Asterix and the Vikings (2006) User Reviews

Beautiful animation, but...

[jalilidalili · 6/10 · 1 February 2007]

As a great fan of Asterix I was off course very thrilled when I saw that it was decided the adventures of Asterix would once again become animated, because quite frankly I found the movies to be really unimaginative and unwatchable.

The animation itself left me almost speechless. Also for the first time we were able to hear some familiar music in an animated cartoon ("Get Down On It" and "Eye of the Tiger").

The story itself didn't really follow the comic. Only the original idea, that the Vikings wanted to learn fear and thus kidnapped Justforkix who was sent to the Gaul village to become a man, was used. Some of the characters were taken from some other Asterix adventures (seen in the comic books).

The thing that bothered me most was the poor delivery of lines. In the comic the punch lines were much better delivered and the story was simply more amusing. In the movie even those punchlines they used were lost, because the story around them has been changed so much, they were actually just trying to place these punchlines in the new story and failed! Still as this is obviously intended for the youngest of viewers I will say that my nephew enjoyed it greatly, while the rest of us (my father, brother and myself - the four of us went to see it together) were bitterly disappointed and immediately pulled the original comic from our collection.

So to summon it all up, you'll see great animation, hear good music, all in all have a very well made cartoon in front of you - but with a poor storyline.

Nice and enjoyable animated entry in which Asterix and Obelix are assigned to rescue a wimpish Gaul boy

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 22 April 2019]

New adventure well paced, being a diverting animated feature to be lifted from the marvellous and attractive texts and drawings from Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo comic books . Vikings go the Gaul country and kidnap the chief's son called Justforkix. The normands abduct the fierce teen in the mistaken belief that he will be able to teach them to fly . After that , Asterix and Obelix are dispatched by their chief Abraracurcix to rescue the sympathetic young who is considered to be a Champion of Fear, while the terrified Vikings attempt to learn how to eliminate the terror . Later on, the friendly adolescent develops Stockholm Syndrome and falls for both, his captors and Abba, the Viking chief's daughter, an action girl and rights campaigner.

Loosely based on the album : ¨Asterix and the Normands¨, taking parts here and there. This amusing adventure has Asterix and his faithful friend Obelix set out in pursuit the vikings who have abducted a wimpish Gaul boy who was invited at their village by their chief . Here Asterix and Obelix are once more called upon to lay waste Romans , pirates and specially Vikings . It is a fun and funny Asterix movie including usual anachronisms , adding a couple of funky dance tunes are completed to traditional mix . The art direction as well as drawings of this kooky animated movie recreates admirably the comicbooks landscapes , backgrounds and foregrounds, including some brief images in 3D computer generator. The formula is still basically the same a good-natured punch-up heavy rescue-adventure with Roman puns for the adults . Apart from some questionable editing and the use of slightly watered-down colours, the film stays true to the roles , but partially faith to the original album. The animation, however, is good and while is low on the musical count , it all rushes by too fast to notice. The Nordic filmmakers, Stefan Fjeldmark, Jesper Moller, have done fine to keep Goscinny and Uderzo's word play to the fore and in first line. This is one of the best Asterix animated films along with Asterix conquers America , Asterix in Britain, Asterix and the big fight. Youngsters will no doubt enjoy it, but true fans prefer to stick with the pun-ridden books.

This acceptable outing was preceded and followed by several cartoon movies , such as : ¨Asterix the Gaul¨ (1967) , ¨The Twelve Tasks of Asterix¨ (1976) , ¨Asterix in Britain¨ (1986) , ¨Asterix and the big fight¨(1989) ,¨Asterix in America¨(1998) . And various live-action movies as : ¨Asterix vs. Caesar¨ directed by Claude Zidi with Christian Clavier , Gerard Depardieu , Robert Benigni , Laetitia Casta , Arielle Dombasle . ¨Asterix and Cleopatra¨ by Alain Chabat with Monica Belucci , Jamel Debbouze , Claude Rich , Marina Fois , Gérard Darmon . ¨Asterix and the Olympic Games¨ by Frederic Forrestier with Clovis Cornillac , Santiago Segura, Monica Cruz , Jean Pierre Castaldi and Janel Debouzze . ¨Astérix and Obélix : On Her Majesty's Secret Service¨ (2012) by Laurent Tirard with Gérard Depardieu , Edouard Baer, Guillaume Gallienne , Vincent Lacoste , Catherine Deneuve , Charlotte Le Bonn. And subsequently two 3D entries : ¨The Mansions of the Gods¨ (2014) in computer generator that dealt with a Caesar's plan to absorb the villagers into Roman culture by having an estate built next to the village to start a new Roman colony and ¨Asterix and the secret of the magic potion¨(2018) by Alexandre Astier and Louis Clichy . The film will appeal to Asterix and Obelix fans , it's a funny entertaining for kids , grown-ups and nostalgics .

A very enjoyable adventure

[DogePelis2015 · 6/10 · 26 March 2021]

The animation is very good and the humor is very absurd; the plot could have been better, but it's enjoyable.

Abba:the winners take it all

[dbdumonteil · 31 August 2006]

Based on Goscinny/Uderzo's "Astérix et les Normands" published in 1967, this movie roughly follows the plot of the cartoon book,but it introduces new characters :Grossebaf's daughter,Abba (a good innovation) ,a wicked viking and his muscle man half-wit offspring,and Goudurix's father.Another significant difference is that the album was called "Astérix ET (=and) Les Normands" and the heroes did not leave their village .Half of the flick takes place in the Vikings'land.The part of the bard ,Assurancetourix,which was prominent in the album , is reduced to the bare minimum,although it's finally he who...

It's pleasant to watch ,but it lacks the puns,the anachronisms,the word games ,in a nutshell,it lacks the magic the albums would bring when we used to read them in the sixties (the best Asterix albums were made in the sixties and early seventies) But the biggest mistake is the music:"eye of the tiger' is bad taste in that context ;the rest of the score is fake disco/funk and the last song and its "moral" so unbearable it's an insult to Goscinny's extraordinary sense of humor!Sorry but Elton John did much better with his "lion king" music.

A flawed adaptation of the comic but an enjoyably funny thrill ride of a movie.

[xamtaro · 7/10 · 19 September 2009]

Asterix and the Vikings is the first animated asterix movie in over 12 years since the 1994 "Asterix conquers America". It also has the honor of being the first digitally colored asterix animation, which makes the largely entertaining story a lot more breathtaking to behold.

Every scene of this movie is vividly rendered in bright cheerful hues adhering closely to the color schemes of the comic books it was based on. The character designs also stick relatively close to the comic, for better or for worse, preserving the simple but unique look of the characters. Being simple in terms of character design, this allows for more time and effort to be spent on the actual animation, which by the way surpasses many other big screen theatrical animated movies. Character movements are very fluid and possess a quality that looks way beyond what a modest budget would usually produce; there is always something moving in every scene and no evidence of the usual cost cutting animation short cuts. 3D computer images are incorporated seamlessly with the traditionally animated 2D art. If anything, the style of shading makes the 3D elements look more like traditional comic book paintings than CGI models.

The storyline takes much of its elements from the "Asterix and the Normans" comic, and this is where its main flaw lies. As an adaptation of said comic, "Asterix and the Vikings" takes way too many liberties with its source material. Long time fans of the comic would no doubt find much to dislike about the movie's story and its lack of adherence to the source.

On the other hand, one can see this story as a really fun one if taken on its own without comparing it its source material. Highly comedic, well written jokes pepper the upbeat script. The funniest parts were the numerous pop culture references and jibes at modern day 21 century life. Mobile communications, the shopping channel, commercial airlines and even sports cars are spoofed to great effect. Excellent chemistry and acting by the cast (I watched this in English by the way) though a couple of voices like Cacofonix I found really irritating (but I guess it is all part of his character).

If there is anything to criticize about the story, it is the lack of "asterix". This story seems to be more like Justforkix's story of teenage romance and "coming of age" with Asterix and Obelix merely playing supporting roles. This gives a pretty big sense of staleness since much of the story's elements are the usual staples of such teen movies. Derivative and clichéd at times, only the witty comedy and traditional "Astrix" elements (the Romans, the pirates etc) manage to save this film from falling into plain mediocrity.

While not the best installment in the Asterix animated movie library, it is certainly one of the funniest, the best scripted and the most beautifully animated. DVD seems a little hard to come by though

I came. I saw. I still prefer the old ones...

[ElMaruecan82 · 7/10 · 24 April 2016]

If you're an avid Asterix reader, you'll probably know what most characterizes the Vikings (called 'Normans' in the book): they don't know fear. Don't take it too literally, that doesn't mean they're the bravest, just that they don't know the meaning of fear. Well, that's taking it literally I guess.

They're indeed such fearless people that legal authorities never get the respect they deserve, kids don't fear their mothers' stories, and hiccups are practically incurable diseases. But Olaf, the fearsome chief, heard that fear gave people wings, a secret weapon the Normans ought to get, so they went to a randomly picked Gaul, for what they call an educational trip.

Meanwhile, our Gallic heroes must take care of Justforkix, the chief's nephew too softened by Lutetian lifestyle. The kid is an interesting character, the first preeminent teen in the series, and a cocky city slicker patronizing the Armorican yokels, but revealing his true side when he witnesses a (literally) landing of Normandy on the beach (guessed the reference?) and decides to leave the village, panic-stricken. Confronted by Asterix and Obelix, he touchingly admits he's the champ of fear, at least when he's alone. When the word comes to Olaf, he orders his men to capture the champ so he can be taken away from the ignoramuses' bad influence.

The story's most delightful fun (or funniest delight) is the sight of poor frightened Justforkix surrounded by towering Normans, and then Olaf, the chief, asking him, in all solemnity and seriousness, to scare him. That's writer Goscinny at the top of his game, and to be fair, the movie adaptation "Asterix and the Vikings" played fair with that aspect of the story, and made Justforkix a fun and endearing character. Too bad they had to ruin him with so much anachronistic stuff. I know references to the present time are undeniably part of Asterix fun and it works as long as it's not blatant anachronism. But this is a tricky form of humor that doesn't translate well in the screen.

Take the original "Asterix in Britain", Asterix and Obelix go to Londinium and see many British archetypes such as a big sundial and the giant tower where prisoners are jailed, these are jokes that don't age because the archetypes they refer to, don't. But in the book, they also encounter four successful bards surrounded with hysterically screaming teenage girls, and of course, they look exactly like the Beatles, who were at the pinnacle of their career in the mid-sixties, when the story was written. The joke worked in that context, but when the film was adapted in 1986, the authors wisely skipped this reference. Naturally, the Beatles' gag didn't affect the timeless appeal of the album, but how does a story that feels like a product of its time manages to stand its test.

In "Asterix and the Normans", Justforkix drives a Roman car, talks about Lutetia's catacombs (nightclubs) and plays a music that looks like Rock 'n' Roll, he's obviously representing the then-young baby-boom generation. But within its own anachronism, the joke works because, unlike the Beatles' gag, his music could pass for any version of Rock. In "Asterix and the Vikings", the movie goes fairly well, until all of a sudden, Justforkix engages in a "Get Down on It" routine, and the sight of the Gallic villagers dancing to hip-hop music was a real embarrassment. "Asterix vs. Caesar" in 1985 started with a catchy theme that screamed 80's, but it was just the cover song, in "Vikings", the rest of the film didn't have the Gauls doing the moonwalk

"Asterix and the Vikings" desperately tries to match some marketing requirements, but all it manages to sell is the witty little Gaul's soul. Couldn't they just come up with original songs? Or original lyrics to famous songs? They even have a training montage for Justforkix, with "Eye of the Tiger". I can see some of the executives thinking, that would be fun to have Rocky music but the question is "would a live-action film do the same?" So why not treat your film with similar respect? Why? This is endemic to movies belonging to our era, they really believe some curse changed the minds of younger audience and everything should have a connection to their present.

Justforkix even has a bird named SMS, because he can send short messages, well, the bird was cute, but the day the word SMS won't be used anymore, what use will be left of that gag? The reference to the present must be subtle, take "The Twelve Tasks of Asterix", one of the greatest sequences was the 'Place that sent people mad', a magnificent (and still relevant) satire about bureaucracy that didn't need any references to phones or typewriters. The tragedy of "Asterix and the Vikings" is that it's a great animated movie in the visual sense of the word and it treats most of the original material with overdue respect, they waste a few opportunities for nice jokes but overall, this is a real improvement from the disastrous "Asterix and the Indians".

However, it sins by intelligence-insulting predictability or obviousness. Take Olaf's daughter Abba, an obvious creation in order to appeal to the feminine target. Still, she looked and sounded like an interesting and fully developed character, a conventional rebel, but who was a fine complement to Justforkix' cowardly attitude. Now, did she have to tell the guys "one day, women will be equal to men", "we deserve respect" and so forth. We already know that's what she's supposed to incarnate, girl-power but why telling it in such an on-the-nose manner?

The film was good, but it's for these desperate attempts to be a product of its time that it fails to get a timeless appeal and will probably be forgotten when people will still laugh at "Asterix and Cleopatra" or "The Twelve Tasks".

Not bad at all

[soneil12 · 7/10 · 27 February 2010]

I was a huge fan of Asterix comics when I was a kid and watched every one. I never heard about this movie when it was released but I watched it with my kids last night. I remembered the comic well enough to know that a lot was added to the story for the film. Some of the changes I thought were a bit corny (like the nephew's 'modern' dancing, and the viking chief's daughter - almost everything about her), but I found most it amusing enough. Most importantly, seeing the reactions as my kids watched it, confirmed that the film pleased its target audience. As a family film it works better than other Asterix titles I've seen. Many of the names that weren't in the book I found had the same appeal as ones that were. Overall, an enjoyable family film, regardless of whether you're an asterix fan or not.

Just watching this movie is scary

[matlefebvre20 · 2/10 · 17 July 2006]

I think it's the first time that I go inside a theater and go out so disappointed. There were two reasons why I went to see "Astérix et les Vikings": first as a film buff, and second as a big Astérix fan.

In the end, the film doesn't satisfy any request. It's simply a big animated mess and it proves that the Astérix franchise is going from bad to worse.

In fact, it has been this way since the death of first scenarist René Goscinny in 1977. His faithful collaborator, illustrator Albert Uderzo took his place, but the following books were clearly lacking of the quality that was present during the Goscinny years.

"Astérix et les Vikings" is based on the book "Astérix et les Normands", which was published during the Goscinny reign. The basic story is the same: Goudurix, Abraracourcix' nephew' arrives to the village and Astérix et Obélix must turn him into a real man, while the Vikings come to Gaul in order to discover what fear is, because it seems that fear gives wings.

The similarities end here. What follows in the book is a non-stop series of laughs, gags and hilarious dialog with the result that the Vikings do discover fear and they flee Gaul. The movie is silly, unfunny, fast-paced, corny... Well, just name a default and it has good chances of being applied...

The difference between the book and the movie could be more acceptable if the movie was good. But the new ideas simply crashes it in a bottomless pit. Even older Astérix movies such as "Astérix le Gaulois", which almost transferred the lines one by one without changing them are easily better.

Animation has the quality of other 21st century movies, but it has its faults and any film beginner could find the mistakes. The greatest example is the continuity mistake, where the day follows the night after a fraction of second, in the same sequence.

Imagine. They took animation studios from numerous countries and they still can't get adequate film-making.

The changes of the original story are simply unbearable. And they still could be even if there was no original story. Goudurix, in the movie, has a pet pigeon named SMS and who act as his cell phone (!). Grossebaf, the Viking chief, has a rebellious teen daughter named Abba (!) and she constantly defies her father's authority. There's also a stupid Viking wizard, his cartoonish dumb and muscular son, the faithful bride of Grossebaf who is obsessed with decoration (her name is Vikea!) and... well I can't stand that much longer.

We're far from the original gags from the original book. The biggest problem is the difficulty of transferring the images to the big screen, mainly because the greatest laughs in the books come from the verbal jokes and visual gags which do not have the same appeal on a theatre screen. I remember that the greatest moments in the book were Obélix laughing at the invaders' names (which all finish in 'af') and Goudurix tries to scare them in ridiculous ways.

And if everything wasn't enough, somebody in the publicity staff decided to write on the movie poster that there's an already existing Céline Dion song which would be featured in the final credits. If it was a new song, I could have understood. But using an old song is only another proof that the movie is so badly made that they're ready to do anything in order to attract film-goers.

The only good point for this movie is that it is so stupid and the end is so bad that we just can't walk out of the theater without being left cold. In a summer release, it just can't hurt...

The only other acceptable point of the movie is how Goudurix becomes courageous. His psychological transformation in the book is too spontaneous and not credible, while it's better pictured in the movie and the motivation point is more believable.

So if you haven't seen the movie yet, don't waste your money on it. Grab the book instead.

Oh René, why did you leave us?

In hindsight, pretty good actually

[tommy-97761 · 7/10 · 17 April 2023]

My original rating was somewhere between 5-6, because I remember this one as being sort of ok, a bit weird, boring with an obnoxious sidecharacter that at times seems almost as the main character. Having rewatched the movie yesterday, it is not that bad actually. Compared to "God Save Britania" which lifts a couple plot beats from here (the young side character, the vikings searching for fear so they could fly), the animated movie is a masterpiece. Though Asterix and Obelix feel like side characters at times, the young gaulic boy that is supposed to serve as the audience POV character is by far not as obnoxious as the acted movie version, and by the end of the movie actually goes trough some character development. The Viking girl is a fun strong female character put on screen before that trope became a joke, so there isn't really any political feel to her character. All in all, it is fun to watch Asterix do battle against the northmen. Even though this might be one of the weaker animated movies, the worst animated Asterix is still leagues better than the latest acted movie or other animated movies for that matter.

Technical aspects are awesome, rest is horrible

[happyakazukin · 4/10 · 1 May 2009]

This film is a perfect example that a movie can not be successful with a high budget alone. It's obvious that there was a lot of time and effort dedicated into this: the animation is fluid, detailed and superb- the soundtrack isn't too memorable except for the ending song by Celine Dion (at least I think it was her). The musical score is powerful full orchestra material. Kudos to the animators and music composers! 9/10. However, the story and characters fall flat. It feels very 'been there, done that', predictable and plain uninteresting. The characters have distinct personalities but nothing too likable. They annoyed me to no end. I tried really hard to like this, but I didn't care about the story- it was cliché action-adventure plot. There were 'jokes' that weren't funny. It was vomit inducing predictable from start to end. The dialogue was cliché and awful- especially the last line "It's not ... that gives you wings, it's love!" Whatever it was, I remember cringing. I was wishing it would hurry up and finish. I wasn't the only one either- the people I went with thought it was boring. Please watch the Asterix and Obelix Cleopatra film if you're going to watch any. This was a waste of time.

Well done!

[sorion-1 · 9/10 · 30 April 2006]

Since the last horrid Astérix film and the fact that we only get the Swiss German version in cinemas, here, I went to watch it with quite a bit of trepidation... Unfounded, as I was happy to discover ^____^

The film is funny and modern, has good gags, a good animation, an amusing character interaction, a good voice cast (Note: I can only speak for the Swiss German one!) except for the Viking chief's daughter Abba (her name is great, despite the not very inspired voice actress)...

I especially liked the character Justforkix (Goudurix in French, Grautvornix in German. He's the young man who is supposed to be put in shape...). He's a very amusing portrayal of a mollycoddled, urban teenager; but he's very likable, despite the teenage mannerisms... XD The interaction between Astérix & Obélix and their young charge is fantastic and thoroughly entertaining.

It shouldn't be compared to the old films, since this one is quite different... Which surprisingly doesn't make it bad. On the contrary. When they tried to modernize the last film (twelve years ago), they completely blew it. This film, however, proved that it can be done just fine... ^-^

I came out of the theater cheerful... Always a good sign ^_~

Good and Bad

[Lexiphanic-Lexophile · 6/10 · 23 November 2007]

The animation is simply superb, rivaling anything Disney ever put out. Top quality art with state-of-the-art computer 3D blended seamlessly with hand drawn 2D cells.

However, the story lacks the wittiness of the Asterix comics or earlier films such as "Asterix the Gaul". Instead we have a clichéd script with a few laughs in between. Unlike "The Twelve Tasks of Asterix" which kept me rolling on the floor at every segment, Astérix et les Vikings replaced the intellectually based jokes and slapstick with sentimentality and a chirpy you-can-do-anything-just-believe-in-yourself message.

While I cheered the superior technical excellence, I mourned the loss of good scripting. So if you want a feel-good film for the whole family, look no further, but if you want laugh-till-your-sides-hurt while simultaneously simulating your brain, check out the earlier incarnations of Asterix.

The Vikings and the pirates save it from being completely dull

[[e-mail] · 4/10 · 22 March 2008]

This Asterix is very similar to modern Disney cartoons. Soulless, technically good and the usual in-jokes for adults. Maybe it's because this is the first cartoon I watched after Laputa: Castle in the Sky, but it was quite disappointing.

The plot is contrived and forgettable but it involves Asterix and Obelix going to the Viking's territory to rescue a spoilt teenager who then learns humility and finds love as well. Oh and initially they don't get on but after facing adversity they all share a deep bond of friendship... yadda yadda.

The best bit is to watch out for the little jokes. The Vikings get all the best ones. Such as Vikea (the Viking's chief's wife) giving a list of furniture and skulls to bring back from the next raid. Or the Vikings not knowing the meaning of mercy (literally). Oh, and Olaf the dumbest Viking is actually hilarious (as much for the voice acting as the dialogue).

For example, aboard the Viking ship: (After a speech by Abba, the captain's daughter) Olaf: Who is this new guy? Captain: That's my daughter, cod-brain! Olaf: Your... daughter's... a man?

Enjoyable

[Wizard-8 · 29 April 2010]

I have known for a long time that France has its own animation industry, but I'd never seen examples of it before. I chose this movie to be my first look at "Franimation", because I am an Asterix fan - I've read almost all of the books, including the one this movie is based on.

Overall, I was pleased with this movie. First, the animation. While the animation may not quite match Disney theatrical movies, it comes close. The movement is fluid, the colors pop out of the screen, and the backgrounds are detailed.

As for the story, it was overall fine. The movie does follow the book about halfway through, then goes in its own direction. Probably this was a wise decision, because the second half of the book is mostly talk. In this movie, there is more action and slapstick in the second half, and it's more cinematic. The whole story zips along at a good pace and contains plenty of action and laughs.

My one criticism of the movie is that the characters of Asterix and Obelix - the principle characters of the books - become secondary characters here. It seems odd to have Asterix in the title of the movie. One other criticism other viewers might have is that, if they are unfamiliar with the books, some details may be a little puzzling.

Uh... it was kinda disappointing...

[A-Clockwork-Bobbin · 6/10 · 24 April 2008]

I saw this on TV quite by chance; I was flicking through the channels and came across Asterix and the Vikings, a movie I had been meaning to watch for some time (I'm an Asterix fan ^_^).

So, anyway. The beginning was quite good. Straight to the point, it sets the plot and allows the audience to fully understand the whole thing. But, for me... the whole movie goes downhill after then. I cannot deny, the animation and artwork is fantastic and absolutely beautiful. There's even the occasional 3D-effects in there, and other special effects that make this movie something special.

However, I find that, eh... I've read the book this is based on (Asterix and the Normans), and I must say, I prefer the book by far. I find this movie is far too modernised (I'm referring to the songs; the thing with Justforkix's pigeon was quite a good addition), and the added character, Abba, kinda spoils it. I mean, the book was funnier. And in the book, the part with Cacofonix leaving the village is left out, which was a huge subplot in the book! But don't get me wrong, the movie had its funny points. Kids would definitely love this, and maybe some of the grown ups too ;) This is not the best Asterix movie, but I don't think it's the worst, either. But given the choice, I probably wouldn't watch it again.

WHY!!!?

[WolfieLol · 1/10 · 29 August 2020]

I don´t want to be narcisistic, but i´m probably one of the biggest Asterix fans since i was a little kid, enjoying those great films, reading the wonderful comics and of course, wanting to make my own powerful potion using stuff from the garden, with the belief of becoming as powerful as Asterix, because Asterix was my childhood.

But sadly, the hype gave me a huge bad taste with this one, trusting that the battle between the mighty gauls and the vikings would been funny, epic and enjoyable.....BUT NO!

This is such a disastrous movie filled with stupid gags, boring story, horrible characters and the worst of all....the most cancerous thing that ever happened to actual animated films.... FORCED MODERNITY

I´ve heard almost 10 F*$king modern songs (by modern i refer not the actual date but to the modernity of the songs compared to the time period of the plot) and i almost vomit

My god....this was a huge insult not just to me but to the whole Asterix fandom

arf arf arf

[j-cf · 4/10 · 12 April 2006]

It's not awful but what a waste... Lousy gags, bad music, poor drawings and animation...

Regarding the impressive number of animators and intervallists on this picture (from, hum... a hundred different studios throughout the world? Come on, how can you expect something coherent when doing an animated movie this way!) I wonder if one guy on the credits = one drawing! The lines are rough, the 3d work inadequate (I'm not against it, but not in this film) But the backgrounds are corrects. The storyline is rather dumb, far from the precise cleverness of the BD, and obviously aimed at an international audience. To distribute a movie all over the world doesn't mean to take everyone in the world for a simple-minded guy... A cultural object is far more interesting when challenging, even when it is a foreign movie (being french in this case it's even worse!).

Some new stuff is doing well (the Olaf character, sometimes, like with the stone explanation, but it's not great) but the modern references are exasperating (music, SMS -not even a verbal joke, just a stupid bird named short message service: does anyone know imagination?). But, hey, it's a M6 / TPS production with some Celine Dion in it... pathetic.

Asterix is underemployed and Obelix talks too much. Goudurix could be great (like in the book) but he is too clearly a "cool guy" having a love affair (with an uninteresting made up female character). In fact, only the vikings (wizard excepted) are funny. Too much action, not enough laughs. The best part of the movie are the end credits. Not the music, but the few stills it contains. BD style. Well, definitely, Asterix is not made to move!

a strikingly excellent film

[neklym · 10/10 · 12 April 2006]

Attending this film was an excuse to escape the work I had to do for my classes but it turned out to be one of my best experiences here in France. The film makes quick work of building multidimensional characters and has an excellently smooth storyline. The characters really did have the voices you would expect reading the graphic novels and the artistic talent exceeded my expectations The music was catchy and the comedy toying and lighthearted, almost a flinstoneish inclusion of modern items in playful manners. The film was attention grabbing, cute and action packed at the same time. A wonderful tale spun expertly. I'll be showing it to my French students.

No humor, and not half as good as the other movies

[elisabeth-aben · 3/10 · 5 August 2013]

I watched the movie in the Dutch dub, but that was enough to form my opinion about this movie.

I know that I shouldn't be so critical because this is a kiddy movie, but compared to the other movies, played with actual people and the animated, even compared to the comic books, this movie is a pure, money based production.

The animation looks beautiful, but it seems they were so busy with that part, they forgot to add everything else. I really missed the humor, the characters were boring and the story was as flat and thin as a nickel.

unlike a lot of kiddy movies (like Monsters Inc.), the only real way to enjoy this is to be a 4 year old.

I'm sorry if i'm this harsh, but i'm no liar.

You want something funny? avoid this and watch this one: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133385/?ref_=sr_2

Uninspiredix

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 5/10 · 20 January 2014]

In the 11-year gap between Conquering America and this a lot had changed with animated movies. As lovely as Asterix and the Vikings looks it does feel like a TV show at times and it just doesn't feel the same anymore.

Paul Giamatti and Brad Garrett provide the voices of the two Gaulish heroes (in the English dub) while Sean Astin is the Chief's visiting nephew Justforkix. The kids is a wimp and a pacifist, and for contrived reasons he'd kidnapped by the Vikings. Asterix and Obelix are on the trail to the rescue and...none of it really feels epic or exciting, and although there is some humor it just doesn't have the same inspired magic.

Alexandre Azaria's score is loud, intrusive, and obnoxious and does not allow any scene to speak for itself. It detracts from the moment rather than enhancing it. Directors Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Møller know how to make it look nice, but fail at making it work.

A disappointment.

This was a bad idea

[vstg005 · 2/10 · 18 July 2006]

I've always said that there's nothing to beat the original form: the comics. I've been proved right again. This, like all of the other movie takes on the Asterix series, failed to impress. The makers of this movie don't get it that what makes all the other such comic-turned-movies (x-men, superman et al.) ventures successful is that they all deviate from the original comic versions and adapt it to make it more watchable. Agreed, this movie did deviate, in the sense that this movie was a cross of two Asterix books, viz. Asterix and the Great Crossing & Asterix and the Normans. Also, uncharacteristic of the Asterix series (save Asterix and the Secret Weapon) , a love interest for one of the main characters was introduced. All this ended up doing was create a childishly immature storyline. The funny parts were very few and far between. All in all, a total waste of time and money watching this, let alone at theaters, even at home.

Maybe it's the German version...

[josephine_doe · 8/10 · 25 July 2006]

... but I laughed. A lot.

I saw 'Astérix et les Vikings' at a public screening during the World Cup. The sound was lousy, it was too bright to see the screen properly - but I still enjoyed myself immensely. The names of some of the characters had me rolling on the floor: Smsix, Abba, Vikea... All not very witty, but in good Astérix tradition. Some very good jokes, but also some that not everybody seemed to get.

The only thing I didn't like were the voices of Astérix and Obélix, in the German version at least. The voice actors are very well-known around here, which was the only reason they were casted, really. They don't fit the characters at all.

All in all, a good way to spend some time (and if it's free, like in my case, all the better) and to have a couple of laughs. 8 out of 10.

Disappointing adaptation

[Andy-296 · 5/10 · 15 July 2007]

Asterix et les Vikings is a disappointing, Danish-made, adaptation of Asterix and the Normans (the film also includes bits of another Asterix book, The Soothsayer). As in the book, here the Gallic duo battles some improbable (and anachronistic) Proto Vikings who have invaded the Gaul in order to know what fear is. It's hard to say exactly what's wrong with this film; it simply has no blood, no vitality; it's a dull effort. The attempts to bring Asterix to the full screen has so far been disappointments: I remember an earlier animated effort (called The Twelve Tasks of Asterix) as well as the atrocious live-actions films starring Gerard Depardieu (!) as Obelix. It might be that the humor in the books is at times both too subtle (with all those historical references) and too cartoonish (with all the over-the-top fights) to bring it successfully to the silver screen.

Asterix the make over Gaul

[amesmonde · 5 October 2007]

It's a shame that Asterix and his buddy Obelix do not get the world wide recognition that other cartoon comic characters get.

This is another funny Asterix cartoon jammed with entertainment. The animation is excellent and the voice Characterization good, even if the synchronization is a little out. The music and score fit well within the story and the slotting in of some modern musical numbers is a nice touch.

The running time seems short and while it's not the best Asterix story or the most developed cartoon, it's good clean fun. The modern (Disney like) animation will capture children, Asterix fans and new comers... Enjoy the Gaul adventure!

wonderful

[karlerikjuka · 10/10 · 10 April 2006]

wow! it's even better than I expected! the best animated Astérix movie ever! and it feels so good to hear Roger Carel doing the voice of Astérix again! I surely recommend it to everyone who likes the comic books of Astérix! but I suggest that you go to see the french version, cause it surely is the best and you hear the original cast! did you know that Roger Carel has played Astérix for nearly forty years? i think he did a marvelous job! and the song from Céline Dion at the end fits rally good to the end credits! the music is good, the drawings are good, the actors are wonderful... in a word: a masterpiece! go to see it! you will not regret this!