Gulliver's Travels (2010)

Black is the new big

The adaptations of book classics into films is not a new trend. It has been done countless of times and one of the most recent examples is Gulliver's Travels, the political satire of Jonathan Swift. The adaptation is directed by Rob Letterman, the director of superb animation comedy Monsters v. Aliens and Shark Tale. Letterman's comedic style apparently suits the leading actor, well. The film's main character Lemuel Gulliver, whose name is based on the word 'gullible', is portrayed by the rising comedian of recent years, Jack Black. He is working in a dead end mail room job in a publishing company and he is in love with Darcy Silverman, the editor of the travel stories in the company. By hoping to be visible, important to Darcy, he applies for a journalist position by stealing some writing from internet and surprisingly he gets the job. His first assignment is about a story on the secret of the Bermuda Triangle. He hits the road, aiming to reach Bermuda, only to end up in the island of Lilliput, full of 10 cm tall people. Normally, these people would represent the small minded societies as the toy of the State's politics and their own ignorance. But the film focuses on the funny events happening one after the other for comedy purposes. Gulliver's adventures in Lilliput, his funny inventions such as the table soccer using tiny people or his recreation of Manhattan as a miniature town are entertaining. He is banished from the island at some point, finding himself in the island of giants and his heroic return is a little clich�d and predictable. However, for people who seeks only entertainment, escapism and relaxation; the film is the right choice. The supporting actors Amanda Peet, Jason Segel, Billy Connolly and Emily Blunt deliver very enjoyable performances as the platonic love and the members of Lilliputan community. Fans of such comedies should not miss it.

Cast: Jack Black, Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet