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EDITOR'S PICK
Rating: *1/2
It is one of the greatest satires of all times that
"Gulliver`s Travels" has been relegated to children`s literature. That
the latest filmed version of the same treats the masterpiece with similar
disdain is but a satire on humanity itself, which ironically writer Jonathan
Swift repeatedly indulged with in the book.
Lemuel Gulliver (Jack Black), a delivery boy, is one of the little people in his
office and cannot express his true feelings for travel editor Darcy (Amanda Peet).
After being fired, he fakes being a travel writer and takes up an assignment to
explore Bermuda triangle. There, he disappears, only to wake up in Lilliput, the
land of the small people who see him as a beast at first, but he manages to win
them over in the end, while also uniting a commoner in the land with the
princess.
There is a hint of a soul in the film with delivery boy Gulliver being the
little, insignificant person in a big office and then the low caste Lilliputian
Horatio (Jason Segel) aspiring for the higher class princess Mary (Emily Blunt).
But when you consider the actual analogy of the original book, where the warring
Lilliputians and Blefuscu were intended by Swift as criticism of modern society,
this falls flat.
Quite contrary to the original satire, the film actually seems to endorse modern
life with all its faults, as Gulliver turns Lilliput into mini-Manhattan. This
and the parody of Hollywood is not done with any higher intention but cheap
thrills. Sadly, these barely raise a chuckle.
The film thus ends up as nothing but a show of special effects for little
children who incidentally have seen better effects in far superior films.
Also the introduction of the big people near the end (Brobdingnag in the
original story) is out of place, and gimmicky. It could have waited for a
sequel. Perhaps the makers had the correct premonition that the film won`t
survive to have a sequel, so they had to cram all in one.
Even the little emotions and build up of mood that could have helped audiences
connect with it are rushed up as if the makers were in a hurry to finish the
film.
Jack Black is himself in the film, indulgent and loony, which may or may not
suit the story depending on your take on both the film and Jack. Director Rob
Letterman, who has given two decent animation films "Shark Tale" and
"Monsters Vs. Aliens", fails miserably with this one.
Unlike the original book, which is a parody of modern life, the film
self-cannibalizes, ending up becoming a ludicrous parody of itself to be watched
only if there`s nothing else to do.