Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (French: Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre), also known as Asterix and Obelix Meet Cleopatra, is a 2002 French/Italian fantasy comedy film written and directed by Alain Chabat and adapted from the comic book series Asterix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. Based on the book Asterix and Cleopatra, which had previously been adapted into a 1968 animated film, it also acts as a sequel to the 1999 movie Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar.

Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
(Astérix & Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre)
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlain Chabat
Produced byClaude Berri
Written byAlain Chabat
Based onAsterix and Cleopatra
by René Goscinny
Albert Uderzo
StarringGérard Depardieu
Christian Clavier
Jamel Debbouze
Alain Chabat
Monica Bellucci
Claude Rich
Gérard Darmon
Music byPhilippe Chany
CinematographyLaurent Dailland
Edited byStéphane Pereira
Distributed byPathé Distribution
Release date
30 January 2002
Running time
107 min.
CountryFrance
Italy
LanguageFrench
Budget$58.5 million[1]
Box office$128 million[2]

Christian Clavier and Gérard Depardieu reprise their roles as Asterix and Obelix, alongside newcomers Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci, Claude Rich, Gérard Darmon, Édouard Baer, Dieudonné, and Chabat himself.

It was the most expensive French movie at that time, before being beaten by A Very Long Engagement two years later. A critical success, it was also a major box office success in France, becoming its most successful film in 36 years and second biggest commercial success of all time after 1966's La Grande Vadrouille.

Translations

Miramax Films re-edited the film for an North American audience, cutting approximately 21 minutes and dubbing the movie into English using an American cast. The English script added many new jokes for the American audience, including more references to modern popular culture (Edifis continually calls Getafix a "droid", for example. This pun was already hinted at in the French version; the actor playing Edifis used his distinctive North-African accent to create a subtle confusion between "droid" and "druid"), and some changes in characterisation, most notably Obelix who appears far more intelligent than usual. The dubbed dialogue uses some of the original English names, but the rest are either reused from the American English translation of the original album, or newly invented names. This is most notable among minor characters; the pirate crew, for example, are referred to by the names of famous rock and roll musicians (including John, Paul, George and Ringo) just before a cry of "let's rock and roll!"

The English language subtitles for other markets are a straight translation of the French dialogue, with only the names changed to match the original English translation of the album. The version released on DVD in the Australia by Madman Entertainment contains two discs, one the original French version (with multiple language subtitles) and the other the Miramax edit.

Plot

Infuriated by belittlements, Queen Cleopatra makes a deal with Julius Caesar: if the Egyptians build a palace at Alexandria, in three months, which is larger than Caesar's palace in Rome he must acknowledge that Egypt was the greatest of nations. To perform this task, Cleopatra hires the architect Numerobis, on pain of death and much to the dismay of Pyradonis, Cleopatra's customary architect. He and his secretary Papyris discuss the druid Getafix (Panoramix in the original French), whose potion empowers its drinkers; and Numerobis goes in search of him.

Numerobis arrives in Gaul and convinces Getafix to embark with him to Alexandria. Once they arrive, they use the druid's magic potion to speed up the construction (with Cleopatra's permission), and Pyradonis realizes he must stop Numerobis from finishing the palace within the deadline by sabotage (such as getting Asterix, Obelix and Getafix lost in a pyramid, or framing them for Cleopatra's failed assassination). After failing multiple times, Pyradonis finally decides to inform Caesar about the potion's use and the potential victory of Cleopatra. Caesar knows the Gauls (having failed to capture their village multiple times) and decides to besiege the construction site until Asterix, Obelix and Getafix surrender. Numerobis, Papyris and the three Gallics defend the site and decide to inform Cleopatra of Caesar's actions. Meanwhile, Pyradonis and Numerobis, both after drinking the potion, fight in the site until Numerobis finally wins the duel. Cleopatra arrives on the battlefield and reprimands Caesar's lack of sportsmanship. The Romans are forced to stop the siege and assist in the continuation of the construction, which is finished on time. The palace is inaugurated and Caesar counterwillingly names Egypt the greatest Empire there ever was. Numerobis wins a large amount of gold, Getafix receives manuscripts from the Library of Alexandria, and all the protagonists partake in a banquet (including some of the movie's Roman antagonists).

Cast

CharacterActor name
Asterix Christian Clavier
Obelix Gérard Depardieu
Numerobis / Edifis Jamel Debbouze
Otis Édouard Baer
Cleopatra Monica Bellucci
Julius Caesar Alain Chabat
Getafix Claude Rich
Amonbofis / Criminalis Gérard Darmon
Itinéris (Vodafonis) Isabelle Nanty
Cartapus Chantal Lauby
Sucettalanis Marina Foïs
Caius Céplus Dieudonné
Caius Antivirus Jean-Paul Rouve
Redbeard Bernard Farcy
Chamandra Noémie Lenoir
The taster Dominique Besnehard
Caesar's secretary Emma de Caunes
The tiler Zinedine Soualem
Narrator Pierre Tchernia

Additional Voices

  • Jean Benguigi (Crustaceous), Michel Elias, Sophie Noël (Bloody Beard's Daughter)

Voice cast

CharacterEnglish cast
Asterix David Coburn
Obelix Dominic Fumusa
Edifis Yul Vazquez
Otis David Cowgill
Cleopatra Diane Neal
Julius Caesar T. Scott Cunningham
Getafix Philip Proctor
Amonbofis Tom Weiner
Cellularservis Mary Elizabeth McGlynn
Kittypus Edie Mirman
Handmaiden Bridget Hoffman
Gluteus Maximus Lex Lang
Caius Lucius Tom Kenny
Gimmeakis Peggy O'Neal
Tiler Sean McPhillips
Narrator Erik Bergmann

Additional Voices

Soundtrack

References

  1. JP. "Astérix et Obélix: Mission Cléopatre ()". JP's Box-Office (Version Mobile) (in French). Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  2. "Asterix et Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002)". Box Office Mojo. 2002-06-07. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
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