Astérix et Cléopâtre (1968)

In all fairness, this one is without a doubt one of the superior films in the line of the animated adventures of the little Gaulish warrior. Sure, personally, I'll always have a soft spot for the one where he and Obelix have to emulate Hercules' works because I find that one the funniest, but this is one where the story is wonderful and the irreverent humour also works best in small doses. 

This one is entirely based on the comic with the same title, so if you know the comic, you know the film. Queen Cleopatra is angry at Julius Caesar because he claims that her people have become decadent and complacent. She wants to prove him wrong by having a palace built for him in no less than three months. She hires the most accomplished architect (who in various countries has a different name, I know him in Dutch as 'Tekenis') to make this come true, but he is a total klutz. He travels to Gaul in order to enlist the help of Panoramix and our two intrepid heroes (and their dog Idéfix). Thus the adventure begins and shenanigans ensue, especially because there is a rival architect who wants to see our friends in the belly of the holy crocodiles. 

Everything you love about Astérix is here: the dynamics between our leads are classic and here they truly find that balance that is so prevalent in the comics. That they now also introduce the dog who has merit in the stories, is a nice touch. But it is the wonderful adaptation of the pages to screen that works se well here. Sure, the writing has mostly been top notch, but here it is translated very well to the screen. The animation quality has also improved vastly, which is a delight to see. The jokes all land and even the musical numbers work for the best part. There is a very bizarre dream sequence when Obélix is hungry that does come out of nowhere and is weirdly psychedelic. I don't know where that came from and it doesn't mesh with the rest of the film, unfortunately. 

There's not an awful lot to say, as fans of the comics will surely enjoy this one. If you are not familiar with the lore, then this one also works, because the relationships between characters are so easily picked up on. Both kids and adults should enjoy this one and it is a testament to the durability of the works by Goscinny and Uderzo.

Recommended!