This is the second live outing for those plucky Gauls, Asterix and Obelix, once again played by Christian Clavier and Gérard Depardieu, in what is reportedly the most expensive French movie ever made. Well the cost is certainly up there on the screen as the sets and panoramas are truly magnificent, the costumes are great and some of the special effects do their job well. The only problem being is that it is not that funny.
‘Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra’ does have it’s moments, only not enough of them at the start. Slowly, oh so slowly it builds up, and if the kids can get through the first 45 minutes or so, then the awards start coming in thick and fast.
Caesar (played by director Chabat) is wooing Cleopatra (the shimmering Monica Bellucci), but as always the Romans want everyone to bow down to their domain. Cleo does want his amorous attentions but she is a little bit of a soiled brat and wants Caesar to admit that the Egyptians are the greatest people on earth. Well Caesar must rise to the occasion and asks for proof. A challenge is a challenge and Cleo bets that if she can construct the biggest, most elaborate palace for Caesar he will publicly announce all to the Egyptians whim.
Three months is set out for this gigantic task and one armed and half brained architect Numérobis (Jamel Debbouze) either gets the job done or becomes food for the crocs. He remembers hearing the stories of magic potions, druids and the undefeated Gauls of legend, but can they help him ? Off he trots and sure enough, Panoramix (or Miraculix depending on what version you are watching, played by Claude Rich), Asterix, Obelix and Dogmatix set off for Alexandria to help him on his mission and if a few Romans get bashed along the way all the better.
They are not the only ones setting sail on the high seas, we also get some unfortunate pirates flung into the mix. They, like the Romans, have been bashed one too many a time and prefer to scuttle their own ship rather than face off the Gauls.
Back in Alexandria the Queen’s own architect, Pyradonis (Gérard Darmon) is a little disturbed. This great honour should have been his and not have fallen to Numérobis. He starts to plan his evil schemes to ensure that the building fails. Perhaps he can enlist Caesar as an ally in this too ?
The Gauls arrive and with the help of their magic potion and the eternally whipped Egyptian builders they set building away at top speed, it looks like they might make it after all.
When Caesar hears of this, he does not want to lose face, so it is time to polish down the breastplate and dust off the catapults but he does not account for Asterix and Obelix.
There are funny parts in the movie, but it is not as much fun as the first one. There is a nice animated sequence where they get lost in a pyramid and some Roman bashing is replaced with a lobster documentary !
The movie is presented with the options of an English dub or the original French with English subtitles, and if you can put up with the subs this is the better option. At times comparing the two it is as if there had been two completely different scripts even to the point of changing the jokes.
There are no extras here to speak of and although it is not a great movie, it is harmless enough for all the family to enjoy on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
'Asterix and Obelix : Mission Cleopatra' is available now via
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