What Do The Critics Say?

"This Jack Black attack is just right for Gulliver's Travels, a kiddie flick with no discernible aspirations. One’s ability to enjoy "Gulliver’s Travels" depends mightily on two factors: your age and disposition toward Black. The film finds an adult-sized pulse whenever Black’s predilection for pop culture shines through. For some, Black is a special effect unto himself, and they’re the best audience to appreciate his large and in charge performance." Christian Toto WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH "It's a quick, fun, family-friendly fantasy adventure spiced by some nifty visual effects. Solid support from Amanda Peet and Emily Blunt" Jim Schembri THE AGE "Loosely adapted from Swift’s novel by Joe Stillman and Nicholas Stoller, is reminiscent of Ben Stiller’s other franchise, "A Night at the Museum", and it has much the same arch irony, whimsical inventiveness and antic charm. It kept me amused but heed this health warning: the film may prove insufferable to those with little to no tolerance for Jack Black or Billy Connolly." Leo Robson FINANCIAL TIMES "Black, looking like an unwashed clothes pile and capering in familiar "Uncle Jack" style, is a good babysitter, his cross-dressing turn in a doll’s house a highlight." Nick Pinkerton L.A. WEEKLY "The simple fact is that Jack Black's back doing what he does best; making fart and pee jokes, rocking out in over the top shoehorned fashion, and poking fun at his own tubbiness. The plot skips along at a merry pace. Billy Connolly and Emily Blunt delight with their knowingly hammy turns as the simplistic King and Princess of Lilliput, while O'Dowd makes a memorable impact. It's clear that enjoyment will depend on your level of Black idolatry." Matt Risley SKY MOVIES

"Black is at his irrepressible best as Gulliver. He is warm, witty, clever and cute. Most outstanding among the supporting cast is Chris O’Dowd as General Edward. O’Dowd is the villain of the piece and is funny, funny in the role. His comic timing is perfect and he is a good foil for Black. Jack Black's adult fans, and all kids, will love this movie for the good-natured fun of it all." JACKIEKCOOPER "Not only tolerable, but actually enjoyable. The 3D is better employed here than it was in Tron: Legacy. Gulliver’s Travels is by no means high-brow entertainment, but it is entertainment." Anders Wotzke CUT PRINT REVIEW "I decided to get into the nutty spirit of the film and found much to enjoy. the real find in the cast is Chris O'Dowd as the conniving Lilliputian general who has it in for Gulliver after he is hailed the kingdom's savior. A Jack Black vehicle and a product designed to entertain families." Teddy Durgin SCREEN IT! "The Lilliputian cast is good, with Billy Connolly as the always entertaining king, Blunt as the beautiful princess who yearns for more than her status allows, and Segel as the commoner who yearns to woo her. But the stand-out performer is O'Dowd. There are enough silly laughs, talented supporting actors, and broad sight gags to make this a decent family pick. Amusing adventure for fans of Jack Black and silly jokes." COMMONSENSE MEDIA "Black was already the world's biggest little kid, and he might be the only actor who could have made this movie such nimble fun. No matter how thin the concept, Black always manages to make it his own. Jonathan Swift, Jack Black: they're just a couple of lovable whiz kids. Outsize adaptation wee highly recommend." Kyle Smith NEW YORK POST "Let’s be clear: Gulliver’s Travels has little visual panache, many foolish plot turns and an ending so pat it makes you want to slowly bang your head against a brick wall. But funny films are short on the ground and this one: deserves to be bigged up." Charlotte O'Sullivan THIS IS LONDON

The Inside Story This latest incarnation of Jonathan Swift's 1726 novel "Gulliver's Travels" began with a call from producer John Davis to Jack Black. Shortly thereafter, Black was aboard as the titular hero and as an executive producer on the project. "I jumped at the chance to be a part of this," says Black ("School Of Rock" & "Shallow Hal"). "It was irresistible: Me, Gulliver, traveling, being a giant in another world. The elements were all there to make a big movie." When Jonathan Swift penned his novel in the 18th century, the world hadn’t yet been fully explored, so the idea of an island populated by tiny people didn’t seem that far-fetched. Black, Davis, director Rob Letterman, co-screenwriter Joe Stillman ("Shrek") and co-producer (and Davis Entertainment executive) Brian Manis, endeavored to make the story relevant and fun for contemporary audiences. They briefly considered setting Gulliver’s adventure on a distant planet before deciding to have Gulliver travel through an "inter-dimensional portal", not to a distant planet but to an alternate world that juxtaposed modern-day and old-school sensibilities. "One of our principal goals was that audiences would always believe in Lilliput," says Davis. "We wanted to put you right there with Gulliver." Bringing in director Rob Letterman ("Shark Tale") was an important step in bringing a fun sense of verisimilitude to Gulliver’s adventures in Lilliput. Previously, Letterman had examined the interactions of a newly super sized character with her new environment and friends in the blockbuster 3D animated feature "Monsters vs Aliens", so he was a perfect fit for the project. It's fair to say, Letterman, Black, Davis and the screenwriters (Nicholas Stoller and Joe Stillman who had joined the team to do additional work on the script) faced some daunting new questions about Gulliver and his world, such as: Do the Lilliputians have to shout at Gulliver to be heard? If so, how do you keep that from looking and sounding peculiar on screen? As they devised solutions to these challenges, the focus remained on Gulliver's journey and character arc. When we meet Black’s Lemuel Gulliver, he is a small man in a big pond: the monstrous canyons of Manhattan, where he toils in a clerical position at a newspaper. He talks a big game, but he’s achieved very little because he is always afraid he will fail. "Gulliver dreams of becoming a travel writer. He’s always aspiring for something bigger and better," says Black. "But he doesn’t have the courage to put himself out there. Fear is his obstacle. But once he gets to Lilliput, he’s like a king." "In New York, Gulliver feels really small and wants to do big things, but he’s afraid to make it happen," says Letterman. "When he lands in Lilliput, he starts to feel really big, but it’s a feeling based on false pretenses." After a rough start with the Lilliputians that sees Gulliver tied up and wheeled through the Town Square, then outfitted with a pulley system through which the Lilluput leaders control his every move, Lemuel Gulliver begins to win over his captors. How? He impresses the Lilliputians by mounting productions of his life story: all of which are created in his mind. Through all of Gulliver’s tall tales and reluctant heroic displays, Black (who made his film debut as Roger Davis in the 1992 Tim Robbins feature "Bob Roberts"), makes the character likable and childlike, bringing his signature energy and humor to every scene. "Jack is the epicenter of the film," says Letterman. Producer Benjamin Cooley notes: "Jack brings an innocence to Gulliver; there’s something in his eyes that’s both endearing and edgy. He’s like a big child in the film." Black’s unique and comic sensibilities are counterbalanced by those of his co-stars. Those co-stars are:, Jason Segel, as Horatio; Emily Blunt as Princess Mary; Amanda Peet as Darcy Silverman; Billy Connolly as King Theodore; Chris O’Dowd as the traitorous General Edward; and Catherine Tate as Queen Isabelle. It is Gulliver’s attempts to trick travel editor Darcy that sets in motion his epic adventure among the Lilliputians. He cons Darcy, for whom he has unrequited romantic feelings, into a choice writing assignment that takes him to the Bermuda Triangle and beyond: way beyond; to Lilliput. When Gulliver washes ashore this strange new world, among the first he meets is General Edward Edwardian, the commander of the Lilliput army. Edward’s distrust of the gargantuan creature that has suddenly appeared in Lilliput, as well as the general’s ambitions, leads him to take Gulliver prisoner. But his tactics backfire when Gulliver becomes the new (Really) Big Man on Campus, and takes Edward’s place as commander. "When Gulliver lands itself on Edward’s shore, Edward’s world is thrown into turmoil, and he goes to the dark side," says Chri O'Dowd (who played Marco the Blind Swordsman in "Dinner For Schmucks"). "Edward is incredibly pompous and full of ceremony, and believes that things must have a certain order. He is very disappointed that everyone gets in line with Gulliver." While Edward is known across the land for his military exploits, another Lilliputian, Horatio, is a commoner who yearns for something more. But when Horatio befriends Gulliver: they first bond over hay and sewer water, the only things to eat during their temporary stint in prison; Horatio’s luck begins to change. As Gulliver becomes a hero to the Lilliputians, the newly emboldened giant takes Horatio under his wing and helps him woo the once unattainable Princess Mary, who is 'engaged' to Edward. "The only problem, of course, is that Gulliver is full of it," says Black. Adds Segel (who employed a British accent for the role): "Like Gulliver, Horatio learns the hard way that the best move, in life and romance, is to be yourself." The object of both Horatio’s and Edward’s affections, Princess Mary, spends most of her days preparing for and being kidnapped by the enemy Blefuscians. The once-weekly occurrence isn’t exactly what the princess wants to be doing with her entire life; moreover, the perfunctory courtship of pre-destined paramour Edward is boring her to death. So the romantic attentions of the intriguing Horatio are at least something new for the princess. Emily Blunt, best known for portraying hard-edged characters, like the intensely neurotic executive assistant in "The Devil Wears Prada" and a biohazard/crime scene clean-up specialist in "Sunshine Cleaning", relished the chance to take on what she calls her most 'girly' role to date. "It was time to play someone sweet and innocent for once," says Blunt, who also appreciated the theme of changes and modernization that run through the story. "Gulliver has an edgy, modern sensibility that Jack really brings to life. His Gulliver comes to our little world and gets everyone riled up, enabling them to see the world in a new way." The princess’ father is King Theodore, Lilliput’s gruff but fair-minded ruler. Like his commander, General Edward, Theodore is initially wary of Lilliput’s new arrival. "The king is threatened by this, well, alien, who’s come into his life and the lives of his subjects," says renowned Scottish comic actor Billy Connolly, who took on the role. "But Theodore soon realizes he has to deal with Gulliver, and he does." King Theodore’s wife, Queen Isabelle, is a rather staid presence. But when Gulliver starts modernizing Lilliput, she, too, undergoes changes. "Gulliver loosens her up quite a bit," says Tate ("Mrs Ratcliffe's Revolution"). "He even reignites the spark in her marriage to Theodore." In a world full of surprises, perhaps the biggest shock comes with the appearance of a robot designed and built by the ever-scheming General Edward to once and for all eliminate Gulliver. Inspired by a magazine article found on Gulliver’s wrecked ship, Edward devises an intricate assembly of gears and pulleys that 'drive' the robot’s motion. Noted visual effects house Hydraulx ("2012") worked closely with Rob Letterman on the CG 'bot design and execution. (Also making critical contributions to the world of Lilliput was premier visual effects house WETA Digital, which won Oscars for its groundbreaking work on "Avatar", "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and, "King Kong" in which Black played Carl Denham.) Here, too, the robot design married the modern with the less-so. "Part of the original concept of the robot was to have its contemporary design accompany a Victorian-era technology," says Hydraulx’s Erik Liles ("Australia" & "Avatar"). "This gave rise to the more mechanical aspects of the robot’s locomotion: its gears and pulleys system. Initially, we were also going to use steam power, like an old locomotive engine, to drive the robot, but that was scrapped due to the visual clutter it caused. Instead, we opted for a cleaner, more refined look." The visual effects wizards at Hydraulx didn’t make things easy for themselves. The robot begins life as a miniature, trashcan-shaped device that transforms to the gargantuan, exaggerated and cartoonish heap that battles Gulliver. Since the filmmakers continued to sort through these challenges and put the final CG touches on their creation well into the post-production process, during production Black found himself battling a junior-sized version: a robot suit worn by a stuntman. This allowed Black to interact with the robot during filming, helping both the actor and visual effects team map out the no-holds-barred contest we witness onscreen. The entire cast: robot included; appreciated not only the talents of Black the Actor, but the work ethic and dedication to the project from Jack Black, the Executive Producer. The latter was a stern taskmaster for actor Black during some of the film’s action set pieces. Even when things were relatively calm in Lilliput and Black wasn’t before the cameras, he was on set everyday to feed his lines to his cast mates who were acting to Gulliver’s eye line. With over half the film set against enormous green screens situated on massive soundstages, Black’s line readings were invaluable to the other actors. Also essential in assisting the actors, as well as creating a cohesive and relatable world, was a groundbreaking camera known as the DualMoCo (the 'MoCo' is for motion control), which was used extensively for the first time on "Gulliver's Travels". The DualMoCo utilized complex computer technology and synchronized camera cranes to capture, in real time, the 'bigger than life' Gulliver and the tiny Lilliputians in the same scene, despite the character's enormous height differential. While Black was in one area of the soundstage, performing against a green screen, the actors portraying the Lilliputians would be on another part of the stage, acting 'opposite' Black. Much of this action was captured on the massive soundstages at England’s Pinewood Studios, where the production was based. Here, production designer Gavin Bocquet ("Star Wars: Episodes I-III") created much of the world of Lilliput. "On screen, you’ll see Jack speaking with a character who’s a tiny fraction of Gulliver’s size. The aim in using the DualMoCo was to make the effect look real and yet like nothing you’ve seen before," producer Gregory Goodman ("Stop Loss") explained. What's It All About?

Lemuel Gulliver, is a lowly mailroom clerk at a New York newspaper, who has a huge, but secret, crush on cute co-worker Darcy. After Gulliver bluffs his way into an assignment writing about the Bermuda Triangle, he goes there, only to be transported to an undiscovered land, Lilliput. In this fantastical new world, Gulliver is, at last, a bigger than life figure: in size and ego; especially after he starts telling tall tales, taking credit for his world’s greatest inventions, and placing himself at the center of its most historic events. Gulliver’s position is enhanced even further when he leads his new friends in a daring battle against their longtime enemies. But when Gulliver loses it all and puts the Lilliputians in peril, he must find a way to undo the damage he has caused. Ultimately, Gulliver becomes a true giant among men, only when he learns that it’s how big you are on the inside that counts.

The Verdict "While he may not be everyones cup of tea, I guarantee you, those who are fans of Jack Black will love every minute of his latest film, "Gulliver's Travels". Yes, I know some adult cinemagoers find him totally annoying, but I get the feeling he may just win over a whole new batch of fans over with this role. Let's face it, kids love his crazy attitude and that's who "Gulliver's Travels" aims for. If you aren't a Jack Black fan, consider this: there are plenty of well-known names in the support cast to entice you along to your nearest multiplex over the holiday period. Jason Segel ("How I Met Your Mother"), Emily Blunt ("Wild Target"), Billy Connolly ("The Man Who Sued God"), Amanda Peet ("2012") and in a terrific turn as the boo! hiss! bad guy, Chris O'Dowd ("The Boat That Rocked") as General Edward. O'Dowd, who wrote and played Santa in the critically acclaimed 2010 short, "Capturing Santa", is a real scene stealer as the General. Thankfully, "Gulliver's Travels" isn't all about comedy, special effects and the subtle use of 3D: it's also about love. Good fare and fun for little kids and those who are still kids at heart. 3 1/2 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Jack Black Jason Segel Emily Blunt Amanda Peet Billy Connolly Chris O'Dowd T.J. Miller James Corden Catherine Tate Emmanuel Quatra Olly Alexander Richard Laing David Sterne Jonathan Aris

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Lemuel Gulliver Horatio Princess Mary Darcy Silverman King Theodore General Edward Dan Jinks Queen Isabelle King Leopold Prince August Nigel Travel Writer Foreman Lilliputian Scientist

Directed by Rob Letterman Screenplay Joe Stillman and Nicholas Stoller From the book by Jonathan Swift Produced by Jack Black/Ben Cooley/John Davis/Gregory Goodman Original Music by Henry Jackman Cinematography by David Tattersall Film Editing by Alan Edward Bell/Maryann Brandon/Nicolas De Toth/Dean Zimmerman Casting by Priscilla John & Jeanne McCarthy Production Design by Gavin Bocquet Art Direction by Robert Cowper & Phil Harvey Set Decoration by Richard Roberts Run Time 93 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2010 - Twentieth Century Fox Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2011 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian & International Copyright, Trademark Laws & Intellectual Property Rights.