Why so much hype?

Good concept, poorly executed.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Funny how I've always thought that "Asterix in Britain" was made before "Asterix vs. Caesar", not just because I watched it first, but because I believed "Caesar" was just trying to have a more ambitious narrative without quite succeeding.But the hell with these comparisons, I just loved "Britain" because the film was hilarious by sticking to the book. Like "Cleopatra", the second Asterix film, it seemed like a wise choice from the animators to take a story with promising material and simply making a great film out of it. It sounds simple but it works. The film opens with a new take on "Caesar"'s theme, with English lyrics, and the sound gives it a sort of Beatles-like melodic appeal, the title is "The Look Out is Out" and just listen to it on Youtube, it's irresistibly catchy.But the reasons the film works is because it also gives more screen-time to secondary characters like the Pirates and Romans. It's odd how the Gauls don't appear after almost 15 minute and it doesn't even affect the enjoyment. The conquest of Britain is wonderfully handled, confronting the majestic glory of the Roman Army and the Britons' iconic phlegm. In-between, the Roman fleet in its way to Britain run over the Pirate Ship, an an obligatory running-gag, even more effective with more inexperienced one's comment: "at least, it wasn't Gauls". The chief, holding on the same board, can only retort with a grunt.On the imperial vessel, Cesar's general, named Motus, tells the Emperor that he'll conquer pretty fast this "little Britain", this "Great Britain" insists Cesar, embracing the glory of his D-Day. The film is full of clever winks to remaining stereotypes about the British people. Romans fight Britons but they're immediately interrupted at five o'clock, the time to drink hot water. Well, wouldn't you know tea wasn't exported yet? Romans learn to deal with Britons' peculiar idiosyncrasies such as the 'end of the week', a dilemma soon to be solved by Cesar who decides to attack them only at the end of the week and each day after five o'clock.Cesar's genius pays off and the Roman flag can grandly throne over a newly occupied Britain. Well, not all Britain, one small village bearing strange resemblances with the Gaulish version (you might notice the guards wearing some long black hats) still resists. The chief (fittingly named 'Zebigbos') shares his hopelessness with Jolithorax, Asterix's cousin. Jolithorax decides to seek help from the Gauls to get some 'magic potion'. Now, just follow me, in the French version, it's called 'potion magique' but Jolithorax calls it "Magique Potion" by changing the words' positions. The way English dialogues are anglicized is one of the film's greatest delights.Another example comes up when Jolithorax asks Obelix to shake hands (using the word 'shake' in French), naturally Obelix takes him literally reducing his help to flabby stuff. That's hilarious … and I guess, I'm only unveiling the film's one flaw: some gags might get lost in translation. But that doesn't matter, as long as the adventure progresses. Getafix makes a barrel full of 'magic potion' so our heroes can bring it to Jolithorax' village. While crossing the English Channel, they rescue a group of Phenicians freighters from the Pirates (no need to tell where they finished) and fight Romans.With these two naval encounters, the story kicks-off, the Romans know there is magic potion going to Britain and will pull every effort to get it, and Asterix is thanked by the Phenician with one mysterious bag full of oriental herbs, wait before you think it's a small price for saving a vessel. The barrel-adventure goes on, and the barrel got mixed up with a whole other stock full of wine, which puts Romans in a tricky situation, since the magic potion looks exactly like wine. This coincidence contribute to one of the greatest moments, when Romans start to check each barrel in order and disciple, piercing, plunging and drinking … the outcome of that moment is a real slap on Roman's legendary organization. Naturally, General Motus is there to berate them the day after and make their hangover even more unbearable.Asterix and Obelix' quest for the right barrel provides a nice touristic trip in Britain proving that things haven't changed much, Big Ben, the Tower of London ...and naturally, English great food world widely envied. Obelix, tired after crossing the Channel (and wondering if they shouldn't think about digging a tunnel under) is starving. His wish for the Channel is fulfilled a few centuries after, as for the food … well, they get in an inn named the 'laughing boar'. But after discover the boiled recipe, mint sauce and warm beer, he wonders what's so funny about it; The food issues worsens his sensitiveness, he has to kick anyone who calls him 'fat', as he says 'there's no fat one, there's one and he's not fat' one of the greatest lines of all the Asterix films.The quest finally ends to a rugby match where their discovery of the magic potion provokes a hilarious intrusion, only ruined by the arrival of the Romans, who simply destroy their boat, and the potion in the process. They can invade the village, having destroyed the main Allies, and as Motus harangued his soldiers : "To win without risk is to avoid troubles". And this is when the mysterious tea bag works plays its role as the film's Checkov gun. Asterix put the herbs on hot water make British (and later, the Romans) believe that it's magic potion. Now, with that mindset in both sides, the fight can only lead to a victory.British thought they had the magic potion and according to Zebigbos, that's the definition of courage. Now, that I spoiled the whole story, I guess it don't matter if I reveal what was exactly in that Phoenician little bag Zebigbos wanted to make a national drink of?

I am guessing that these other comments refer to the 'dubbed', English version of the film. I saw the original french language version, many years ago while in France on holiday. In their version the English characters speak french, with wonderfully over the top English accents. It lent a great sense of the English/French relationship and I think got a lot closer to the Gosciny-Uderzo feel for the story and characters. If you ever get a chance to see the french version it's a whole different experience.I am guessing that these other comments refer to the 'dubbed', English version of the film. I saw the original french language version, many years ago while in France on holiday. In their version the English characters speak french, with wonderfully over the top English accents. It lent a great sense of the English/French relationship and I think got a lot closer to the Gosciny-Uderzo feel for the story and characters. If you ever get a chance to see the french version it's a whole different experience.

When the Romans invade Britain they do such ghastly things as fight outside working hours and at weekends, hence the island quickly falls. One Briton sneaks across the channel to seek help from his cousin Asterix. Asterix, Obelix and the Briton take a barrel of magic potion back across the channel in an attempt to help the British villages to fight back.Another in the staggered animated Asterix series. This story follows the book quite closely and manages to have some of it's wit – `send us a victorious wind o gods' implores Caesar just before his map blows over his face! However much of this is the usual hitting Romans fare. The story may not be great but it's still very enjoyable for children.The colours are a bit washed out looking at times and the animation isn't state of the art (even then!) but it's easy to overlook this. Some of the characters are very good – the British, although cliched, are very funny, however the main characters are a bit off. All the Gauls have `Allo, Allo' French accents that annoy. Worse is Obelix being played again like a buffoon crossed with a child – not very good at all.Overall this is an acceptable addition to the Asterix stable, it doesn't totally manage to carry off the wit of the books but it's a reasonable funny and faithful version. The worst thing is the terrible Euro-pop played over the end credits.

This was funnier than I expected it to be. I mean, I love the Asterix books but I rarely laugh out loud at them. The animated adaptation also managed to be cleverer than the book in certain instances, though some of the dialogue was unnecessarily changed in others. Something struck me about the character animation, as well, as some characters seemed to be better animated than others. I realize this is probably because different artists were assigned to different characters, but I wish a greater effort at consistency was attempted. These are minor points. This is great fun, for everyone, even if it says "Just for Kids" (the name of the company, I think) on the box.