‘The Mansions Of The Gods' is the ninth animated Asterix film based on the graphic comic written by Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo. For those unfamiliar with this comic book series, the stories follow the exploits of indomitable Gauls based in Britanny, the north western region of France, as they resist Roman occupation.
Our pint-sized hero Asterix (voiced by Roger Carel) and his dim-witted, oversized friend Obelix (voiced by Guillaume Briat) who live in the village, persistently resist these threats with the help of their magic super-powered potion supplied by the village druid, Getafix.
Directed by Louis Clichy and Alexandre Astier, the storytelling is simple, fluid and punctuated with mild humour. It is genuine and unpretentious, retaining the satirical elements and witty charm of its source material, with colourful characters that certainly know how to deliver their trademark puns and great punch-lines.
The action sequences are a series of set pieces strung together around a wafer-thin plot and sub-plots, but they are entertaining nevertheless. The slapstick and running gags are well-timed and thought-out, but they are not the most inventive sequences.
Visually the frames are colourful and the animation lively. The characters animated beautifully in 3D are faithfully recreated. You feel that they've leapt straight out of the pages of the comic. Overall, despite its appeal and lovability, the film misses to add depth and gravitas to a full-on Asterix Adventure.
