Travelling on a wave of immaturity

It’s hardly a surprise with one-trick-pony comic actor Jack Black in the title role.

Lemuel Gulliver (Black) works in the post room of a New York newspaper, where he pines for travel editor Darcy Silverman (Amanda Peet) from afar.

In order to impress the object of his affections, Gulliver blags a travel assignment to the Bermuda Triangle. Heading out to sea on his boat, Gulliver is swept into a massive, swirling column of water and when he regains consciousness, he discovers that he is a giant in the land of Lilliput.

Feared at first by the tiny inhabitants, Gulliver ingratiates himself to the ruling royals by pretending that he is known as President The Awesome back in New York, serving his people alongside Vice President Yoda. Because that’s believable.

The School of Rock actor bulldozes through every scene like a child who has been gorging on too many E-numbers and need to burn off all that sugar.

It comes as no surprise when the Lilliputian court goes up in flames that this Gulliver choose to maturely extinguish the inferno by emptying his bladder.

And when it comes to defeating the Blefuscudian armada, the hero’s beer gut provides the perfect protection against a barrage of miniature cannonballs.

Amusing to anyone with an IQ lower than 50, but when did Gulliver’s Travels become a frat-boy comedy?

Apparently when director Rob Letterman cast Black in the lead role.

Gulliver’s Travels is horribly garish, broadly exploring the corruption of a humble man before giving him a chance at redemption.

Black can barely keep a straight face as he galumphs from one digital effects sequence to the next and the romantic subplot with Darcy is laughable, and not in a good way.

Were it not for a brief foray into a land of giants that we assume to be Brobdingnag, Letterman’s adventure would be merely Gulliver’s Travel.

Unless of course the title is wishful thinking that this could be the first instalment of a series.

Let’s hope not.