Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom is a familyadventure comedy directed by Guillaume Canet. The film features a large cast including Gilles Lellouche, Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, Jonathan Cohen, Julie Chen and Zlatan Ibrahimović. This new adaptation of the famousAsterix comics transports the Gaulish heroes to China for an unprecedented mission, mixing cultures and twists and turns, in a blockbuster accessible to ages 8 and up.
Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom will be broadcast on TF1 from April 20, 2025.
Synopsis: The year is 50 BC. The Empress of China is imprisoned following a coup instigated by Deng Tsin Quin, a treacherous prince. With the help of Graindemaïs, the Phoenician merchant, and her faithful warrior Tat Han, Princess Fu Yi, the empress's only daughter, flees to Gaul to seek help from the two valiant warriors Asterix and Obelix, who have superhuman strength thanks to their magic potion. Our two inseparable Gauls naturally agree to help the Princess save her mother and liberate her country. And now they're all off on a great adventure to China. But Caesar and his mighty army, still thirsting for conquest, have also set their sights on the Middle Kingdom...
Film team: Directed by Guillaume Canet. With : Guillaume Canet, Gilles Lellouche, Marion Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, Jonathan Cohen, Julie Chen, Leanna Chea, Zlatan Ibrahimović. Screenplay: Guillaume Canet, Julien Hervé.
This feature could appeal to families and fans of light-hearted adventure films, similar in spirit to Asterix and the Twelve Labors or Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. The modern visual references and humorous winks should also appeal to teen and adult audiences accustomed to popular French comedies.
Our opinion on Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom
Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom has made a name for itself thanks to its impressive cast. The cast ofAsterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom rivals that of 2008'sAsterix and Obelix at the Olympic Games, which featured Zinédine Zidane, Michael Schumacher and Tony Parker. In addition to Guillaume Canet and Gilles Lellouche in the title roles, the film stars Vincent Cassel, Jonathan Cohen, Marion Cotillard, Ramzy Bedia, José Garcia, Manu Payet, Pierre Richard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Orelsan, Bigflo et Oli, Angèle, Franck Gastambide, McFly et Carlito and many others.
In this new adventure, the two Gauls find themselves in China, helping the empress and her daughter, victims of a coup d'état. If you're familiar with the comic strip, or at least with previous film adaptations, you won't be surprised. Visually, the film is appropriately ambitious, costing over 65 million euros and making it one of the most expensive French films of the year, with action scenes inspired by Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
However, the Middle Kingdom doesn't seem to be able to halt the decline in quality ofAsterix and Obelix adaptations. SinceAlain Chabat's Mission Cléopatre, which has since become a cult hit, all adaptations have tried to reproduce the recipe, without success. This new opus is no exception to the rule, resembling its predecessor without ever reaching its level.
The film's humor, which is rather ponderous, rarely hits the mark and makes you want to gasp in exasperation, even though many will appreciate the spectacular scenes and the cast. As is traditional in Asterix and Obelix films, the festival of star cameos is once again immense. The problem is that every secondary role is played by a star, not an actor, and it shows here. Seeing the faces of Orelsan, Angèle or Zlatan Ibrahimovic may make you smile, but it's a reminder that acting is a profession that can't always be improvised. The film as a whole suffers from flat acting that is unfortunately often off the mark... Even the main protagonists are underwhelming... Gilles Lellouche replicates Gérard Depardieu 's score as Obélix, and Guillaume Canet tries to make the character of Asterix his own, but it's not very convincing. Special mention must go to Jonathan Cohen, the real strength of the film, who manages to provoke laughter at key moments, as well as Vincent Cassel, perfect in the role of Julius Caesar.
In short, Asterix and Obelix, The Middle Kingdom is sure to draw in the crowds, who will appreciate an ambitious spectacle as is the case with every adaptation of the comic strip, but the result is also likely to disappoint many viewers.
With Asterix and Obelix: The Middle Kingdom, the famous comic-book heroes embark on a never-before-seen adventure between Gaul and China. Featuring an intergenerational cast, the film combines humor, action and exoticism in a blockbuster suitable for a wide audience. A new opportunity to (re)discover this contemporary interpretation of the universe created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.
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