Asterix and Obelix - Mission Cleopatra

France 2002, 103 minutes
Dir. Alain Chabat
In French with English subtitles
Rating: [PG]
Genres: Foreign Cinema, Comedy, Family

Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Alain Chabat, Monica Bellucci, Claude Rich, Christian Clavier

Aroview: The core cast of 1999's disastrous ASTERIX AND OBELIX TAKE ON CAESAR return for a far more successful adaptation of one of those classic comic-books by Goscinny and Uderzo, set around the humourous exploits of two Gaul-ish villagers (Clavier and Depardieu) during Julius Caesar's Roman occupation.

Lavishly produced and punchy, this outing follows the pair, in possession of their strength-enhancing potion, on a mission to help a beleagured Egyptian architect build a massive palace for Cleopatra (Bellucci). Although the subtitle translations are a little flat, dir. Chabat concentrates on delivering a rollicking yarn and comes up with the goods.