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It is the good etching of the characters and amusing anecdotes that make for this strong, offbeat narrative, writes Ervell E. Menezes
COMIC strips continue to be turned into films with amazing regularity, the newest being that likeable "odd couple" Asterix and Obelix in their latest feature named Asterix and the Vikings and their creators Rene Gooscinny and Albert Udero should be happy with the effort. Lush visuals, a staccato tempo and jazzy music background set that village in Gaul and its inhabitants to a rollicking start, thanks to an imaginative screenplay by Jean-Luc Goosens and Stefan Fjeldmark. And directors Fjeldmark and Jesper Moller refrain from making a meal of the story. The pauses are right and so are the doses of humour but basically it is the good etching of the characters and amusing anecdotes that make for this strong, offbeat narrative. The diminutive warrior-hero Asterix and his oversized companion Obelix have a tall order this time. To protect a cowardly teenager Justfokix, the nephew of chief Vitalstatistix, from an invading horde of Vikings and for this they have to venture into the wild, cold north because that’s where the Vikings have taken this teenager who has been described as "built like a matchstick but brave as a hen." As for the chief, he’s brave and temperamental but his only apprehension is that the sky may fall on his head. Asterix and Obelix’s problem is compounded by the fact that this wimp is smitten by love for as young, pretty but extremely feminist Viking woman named Abba who is forever in a verbal war with her Viking chief of a father Timandahaf. So, there’s enough of fodder in this cute love story which shows that the path of love is strewn with a good deal of laughs. The Vikings are determined to find a "champion of fear" who will, as their seer has promised, teach them to fly, since supposedly "fear ends wings…" Which means that they are depending on that scared-of-his-shadow Justfokix or barking up the wrong tree. Updating the rather old-fashioned source comic strip Asterix and the Normans, which was published way back in 1967, there are some choice contemporary references as the use of cellphone messages and trendy music featuring songs by Cline Dion, Amel Bent and Billy Crawford show and for many the music could be the best part of the film. So, Asterix and the Vikings is a delightful entertainer with a good mix of action, humour and romance—it’s a breezy jaunt through never, never land. Highly recommended.
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