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Little did Jonathan Swift, the 17th century writer and satirist know that his novel concerning the travels of Lemuel Gulliver, still be read 400 years later. In the book, Swift pokes fun at royalty and war. There is still a bit of that in the latest adaptation of “Gulliver’s Travel’s” starring Jack Black, but it is marred by Black’s bare backside and stream of urine that is supposed to representative of today’s humor. Alas.

The modern Lemuel Gulliver (Black) is a mail room clerk who secretly longs for his boss, Amanda Peet. He lies about being a writer and manages to get a travel assignment to the Bermuda Triangle. There, via a mysterious whirlpool/waterspout, Gulliver travels to the country of Lilliput, ruled by the King (Billy Connelly), Queen (Catherine Tate) and princess (Emily Blunt.) Princess is courted by the nefarious General (Chris O'Dowd who steals his scenes) and in the background lurks war with a neighboring country. Gulliver, despite his size, is captured by the Lilliputians, named “Beast,” and put to work. Eventually, he saves the King from a fire (urine spray) and is now a hero. Soon, the country and its master builders, have given Gulliver a contemporary home and a downtown that resembles Times Square. Enter the jealous General who decides war is the thing to take Gulliver away forever. One aspect that isn’t fully explored is what happens when Gulliver is transported to an island “and no one speaks its name.” There he meets a different “monster” and, heaven forbid, this could be a sequel. Now you have the components of the film that manages to find an ending.

Without the bare backside and urine, Gulliver’s Travel’s is an entertaining film and Black is subdued for the role. This is a plus because it allows Chris O’Dowd to get in a few lines of his own, though Black does have a singing part here, in real life being a part of the band Tenacious D. Photography is well done and the illusions of large and small people together are realistic. I saw the film in 3 D and actually, you don’t need 3 D for this movie. 

The idea of war just because it has always been done is presented as being humorous. Just another wake-up-in-the-morning-and-plan-a-foray. Sometimes, that’s the way it is, isn’t it? Jonathan Swift novels are in the library and bookstores and they are still readable.

Copyright 2010 Marie Asner