Asterix og vikingerne
Screenplay:
Philip LaZebnikComposer:
Alexandre AzariaCast:
Roger Carel, Lorànt Deutsch, Sara Forestier, Med Hondo, Brad Garrett, Pierre Tchernia, John DiMaggio, Jack Fletcher, Bernard Alane, Marion Game, Pierre Palmade (more)Plots(1)
As the eighth animated Asterix feature in thirteen years, the Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Mřller-directed ASTERIX AND THE VIKINGS opens in Ancient Europe, at the Vikings' mountain fortress. Timandahaf, the chief of the Vikings, hears the age-old maxim "Fear lends one wings," and interprets it literally - believing that the most craven person in the world can actually teach him to fly. As Timandahaf, his counselor Cryptograf, and Cryptograf's son Olaf set forth to locate this person (christened 'The Champion of Fear,') the action shifts to the territory of Gaul. In that locale, diminutive Viking warrior Asterix and the enormous, mustachioed strongman Obelix attempt to teach teenage layabout Justforkix (the nephew of village chief Vitalstatistix) to reinvent himself as a tireless, bellicose warrior. The Gallic men are hindered in their efforts by Justforkix's sheer lack of interest - it seems he'd rather shuffle off to the local discothčque or meet girls than fight Romans. It isn't long before Olaf overhears Justforkix's confession that he is the laziest person in the known world, and decides to kidnap the young man and throw him off a cliff to watch him fly. Justforkix is naturally terrified - but doesn't count on falling for the chief's daughter, Abba. Meanwhile, Asterix and Obelix discover these developments and set off to rescue Justforkix. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (5)
The basic "Punch the Roman Legion in the face!" premise of the Asterix and Obelix series is gone, and with it, the magic of its predecessors (I'll tactfully omit the live-action version). The whole scheme of the story has been whittled down to the combat training of the chief's metrosexual nephew and a bunch of Vikings standing on the opposite side wanting to learn fear. However, the plot as a whole lacks the more vigorous spark that would really bring it to the top of the Mount Olympus of entertainment. The layering of gags represents the most uncontrolled dose of un-inventive despair that can possibly be produced. Everyone knows that Obelix likes wild boars and that the magic potion also works wonders on old men, so why do the creators bother with it? In essence, the fact is that these are the only "jokes" we get to see. The rest is the desperate filler that can be seen in every other cartoon these days. The attempt at modernization (the trance party and the song interludes are annoying) has exactly the opposite effect and pushes the film beyond the point of awkwardness, from which it cannot recover. The legend may have been buried years ago with the live-action version, but the cartoonists are doing their best to kill it even more...
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When the Vikings are on set the new Asterix movie is funny. Gauls are on set it’s at least average. But when the Justforkix appears it becomes just unbearable. In the details and in some of the scenes, Asterix and the Vikings can be amusing, but all in all it’s nothing great. The creators are simply lucky because due to the drought in the field of classic animation movies, Asterix shines out brightly. Also the bombastic “epic" music warms the heart. The relative shortness of the movie and its good tempo doesn’t let you get bored, so the movie’s objective is achieved. Not only kids but also adults will find this movie entertaining, even though neither of them particularly much so.
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Modernization is sometimes humorous, sometimes shyly embarrassing, but otherwise the story follows the classic Asterix themes that always worked for me. However, there is a lack of legendary scenes that were abundant in the older parts and the overall tone is too romantic-adventurous-dramatic. It would need more debunking remarks to achieve the necessary lightness.
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Asterix and the Vikings was the first animated Asterix film that I watched in a movie theater, and it's an adaptation of the comic book "Asterix and the Normans" (1966), which I once coincidentally read as the first comic book in the Asterix saga. It's a beautiful memory.
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This is definitely not one of the best Asterix adventures that have been adapted into an animated film, but it is still much better than the live-action version. However, it is a bit too cliché and not funny enough to truly be a film that deserves so much attention. The older ones are definitely funnier and more entertaining.
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