Ensofter
Overrated and overhyped
Aedonerre
I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.
ma-cortes
Gaul is entirely occupied by the Roman. Well not , entirely . One small village of indomitable Gauls holds out against the invaders. Life is not easy for the Roman legionaries who garrison the fortified camp. In the village are our friends, Asterix(Clovis Cornillac substituting to Christian Claver), he's a shrewd and cunning little warrior, his inseparable partner is Obelix(Gerard Depardieu, as always), he's ready to drop everything and go off on a new adventure with Asterix , Panoramix(a recently deceased Jean Pierre Cassel), the venerable village's druid who brews magic potions , his speciality is the potion which gives the drinker superhuman strength , without forgetting the chief Abraracourcix and the singer Bardo Cacofonix. Besides a young villager enamored a beautiful Greek princess named Irina(Vanessa Hessler). Then our heroes decide participate in the Olympic Games in Olympia. There they must confront against the Caesar's(Alain Delon substituting to Gottfried John and Alain Chabat) son named Brutus(Benoit Poelvoorde).The picture captures outrageous adventures,tongue in check,anachronisms, feats and hilarious moments here and there. Packs sympathetic first appearance of Julius Caesar by Alain Delon doing a self-homage with musical background from the Clan of the Sicilians. Appear several secondaries Spaniards and French as Santiago Segura, Monica Cruz and Jean Pierre Castaldi,Janel Debouzze repeating his role of Numerobix and the wrestling champion Nathan Jones as Humungus. However this time doesn't appear the likable pirates and their sinking ships , being substituted by known football players in a silly ending with a balloon as plot. The motion picture is regularly directed by Frederic Forrestier though contains lively musical score and colorful cinematography by Thierry Argobast. This inferior third entry shot in live acting is preceded by ¨Asterix vs Caesar¨ directed by Claude Zidi and ¨Asterix and Cleopatra¨ by Alain Chabat and with Monica Belucci.
jeannie-longo
I used to read the adventures of Asterix when I was younger, and I was always delighted. But, watching this movie made me think differently: has the little 'Gaullois' village given up? the movie seems only made to guarantee commercial success: many famous people (many of whom are known only in France, plus some guest stars), special effects, big marketing, etc... But, in the end, the jokes are not very good, the special effects are sometime ridiculous, the plot is far fetched and the frequent appearance of guest stars doesn't manage to fill this rather empty movie (in fact, it ended getting on my nerves).I don't know if children will find this movie funny, but it's really difficult for anybody without 'laughing potion' to take real pleasure here. Too bad for Benoit Poolevoerde, who has done his best to save the Titanicus!
j-connolly
I was really looking forwards to this: Whereas "Asterix & Cesar" wasn't great, they seemed to have found their stride with "Asterix et Cleopater" only to inexplicably throw it all away with this heap of rubbish. Where shall I start: The cast.Clovis Cornillac - catastrophic. There isn't a hint of the quick wittedness and light footedness you expect of Asterix. Instead of being the mainstay of the film, he's a sideshow: Unfunny, uncharismatic. Bring back Clavier!Alain Delon? I nearly wept! He's an all time legend. Cool, hard, dangerous. And here? A creepy buffoon. His worst role. Ever.That's enough. Now the plot: In Asterix & Cleopatre, the writers (and director) managed to update the Goscinny original comic spirit and clever references very successfully in my opinion. That is, without sacrificing the flow of the narrative, and without over-emphasizing modern references. That is, they didn't get in the way nor did they hobble the Goscinny narrative.These clowns seem to have completely missed the plot. The unsubtle references stick out like a sore thumb, and the things referred to will all be forgotten in a few years.But more fatally for the plot: they've glued together episodes from different Asterix books with elaborate pastiches to try and re-establish some sort of story logic.Then, they have seriously warped the actual olympic games narrative flow. The plot they've come up with leaves you constantly thinking "What? How ... why is this happening now? Where is such-and-such gone?" and most importantly "hmm, was that joke supposed to be ... funny?".All in all, truly catastrophic. The only saving grace is - I supposed toddlers might find it exciting.
jcganz
I read the reviews of this film and being a great admirer of the comic strip decided to give it a miss. Then my eldest grandson came to visit and he chose it as the film he really wanted to see. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings as it were. The concept is of course silly, seeing that it is a comic strip. So expecting a logical sequence to the film is hardly sensible. But from the start you have the right emotional tone from Caesar to the lovely pile of wild boars Obelisk has so casually assembled as a sort of tone-setter. The hero is not a strong actor. He shouldn't be nor should his lovely girl friend. He is merely a coathanger on which the clothing represented by the Gauls and Romans should hang. Talking of clothing, what absolutely superb costumes. Also, in keeping with the cartoon original a style of sly reference to classical history is maintained. So carp if you will. But I'm fairly sure a child of any age would love it and I rejoice that at a few days short of 65 I still love this sort of elegant nonsense. So superior to the ghastly Disney horror that cursed the cinemas at the new year and which received such undeserved and possibly well orchestrated reviews. This may be a film for children but it is a film for intelligent children, who bring their grandparents along.
