ElMaruecan82
Astérix' adaptation are less a matter of animation or live-action than hit or miss. Some convince you that it's time to end the franchise, other that the little Gaul had good days still. I'm glad that the last two opus, the animated "Mansion of the Gods" and the live-action "Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia" belong to the more optimism- inducing category.And by all the Roman and Gallic Gods of animation, it better had to, after that dreadful "Astérix at the Olympic Games", a blockbuster endorsed by Thomas Langmann (Claude Berri's son) with expensive budget, expensive effects and expensive stars to make up for the script's poverty. Yet this piece of business-ridden mediocrity managed to grab six million viewers in 2008 despite the worst critics of the series. And its effect on the fourth was inevitable: "Britannia" had the lowest box office result despite some mixed to positive critics.I wasn't in a urge to watch the film either, nothing that could convince me that it was going to be better than "Olympic Games". Stellar cast? I'm tired of playing another 'spot-the-star' game… and Deneuve as the Queen, had the same atrocious vibes than Delon as Caesar, not to mention the anachronism. Uderzo's endorsement? Well he supported "Olympic" as well, before changing sides and wishing his Gallic warriors had bigger roles, and who can trust the judgment of someone who despised Alain Chabat's "Mission Cleopatra".Speaking of Chabat, was the director as much a fan of Astérix? Well, Laurent Tirard directed the "Little Nicholas" movies, also adapted from Goscinny's stories… so there was a connection. Besides, "Asterix in Britain" is one of the most entertaining book, and inspired one of the best animated adaptations, so it could join "Cleopatra" as the only adventure to be adapted in the three formats. Besides, the film couldn't be worse than the previous, well, Tirard not only made a more watchable film, but a more rewatchable one too.And if the CGI aren't less overused, the're less irritating because you finally have something to distract you from then, starting right at the opening scene, with the pirates' boat mercilessly sunk by the Roman fleet. First surprise: the ill-fated red- bearded Captain is played by Gérard Jugnot. I don't know if it's a nod to the fact that he first wanted to direct the third live-adaptation (a project whose refusal lead to the 2008 disaster) but his presence is a way to come full circle with these bad memories. And the good omen is immediately confirmed by another reassuring presence: Fabrice Luchini as Julius Caesar.Luchini is known as an intellectual actor whose trademark is to embark viewers into delirious monologues with deliberately histrionic gestures and over-the-top deliveries. He's so unlike Caesar, and the genuinely pedantic Delon, that the gag works by a simple contrast effect. Then the film goes faster with the conquest of Britannia (owing to the exploitation of their peculiar time schedules) and the story takes off when Jolithorax is assigned a mission to bring the magic potion to the last British village resisting the invaders. At that point, I was thinking that if the film maintained itself to this level, it would be all right, but then one sight made me 'uh-oh!' the Chief's Lutetian nephew, cocky as cowardly, Justfokix. Didn't he have his shining moment in the "Vikings" animated film already? What was he doing here?Apparently, the screenwriters decided to inject the Vikings story as a subplot, and much to my surprise, not only it didn't distract from the British story line, but it kind of redeemed a few aspects I criticized from the "Vikings" animated film. I wish it could show Obelix throwing Justforkix off the bed, and that we could have the (in the book, magnificently drawn) scene where the poor frightened kid, laying on the ground, is surrounded by towering Vikings and their Chief solemnly asks him to scare them. I got these two parts and it felt like another loop-closing moment, the subplot perfectly grafted to the main story-line, almost improving what it could have been had it stuck on the comic-book material.By the way, "Asterix in Britain" is a peculiar story, I just read the book and I realized that the animated film improved many parts of it, including the… McGuffin, just like the Vikings, when the director takes liberties with the story or insert characters, it's always for good pay-offs. There's an Indian migrant played by Atmen Kelif, Ophelia, Jolithorax' love interest played by a magnificent Charlotte Lebon, and the rigid and straight-laced Miss MacIntosh played by Valérie Lemercier. These additional characters, unlike the previous film, are integral to the story's appeal, because "God Save Britannia" is also a movie that deals with relationships, maybe more than any other Astérix adaptation.The film questions the Gallic manners with women, the rivalry with Britons, and takes an iconoclast turn when Asterix realizes that his friendship with Obélix prevent him from enjoying his freedom or looking for a life partner of feminine persuasion. Edouard Baer, who was in Chabat's film, is an unforgettable Astérix and his chemistry with Obélix (Depardieu, who else?) leaves no doubt. Meanwhile, Justforkix has to prove his value as a man while Jolithorax, tries to overcome his "gentlemanly" rigidity, and Ophélia plays a central role in their 'evolution'. The film has the merit to play with things that the fans take for granted, and this is what we expect from an adaptation, to explore new dimensions.The film was criticized for not taking too much risks, well, it did take a few gutsy moves with the characters, even making them more important than the plot itself and maybe it had good reasons to keep a low-profile, given how atrociously flashy was the predecessor, and for such a disastrous story. And maybe this is the greatest lesson the French can learn from the British, to learn to let some things 'understated'...
mbooker-4
This is a very cute adaptation (with updates) of the classic Asterix comics. The version I had only had French audio with subtitles available in English. This wasn't a problem, as one of the running gags of the film is that French actors playing English characters (most notably the impossibly elegant Catherine Deneuve) speak with their French with horrible English accents. The prize for best/worst Frenglish goes to Charlotte Le Bon, who sounds like she's flunking her first semester of French. The jokes are generally cute-but-harmless, notably the 5:00 hot water break that defines life in England at the time of Caesar. There are references to Star Wars and A Clockwork Orange that don't appear in the 1966 source material, and an Indian character who might strike a contemporary audience as uncomfortable. Still, of all the live-action Asterix films, this one seems to best capture the spirit and absurdity of the comics. Very sweet, very fun, and well worth catching on video.
Andres Salama
The fourth film adaptation of the famous Asterix comic books is the best one so far. Entertaining and even witty at points, instead of boring and crude like the previous films, the movie is based (quite faithfully) on the 1966 album Asterix in Britain (one of the best of the series), with some bits from Asterix and the Normans. Asterix and Obelix help the Britons resist a Roman invasion by Julius Caesar (in the real history, Julius Caesar made a punitive expedition to Britain in 55 BC; Britain would only fall under Roman rule in 43 AD under emperor Claudius). A lot of the comic situations are based (like in the original albums) on national stereotypes, on how the French and the Englishmen see each other. There is also some mildly risqué humor here (with a Briton initially believing Asterix and Obelix to be a gay couple). Edouard Baer is Asterix. Gerard Depardieu is Obelix (he's fine, and by now, it's difficult to think any other actor playing that role).The veteran Catherine Deneuve has a cameo as the queen of the Britons. Fabrice Luchini is Julius Caesar. Production values are acceptable.
