This latest version of 'Gulliver's Travels' is a more up-to-date interpretation of the 1726 (amended 1735) novel by Jonathan Swift. Originally a thinly veiled political satire about how the English government was constantly at war with just about any country for the meagerist of reasons as well as commentary on human nature, today's version is a romp for Jack Black with lots of rock and roll. He's doing his Jack Black schtick, as usual. Still basically the same story -- Lemuel Gulliver sails into a maelstrom to arrive at Liliput, the kingdom of very little people. He is captured and tied up by the population who quickly learn to love and depend on him for protection from their mortal enemies, the Blefuscudians. There is also a princess (Emily Blunt) who wants to marry a shy commoner (Jason Segel). I was happily surprised to see the King and Queen of Liliput played respectively by Billy Connolly (for his great Scottish delivery in everything he does) and Catherine Tate (for her worthy contribution to Doctor Who from 2006 to 2010).
I found interesting that the present day Lemuel Gulliver finds Liliput in the Bermuda Triangle. Also, when he visits the giant-populated land of Brobdingnag, he finds remains of anoother travel, a jet pilot, also lost in the Bermuda Triangle. Ah, this answers so many questions. The special effects seem a little bit off, with Jack's lighting and focus slightly different than the Liliput background and little characters. The advances in technology aren't really that much superior to, say, Ted Danson's 1996 TV miniseries of the same name, which didn't benefit from 3D as Black's does. Danson's also covers more of Gulliver's adventures. I would love to one day see all of Gulliver's destinations and interactions, as original written by Swift, on big screen with 3D and perfect effects. Modernizing the situation doesn't really seem necessary since so little of human nature, politics or personal relationships has changed in the past 225 years. The humor and satiric wit, as originally written, far surpass Black's knuckle knocking, belly thrusting, and dancing.
Gulliver's Travels
Director: Robert Letterman
Writer: Joe Stillman and Nicholas Stoller from the book by Jonathan Swift
Cast: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Catherine Tate, Chris O'Dowd, T.J. Miller, Emmanuel Quatra
Time: 93 min.
Rated: PG
Opening December 25 at AMC Lowes Metreon and AMC Van Ness in San Francisco
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