theoriginal story) and imprisons him as an enemy. But as things go, hesoon gains the trust of the little people, who begin to worship him asan awesome deity who can keep their enemies at bay.And Jack Black being Jack Black, plays with relish the ultimate StarWars fanboy with plenty of references to the franchise and other popculture, especially music which has a large role in the film from beingemployed as a lyrical tool to assist Horatio (Jason Segel) in wooingthe woman of his dreams, Princess Mary (Emily Blunt), to spreading themessage of anti-war through the song War, which in any case stuck outlike a sore thumb in the way the story got developed.Family friendliness for the young ones will mean themes like believingin yourself, never giving up, the dangers of lying and such make theirobligatory presence felt. And as if to up the comedic quotient, theLilliputians speaketh funnily, behaving strangely and dressed up as ifstuck in a time warp to the medieval ages, with kings and queens andcastles to upkeep, with their skill as fantastic builders stretchingthe imagination akin to possessing some magical qualities. Enemies andvillains also do not do much except scowl, and Chris O'Dowd's GeneralEdward overacts in his role en route to becoming Gulliver's arch rivalsuited up in a metal piece that Iron Man would be proud.Director Rob Letterman had shown some potential with the animated flickShark Tale, before the 3D disaster of Monsters vs Aliens which promisedpotential went unfulfilled, becoming that mediocre animated film thatwasn't funny despite having a roster of comedians in lead roles. Thereisn't much to wow about with this version of Gulliver's Travels, sincethe story goes smooth sailing without tossing up any surprises, and theverdict is a plain vanilla version that could have been done without.

AnyaThai (23 May 2012)

A "travel writer" named Gulliver takes an assignment in Bermuda, but ends up on the island of Liliput where he soon discovers adventure beyond his imagination.

I actually thought this movie was quite good and entertainingthroughout the whole movie. Yes it is a typical Jack Black movie but Ithought this was a good one. The cast was great, everyone played their role well. And I love how they sometimes tend to involve modern times with the18th century. Especially the scene with Gulliver's "homemade" theater. I liked it and I know for sure that children will as well. It was an entertaining and a light-hearted movie where the imaginationcomes alive. I can't really understand why this movie is so underratedwhen it certainly deserves more.

(23 May 2012)

3.5

I love Jack Black and especially in his Tenacious D years (see link below: but beware), but some may say this is immature, he is also a great talent. I think his role was perfect here and I do think he would be happy with such a "unique" production. The twist is unique and children were laughing a lot in the theatre so it is entertaining.I think the direction could have been better. I think the story was lacking. The Mail Room replacement could have been meaner; there could have been a better story here. The big lesson(s) was/were missing.If you are 8 years old, or have 8 year olds they may well love this. I think it would be a great way to spend the afternoon with a bucket of popcorn and Pepsi in hand. It is by no means painful to watch. The adults I watched it with were slightly disappointed, but CRITICAL to remember that this is not aimed at adults. Admittedly there were very funny parts that even the tightest of grinches would have to laugh at. If you are a Jack Black fan it's a most see.I rate this 5 for the children in the audience and a 2/3 from myself and the other adults. A true feeling would be a 3.5. Be fair, if you honestly like movies that are a little immature (in the most positive of ways) you will be up there with the 5 perhaps. Tenacious D

Pumpkin_Man (23 May 2012)

Very Funny!!!

I thought this movie was really funny, and they gave it a massiveupgrade and made it appeal to the kids more because the original storywas written in 1726. They added Star Wars, Guitar Hero, and Twilightreferences. Jack Black stars as Lemuel Gulliver, a small guy in themail room with big dreams. While trying to impress Darcy, she sends himto do a story in the Bermuda Triangle. During a storm, he arrives inLilliput where he is the size of a giant and the townspeople are small.He befriends Horatio to give him confidence to get Princess Mary tolike him. In all, I think this is a very fun movie to watch. I highlyrecommend GULLIVER'S TRAVELS!!!

Mick LaSalle (21 May 2012)

Somewhere by the middle, the souffle collapses, and the movie becomes sleep-inducing. Gulliver doesn't have much to do in Lilliput, and we notice that before he does.

Marbleseyes1 (20 May 2012)

Great movie, but not really a great 3D movie

This movie is a good movie starring Jack Black. A summery would beLemuel Gulliver is mail man who delivers mail to the workers, he has acrush on one of the workers Darcy Silverman, when he tries to ask herout he mistakenly has to write a report on the Bermuda Triangle. Whenhe goes to the destination he falls asleep on the boat going there andgets trapped in a waterspout and goes onto an kingdom with tiny people.He then becomes a hero for most people and is promoted to a General.My review is very good plot and storyline, and great actors. Although,there a very few parts where there is 3D when there is a 3D part Ipersonally think you don't feel right there. So overall I would give ita 7.5 or 8 stars out of 10.

Christopher Smith (19 May 2012)

Jack Black's abridged version of Jonathan Swift's famed epic fairs slightly better than other recent family adaptations. It's silly and occasionally funny -- not bad for a movie starring a guy who saves an entire city with his urine.

Sophie Ly (19 May 2012)

Family-friendly and entertaining, Gulliver's Travels is lightly amusing but don't expect a mind-blowing affair.

(15 May 2012)

Horrible, don't waste your time. Jack Black is terrible.

Gulliver's travels could have been a good movie. But, unfortunately they cast Jack Black to play Gulliver. He is vulgar, inane, childish - but not in a good way. And, of course, he can't act to save his life. He must be related to someone important in Hollywood because there is no other sane reason for him to be cast in any film other than something that makes Dumb and Dumberer look smart and smarterer. Even if you get this movie for free, don't waste your time watching it, unless you're stranded on an island with only two movies and the other one is a different Jack Black film. I feel sorry for the other actors in the movie. For the rest of their lives they're saddled with this moron of a lead actor in the film that gave them the opportunity to shine. Casting was done by Priscilla John and Jeanne McCarthy - I will avoid any movie with their names in the credits. And, director Rob Letterman should be just as ashamed for taking on this job. Black is listed as one of the producers, probably the only way he can get into films these days. AVOID THIS MOVIE AT ALL COSTS!!!

Kaye Espinosa (15 May 2012)

Gulliver's Travels

I was in middle school when I first read Gulliver's travel book. Basedon what I read and what I watched was indeed the same story. I usuallydon't get satisfy with novels turned into a movie story. Because thestory usually has some changes. But this is a good one.Gulliver lives a simple life in Manhattan. He is a writer and lovesmusic. But no one appreciates his likes. Until he got an assignment toinvestigate the Bermuda and write something about it. Unexpectedly, helanded on the land of Liliput. Liliput is the land where people issmaller than Gulliver. On that land, Gulliver was called a beastbecause he was too big for them. He pretended lives in pretension.Because he was big, he helped the citizen in his own little ways. Hesaved the princess from the people who wants to kidnapped her. He savedthe king from the fire, and most of all, he save the countrymen frompeople who wants to invade their kingdom. Until the king promotedGulliver to be their general. And the current general falls to be thevice general of Gulliver. The vice general was so angry of whathappened and wants to make revenge with Gulliver. He invented somethingI called "Transformers" myself. He frightened Gulliver. Gulliver thenadmitted that he was just an ordinary man in Manhattan and what he toldeveryone was a lie. The king and the princess was put to jail. The vicegeneral joined forces with those people who wants to invade theirkingdom. And the bad people rules the Liliput island from then on.Gulliver was thrown on the land of "we don't dare to go". It was theland where giants lives. Gulliver was then owned by a little girl. Andthe little girl puts Gulliver on her doll house. Until one day, Darcy,Gulliver's associate and crush landed on Liliput island. She was aboutto follow Gulliver to make sure everything is okay with him on Bermuda.But unluckily, she also landed on the same island where Gulliver wasbefore. She was put to jail by the bad people. But Gulliver's bestfriend from Liliput island came over to Gulliver to tell him that Darcyis on their island and General Edward was ruling their kingdom.Gulliver decided to go back to Liliput island to protect them and to dohis responsibilities as a general. He first brought out of jail theking, princess, and Darcy. And he fought with General Edward. He washelped by his best friend. And together, they won the fight. TheLiliput island is now in safe hands with King Theodore. Gulliver andDarcy went back to Manhattan. Since then, they became lovers.

Nell Minow (15 May 2012)

The flaccid torpor of the script shows utter contempt for its audience in every line.

Neil Welch (14 May 2012)

Less worse than I expected

Time to own up. I went into Gulliver's Travels expecting not to likeit, for two reasons: one, there has been a profoundly irritating advertin UK cinemas for months using this movie to sell Orange phones, and Iam heartily sick of it and, two, I am massively unconvinced that JackBlack is the right person to play the lead in a comedy movie (I citeYear One as evidence in favour of this hypothesis).But, while in "owning up" mode, I should come clean and say that Ienjoyed this movie more than I expected to, which was not at all. It isamiable and affable. The story is completely predictable especially ifyou have seen the trailers and/or read the book and/or seen any of theprevious versions. There are some tolerable modern day updatings,revisions, and tweaks. Black plays on his good-hearted loser personarather than its mild variant, the crass and objectionable idiot. Andthe effects - for this is essentially an effects movie - arebrilliantly executed for the most part. The 3D is sometimes mildlyeffective, but not essential.The negative points perhaps outweigh the positives. The film is slightto the point of gossamer. The cast of British stalwarts is largelywasted - the parts didn't need Names. And Emily Blunt is absolutelyawful. Chris O'Dowd goes for peevish pantomime villainy and achievesit: heaven knows what Miss Blunt was going for. The cheque, presumably.It passes the time cheerfully enough and the kids will probably enjoyit, especially the unsavoury (and unnecessary) urination "joke" earlyin Gulliver's stay in Lilliput.

Hellmant (14 May 2012)

Black and company do what they can to make the material enjoyable!

'GULLIVER'S TRAVELS': Three Stars (Out of Five) Modern day, very loose, adaptation of Jonathan Swift's classic 18thcentury novel of the same name. It's directed by Rob Letterman (whoco-directed 'MONSTERS VS ALIENS' and 'SHARK TALE') and co-written byJoe Stillman (who wrote 'PLANET 51' and co-wrote 'SHREK' and 'SHREK 2')and Nicholas Stoller (who also wrote 'YES MAN' and 'GET HIM TO THEGreek' and directed the latter as well as 'FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL').It stars Jack Black in the title role and co-stars Jason Segel (acommon Stoller partner), Emily Blunt, Amanda Peet, Chris O'Dowd, BillyConnolly and T.J. Miller. The film is a silly kids film filled withslapstick gags, state of the art special effects and Black doing hispopular trademark routine the entire film.Black plays an unambitious man-child mail clerk named Lemuel Gulliverwho's been stuck in the same dead end job for several years and has hada crush on journalist Darcy Silverman (Peet) for almost as many but hasbeen too much of a pussy to talk to her. When his trainee (Miller) ispromoted to his boss the first day he's hired Gulliver finally works upthe courage to talk to Darcy out of depression and desperation butinstead of asking her out he applies for a job as a 'travel writer'.When asked to bring in an example of his writing the inexperiencedGulliver brings in plagiarized articles from the internet and isimmediately put on assignment to travel to the Bermuda Triangle anddebunk reports of missing ships there. He gets lost in a storm andwashes up on the unknown island of Lilliput where he is a giant amongthe miniature people who inhabit it. He unwittingly saves the war-torncivilization and becomes a worshiped hero but his true nature and liesare eventually discovered and Gulliver must of course overcome hisflaws and become the true hero he pretended to be.The movie pretty much writes itself and is full of every sight gag andcliché in the book. It's obviously cheesy and predictable but it's alsofunny and amusing as well. Black delivers everything you expect fromhim and the rest of the cast does what they can to make the materialenjoyable as well. The whole concept of the film is absurd but thewriting isn't half bad once you acknowledge that that's the assignmentthey were given. The directing is adequate for a goofy kids film andthe FX are decent as well (it was released in 3D but I saw it in 2D, soI can't comment on how it looked). All in all the movie is what it is;a cheesy kids film made about as well as it could have been.Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btk1jpi1Gp4

(14 May 2012)

Can't fast forward through trailers

DO NOT BUY. Everytime you put this disc in you have to watch all of the trailers before you can get to the menu screen. It will allow you to rewind, and watch a trailer again, but not fast forward. So do not make the same mistake I did and rewind on accident or it will be even longer before you can watch the movie.

Matt Pais (09 May 2012)

This is why the School of Rock doesn't offer English class.

ruiresende84 (08 May 2012)

laziness

Someday i'll have to stop seeing films like this. Every 2 hours i spendwatching stuff like this is 2 hours i don't spend watching somethingthat's really worthy. On the other hand, if you're a serious viewer,you'll have to have your dose of ordinary stuff. It's a good exerciseto understand why things are bad, i think, many times much harder thanknowing why a gem is so good. This is pretty trivial and simple as far as this: a film deliberatelytied up in every convention for the romantic comedy genre these days.Over that, it's a film where Black (a talented guy) is free to exploreall of his slapstick and gestural moves we already know too well bynow. But this is remotely related to an incredible book, a very importantwork in the story of literature. It deals with parallel worlds,multiple realities, physical transformation of the world, a kind ofmental flexibilty remarkable for its day. It's mind-blowing in its owncorner, and you should spend time with it. This film is as lazy anduseless and as much a hack as Black's character: it quotes the stuffbut does absolutely nothing with it. Every possible interesting thingis a chewed product coming from other stuff.My opinion: 1/5http://www.7eyes.wordpress.com

Steven Rea (06 May 2012)

A murderously unfunny rethink of the groundbreaking literary satire.

William Goss (05 May 2012)

It's numbing to watch the moderate imagination that comes with placing a big man among a shrunken society fade away in favor of gross-out gags, pop-culture references and a sing-along finale more groan-inducing than most.

Jizdenky (05 May 2012)

Funny but lacking in imagination

An adaptation of Swift's novel (which was one of my favourites when Iwas a child) that stars Jack Black and Amanda Peet! Wasn't going tomiss this one. I have heard negative things about this movie so myexpectations were low. Given that the book leaves plenty of room forimagination, I felt the movie lacked that. Much of it is contrived andthere are plenty of plot holes. For example, the writers could havedone a lot with the idea that Gulliver was banished to a forbidden land(of giants). Even the culture clash between modern day Gulliver and theLilliputians felt forced and half-baked. How did these Lilliputiansdevelop technology (that took hundred of years for humans) so rapidly.Was Gulliver, a guy who works at the mail, really that savvy? Butanyway, the movie partially compensates its lack of substance andimagination with humour. Jack Black is always dependable when it comesto making the audience laugh. Amanda Peet has a small role but shemakes the best of it and has good chemistry with Black. Jason Segel andEmily Blunt are adequate in non-demanding roles. Catherine Tate iswasted. Chris O'Dowd is passable as the traitor villain.Needless to say, this is far from a great adaptation but thanks toBlack, there was enough to laugh at. I suggest to keep expectationslow.

Marjorie Baumgarten (04 May 2012)

As disinterested in itself as Gulliver's Travels seems to be, it's a wonder it ever came into existence at all.