The second of the animated Asterix films and once again based fully on an early comic album of the same name. This time Asterix, Obelix and druid Getafix travel all the way to Egypt to help a friend of Getafix, an architect named Edifis, who has been ordered to built a magnificent palace for Queen Cleopatra. The only problem is that he only has three months to do so and he has absolutely no skills as an architect.This time Asterix creators Goscinny and Uderzo oversaw the project and it shows. The film has real energy behind it, which has always been a hallmark of the Asterix series. The film is full of good visual humour, clever wordplay and fun characters. The animation quality is also much higher than previously and even the music, arguably the strongest point of the first film, has gotten bit of an upgrade. Plus, the characters are still very, very good, which we of course have the original comics to thank for.Unfortunately the film suffers from the same problem the first one did. The comic album simply didn't have enough material for a full length feature film and thus they had to pad most of the scenes to obscene amounts. This is especially notable in the scenes with Cleopatra. Had they simply made new scenes and added subplots, it might have been more bearable, but this way it just seems needlessly prolonged.Still, it is an improvement and a very good film for kids. Adults will probably find themselves slightly bored, but because the film is constantly moving, entertaining and showing you at least something, the children are not likely to notice. I certainly didn't.

I caught this delightfully energetic and amazingly visually sumptuous 1969 70 minute film on YouTube. Although "Asterix" is a French-themed comic by Goscinny and Urdezo, I watched "Asterix and Cleopatra" (hereafter "A & C") in English. I'm not sure if the film was dubbed or originally shot in English, but there is a wry hint that it is dubbing at the beginning of the film which explains that since most of the film is situated in Egypt and Egyptians speak in hieroglyphics, the English dubbing may not synchronize with the mouth movements. At any rate, I thought the dubbing (if any) was rather satisfactory.First, let's get to the plot. Julius Caesar is visiting Cleopatra at her palace and criticizes her kingdom's soft decadence. The outraged queen bets Caesar that her people have the will and know-how to construct a summer palace within 3 months. She tasks the inept architect Edifis with the challenge and the constant fear that if he fails, he will be fed to the crocodiles. In desperation, Edifis flees to Gaul to enlist the help of the diminutive but crafty Asterix, his rotund, pugnacious pal Obelix (and his tiny but devoted dog Dogmatix), and the druid Getafix and his super-strength potion. With their help and the potion, the Egyptian workers now have the power to erect blocks and pillars at astounding speed. But opposing Edifis, Asterix, and company are Edifis's jealously bitter and devious rival Artifis and his servile helper Crucut, who attempt to sabotage the construction. Also standing in our heroes' way is Julius himself, who uses his invincible army to try to stop the building and this win the bet. Can our heroes help Cleopatra win the bet and avoid imprisonment (and death by crocodile)? If you are an Asterix fan, chances are you'll enjoy this slavishly faithful animated version of the book. As another reviewer mentions, "A & C"'s animation is reminiscent of a 50's or 60's Popeye cartoon, with all the vigorous, lively movement, fighting, violence, and property destruction. In particular, "A & C" reminded me of a Gene Deitch Popeye cartoon, with the slightly surreal tone (especially Obelix's out-of-left field daydreaming about food). Besides the rollicking punch-ups, "A & C" retains most of the "Asterix" book trademarks, such as the punny names (Edifis, Artifis, get it), the effects of the super-strength potion, the reason Obelix (usually) doesn't get to taste any potion despite his earnest attempts, and even the ornate, luscious scenery and backdrops (a triumph in any cinematic year).But even if you are an "Asterix" novice, I think "A & C" will give you a satisfying crash course in Asterix lore and will entertain you with its sheer vitality, sturdy and suspenseful plot, and outlandish characters alone, no matter what. Although a considerable amount of fighting goes on, it is cartoonish and non-graphic and thus safe as well as fun for young children. I highly recommend this extraordinary effort.P.S.: Some viewers might be offended by the depiction of African-Americans with bulbous lips. Personally, I wasn't since practically every character sported an exaggerated anatomical part. Also, while I was generally okay with Asterix's and Obelix's vocalizations, they were a tad too similar to Looney Tunes cartoon voice-work, especially Obelix's, who sounded like Mel Blanc's Lenny "Duh George" impersonation. I consider these insignificant flaws in a movie that showcases what the "Indomitable Gauls" are made of.

Well, well, well... I managed to find this movie one morning in late December of 1994, so I could record it on my VCR, and I have watched it now and then ever since. About "Asterix" in general, I can only say, that I only like it for one thing: Its historical setting and its mention of ancient gods and goddesses. Otherwise, it can't compare to let's say "Tintin" when it comes to quality. But about this story in particular, where the Gauls Asterix, Obelix and Getafix have to go to Egypt to help queen Cleopatra's architect to build a temple for Julius Ceasar within three months, I must say, that it has to be one of my favorite "Asterix" stories of all time.

When an argument between Caesar and Cleopatra over Egyptian ability turns into a bet, an architect is charged to build a palace for Caesar. The architect turns to Getafix, Asterix and Obelix to help him with the construction. However with a rival architect and the Roman empire seeking to stop Caesar losing the bet Asterix et al have more on their hands than they reckoned for.The story is yet again faithful to the book, even opening and closing on the original cartoon itself. It doesn't manage to bring all the jokes out of the book as it could have done but it is still pretty good. The animation is solid and stays close to the source in style.The characters are quite good, however their voices sound the same at times and don't match their roles too well – Obelix sounds less dopey this time but Asterix still sounds too squeaky. The downside, watching it now, is that the racist stereotypes are really crude – the black characters are dark with huge rubber lips. But I suppose at the time nothing was thought of it and we should take it in the spirit it was intended.The musical numbers are OK –there aren't too many so the film isn't slowed down. The bets one is a sort of warning against anorexia with the lines `If you're off your food, you're ill' and `when you're eating well you're well'!Overall it's not brilliant, but it's a faithful adaptation of the book and manages to bring some of the wit and charm of the characters out.