Like the demented Kung Fu Hustle, this channels the spirit of Fred Quimby and Tex Avery to, at times, dazzling effect, and directors Forestier and Langmann have a more gleeful kid-in-a-toy-shop attitude to CGI than many of their Hollywood counterparts…*cough* George Lucas.
And for all the slings and arrows that can be hurled at Asterix at the Olympic Games - Lovesix's dreary romantic subplot, the bummus numbus 116 minute running time – the money is spectacularly up there on screen.
CGI and huge location sets recreate the world of Goscinny and Uderzo’s comic books, the climactic chariot race is Ben Hur redux, and though many jokes die before the end of the subtitle the gag rate is fast enough to guarantee one good chuckle every few minutes.
The story sticks reasonably close to the comic, but ultimately sidelines both Asterix and Obelix in favour of Rousseau’s Lovesix.
Much better would have been Asterix squaring up to Brutus, played with pantomime relish by Poelvoorde who looks as cartoony as Depardieu and gets most of the good laughs, the others grabbed by French legend Alain Delon's thick slice of well-seasoned ham.
Depardieu is his usual winning bearlike self, even reprising his Cyrano de Bergerac role to assist a canine courtship, and the only actor overshadowed is the anonymous Cornillac as Asterix.
Those bored by the maximus sillinuss can play spot the sports star, including Michael Schumacher inevitably driving the German chariot, and Zinedine Zidane, unfortunately ixing-nay the eadbutt-hay.
Overall, gold for effort, bronze for achievement.
Rob Daniel
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