Alain Chabat's Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre (2002)

Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre is an adaptation of the cartoon Astérix et Cléopâtre by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (1963) and has a host of famous actors: Gérard Depardieu (Obélix), Christian Clavier (Astérix), Jamel Debbouze (Numérobis), Monica Bellucci (Cléopâtre), Alain Chabat (Jules César), Claude Rich (Panoramix), Gérard Darmon (Amonbofis), Édouard Baer (Otis), Isabelle Nanty (Itinéris), etc, etc.

The plot itself is quite simple. Wishing to prove to César the greatness of Egyptian civilisation, Cléopâtre decides to build a superb palace in the middle of the desert in three months. She appoints architect Numérobis to do this, promising to shower him in gold if he succeeds, but to throw him to the crocodiles if he fails. So he enlists the support of the druid Panoramix, maker of the magic potion, who comes to Egypt along with Astérix and Obélix, plus of course the dog Idéfix. And in spite of attempts to thwart Numérobis's plans by the older architect Amonbofis and the Romans, the palace is built in time to meet the deadline. But the story isn't really the main point of interest.

The most interesting thing about the film, at least for me, is the huge number of cultural references: cinema, music, art, television, literature, and so on, of which these are a few out of probably hundreds:

– A profile shot of Cléopâtre recalls Léonard de Vinci's Mona Lisa

– Three bearded workers, each holding a stone, is similar to ZZ Top with each holding a guitar

– César shapes a triangle with his finger, like Mia a square in Pulp Fiction

– Amonbofis and Numérobis fignting recalls the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

– A shot very realistically represents Géricault's painting Le Radeau de la Méduse

– 'Un cap ? … C’est une péninsule !': Obélix refers to Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac, and also Depardieu's own role in the film

– 'J'ai plus d'appétit qu'un barracuda' refers to the line in Claude François's song 'Alexandrie Alexandra'

– Amonfobis sees an Egyptian in a red and white striped tee-shirt: a reference to the cartoon Où est Charlie ?

– Astérix's 'Nous sommes ici par la volonté et en mission pour Cléopâtre', etc, parodies a 1789 speech by Mirabeau

– Barbe Rouge's 'C'est un fameux un mât, fin comme un oiseau, hissez haut !' is (almost) a direct quotation from Hugues Aufray's song 'Santiano'.

Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre was a huge success both commercially and critically. And deservedly so: although it may share some features with the Hollywood blockbuster, it's probably much cleverer than any of them.