This time there is a new cast, led by its director, Guillaume Canet, who is working with actor friends with whom he had appeared in films like Little White Lies. These include his partner, Marion Cotillard who appears here is a somewhat hysterical Cleopatra. Canet himself plays Asterix, rather diffident, a bit wimpish, not as smart as he might hope to be. But, the surprise is the absence of Gerard Depardieu but his role as Obelix being more than filled by Gilles Lellouche. He is an actor who appears in very serious films, criminal, police, investigator… But, he enters into the spirit of thing with great zest, obviously enjoying himself in the role of the large Obelix. Vincent Cassell also appears as Julius Caesar.

The humour of the film is, to say the least, very broad. Subtlety is not its hallmark. And a number of fans have dismissed it because of this broad, for them too broad, humour. However, audiences entering into the spirit of the previous stories, the previous films, both animated and live-action, will get some chuckles and laughs.

One of the best sources of humour is in the names of the characters, especially the English versions, words ending in IC becoming words ending inIX. And a whole lot of puns like Biopix, Vitalstatistix. While the whole thing is farcical, uprisings in the kingdoms of China, a princess escaping to Gaul accompanied by her bodyguard (who is called Ka Ra Te), her mother imprisoned with a business wheeler dealer from the West. They arrive in Gaul, seek the help of the Gauls and Asterix and Obelix volunteer, Asterix is enamoured of the Princess, Obelix infatuated with the bodyguard (and she with him). Accompanying them is a two-timing coward character who is also infatuated with the Princess. And so a track by land and sea to China, dastardly enemies, imprisonment of the Empress, battles and confrontations.

Meantime in Rome, there is Caesar, some rather idiotic characters and behaviour at the court, Caesar being persuaded to march East in the steps of Alexander the Great to deal with the problems of China. And domestic problems with Cleopatra and her falling in love with a bodybuilder.

With Chinese background and the bodyguard, there is quite a lot of martial arts action throughout the film – some of it humorously absurd when Asterix takes his potion and has superpowers, with Obelix and his ordinary strength, hurtling enemies up into the stratosphere and having to wait a long time for them to return!

There is also a romance, a mysterious Prince in China, leading to disappointment with the princess’s suitors, but a happy wedding back in Gaul.

There is a great deal of music in the score, and some humorous uses of popular songs, Caesar and the legions with a chant from Bohemian Rhapsody, the romantic tones of Lionel Richie and Say You, Say Me, and a funny parody of The Time of Your Life from Dirty Dancing and a parody of the famous leaping scene.

Some of the other films, both animation and live-action have been cleverer, more enjoyable, but, in the meantime, this will have to do.

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