Cinemagoers flocked by the millions to see the first Asterix movie three years ago. In "Asterix & Obelix -- Mission Cleopatra," with a budget of $46.7 million, actor-director-screenwriter Alain Chabat had ample means to create a worthy successor. But the sequel is in dire need of the diminutive Gaul's magic potion.
Both Christian Clavier and Gerard Depardieu step back into the shoes of the movie's two main characters. And they are surrounded by a cast of some of France's best-known comic actors, like Jamel Debbouze, last seen as the grocer's assistant in "Amelie". Despite the wealth of talent on the screen, the movie stays as flat as the cartoon strip from which it was adapted.
The plot remains faithful to the original strip, with a few characters added by Chabat. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt (Monica Bellucci), stung by a remark made by Cesar (Chabat), who claims that the Romans are the greatest race in the world, suggests a wager. If she succeeds in building a magnificent palace for him in just three months, he must concede that the Egyptians are the greatest race on Earth.
Cleopatra orders the architect Numerobis (Debbouze) to carry out the task. Numerobis realizes that the project is impossible without a miracle. That miracle is the magic potion brewed by the Druid Panoramix, which gives Asterix his superhuman powers. The architect acquires the potion along with Panoramix, Asterix and Obelix, who decide to help him in his daunting task.
Shot in Morocco, the film's sets, costumes and locations for the film are sumptuous. Indeed they constantly outshine the plot and actors. The two main characters fare particularly badly. Asterix wanders aimlessly through scene after scene, accompanied by a numbingly stupid Obelix, who talks of nothing save his next meal. It's Numerobis and his archenemy, the evil Amonbofis, who have the best lines and best action sequences. One of the most successfully executed scenes is a "Matrix"-like fight between these two.
As a large part of the comedy rests on the ridiculous names given to the Roman and Egyptian characters, it's difficult to see how an English-speaking audience will catch on. The same goes for the visual references to French movies. And you would have to be a real Asterix aficionado to understand a running joke about a pirate ship.
Ironically, the movie only comes to life in the scenes that use cartoons. These show genuine creativity and originality. Perhaps Chabat should have borrowed more from the original creators of Asterix -- Goscinny and Uderz -- and less from Hollywood.
ASTERIX & OBELIX -- MISSION CLEOPATRA
Katharina/Renn Prods.
Credits:
Producer: Claude Berri
Director-screenwriter: Alain Chabat
Director of photography: Laurent Dailland
Music: Philippe Chany
Costume designers: Philippe Guillotel, Tanino Liberatore
Set designer: At Hoang
Editor: Stephane Pereira
Cast:
Asterix: Christian Clavier
Obelix: Gerard Depardieu
Panoramix: Claude Rich
Cesar: Alain Chabat
Cleopatra: Monica Bellucci
Numberobis: Jamel Debbouze
Amonbofis: Gerard Darmon
Otis: Edouard Bae
No MPPA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 107 minutes...
Both Christian Clavier and Gerard Depardieu step back into the shoes of the movie's two main characters. And they are surrounded by a cast of some of France's best-known comic actors, like Jamel Debbouze, last seen as the grocer's assistant in "Amelie". Despite the wealth of talent on the screen, the movie stays as flat as the cartoon strip from which it was adapted.
The plot remains faithful to the original strip, with a few characters added by Chabat. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt (Monica Bellucci), stung by a remark made by Cesar (Chabat), who claims that the Romans are the greatest race in the world, suggests a wager. If she succeeds in building a magnificent palace for him in just three months, he must concede that the Egyptians are the greatest race on Earth.
Cleopatra orders the architect Numerobis (Debbouze) to carry out the task. Numerobis realizes that the project is impossible without a miracle. That miracle is the magic potion brewed by the Druid Panoramix, which gives Asterix his superhuman powers. The architect acquires the potion along with Panoramix, Asterix and Obelix, who decide to help him in his daunting task.
Shot in Morocco, the film's sets, costumes and locations for the film are sumptuous. Indeed they constantly outshine the plot and actors. The two main characters fare particularly badly. Asterix wanders aimlessly through scene after scene, accompanied by a numbingly stupid Obelix, who talks of nothing save his next meal. It's Numerobis and his archenemy, the evil Amonbofis, who have the best lines and best action sequences. One of the most successfully executed scenes is a "Matrix"-like fight between these two.
As a large part of the comedy rests on the ridiculous names given to the Roman and Egyptian characters, it's difficult to see how an English-speaking audience will catch on. The same goes for the visual references to French movies. And you would have to be a real Asterix aficionado to understand a running joke about a pirate ship.
Ironically, the movie only comes to life in the scenes that use cartoons. These show genuine creativity and originality. Perhaps Chabat should have borrowed more from the original creators of Asterix -- Goscinny and Uderz -- and less from Hollywood.
ASTERIX & OBELIX -- MISSION CLEOPATRA
Katharina/Renn Prods.
Credits:
Producer: Claude Berri
Director-screenwriter: Alain Chabat
Director of photography: Laurent Dailland
Music: Philippe Chany
Costume designers: Philippe Guillotel, Tanino Liberatore
Set designer: At Hoang
Editor: Stephane Pereira
Cast:
Asterix: Christian Clavier
Obelix: Gerard Depardieu
Panoramix: Claude Rich
Cesar: Alain Chabat
Cleopatra: Monica Bellucci
Numberobis: Jamel Debbouze
Amonbofis: Gerard Darmon
Otis: Edouard Bae
No MPPA rating
Color/stereo
Running time -- 107 minutes...
- 1/29/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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