Asterix & Obelix al servizio di sua Maesta
Directed by:
Laurent TirardCinematography:
Denis RoudenCast:
Gérard Depardieu, Edouard Baer, Fabrice Luchini, Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Le Bon, Dany Boon, Götz Otto, Gérard Jugnot, Filippo Timi, Jean Rochefort (more)Plots(1)
The year is 50 B.C. Caesar is hungry for new conquests. At the head of his glorious legions he decides to invade the island that lies at the very edge of the known world, that mysterious land known as Britain. Victory is swift and total. Or... almost. One single tiny village manages to resist, but its forces are growing weaker so Cordelia, Queen of the Britons, decides to send her most faithful officer Anticlimax to seek aid in Gaul, in another small village famed for its dogged resistance to the Romans. At the village in question, Asterix and Obelix already have their hands full. Their chief has entrusted them with the task of making a man of Justforkix, his young pain in the ass nephew recently arrived from Lutèce. And their task is far from accomplished. When Anticlimax arrives to ask for help, the Gauls decide to give him a barrel of their famous magic potion. Asterix and Obelix will accompany him back to Britain - as will Justforkix. After all, the voyage seems to offer an excellent opportunity for completing the young man’s education. Unfortunately, nothing ever goes quite to plan... (Wild Bunch Distribution)
(more)Reviews (5)
It’s the weakest Asterix and Obelix movie, that’s for sure. Anyway, I wouldn’t consider it so bad. I definitely liked Edouard Baar as Asterix better than the previous actor, but the interpretation was pretty stupid. In fact, I’ve never seen any movie version of Asterix and Obelix that would remind me of the cartoon version more than this movie. At certain points it was literally a reworked cartoon version, and I don’t think that’s enough for the creators to surprise anyone with this movie. They weren’t really creative in that respect. They made it with Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, but in this one it was pretty off. Sure, I had fun, the Czech dubbing truly entertained me, I don’t see a reason why it wouldn’t and several times I honestly laughed. However, I regretted that they didn’t put more work into it. I can’t shake off the impression that even though the atmosphere and the locations are amazing, the movie is still pretty sloppy. I’m tired of the different actors playing the mayor, Asterix and Ceasar every time. I like Asterix and Obelix, but maybe it’s time to stop.
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The most recent Asterix feature film is just another take on Asterix in Britain, which isn't exactly the best idea. The comics will be turning 40 soon, and there's no reason to create duplicates in different adaptations. However, as another encounter with the Gaelic darlings, it's fine. Julius's accounts of the wars are parodied perfectly, and the new romantic storylines are good too. The classic quarrels and reconciliation between Asterix and Obelix are fine, but unfortunately, we don’t get Idefix, whom the creators replaced with the somewhat less attractive Goudurix and thus focused more on teenage audiences. Britain is portrayed in a rather modern way, the Beatles and Jane Austen are parodied and I understand that so many negations towards the island kingdom may not be appreciated by everyone, but the original glossing over the fact that mint sauce is not edible and the beer should be warmed up a bit more probably wasn't enough. My favorite films are the current ones, Mansion of the Gods and The Secret of the Magic Potion, but if Asterix ever comes back again as a feature film, I won't miss out on it.
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Asterix and Obelix without ideas, without humor... Actually, pretty much everything is lacking. When even the slightest glimmer of a joke appears, the filmmakers carefully stomp it into the ground (just like the poor rugby player), and the viewer, who was expecting a joke, just stares in despair, looking for any moment that will at least make him smile. Of all the Asterix movies I've seen, I think the second one is the best, and compared to this boredom, that's been confirmed once again. There's a lack of ridiculousness, a lack of parody ("I'm your father" is a really silly line, the reminder of A Clockwork Orange is not funny at all, and the final quote from 300 is incredibly unused)... You almost get the impression that the film was written and directed by those hideously uptight Brits who the French make fun of. Or rather "fun". However, I give two stars for the beautiful set, the gorgeous costumes, the very pretty Charlotte Le Bon and Badelt's music - none of which this Gallic misery deserves. Alas.
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Dull and unimaginative, merely blindly and shamelessly recycling the genius of Asterix in Britain. Apart from the traditionally effective atmosphere and the charming scenery, the only thing worth mentioning is the peculiar Czech dubbing, which I personally liked and it didn't disturb me in any way. I wonder if it wasn't because there wasn't much to disturb. 40%
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Pecka is definitely not it, and actually, the whole played-out series seems unnecessary to me, but here, what absolutely got me was how the British speak French with a British accent. It works, but it's definitely not a element that carries the entire film. It gradually becomes boring, mainly because it simply relies on what was previously played out in the previous films. It doesn't bother in comic books, but in the film, it is more noticeable.
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