BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Mahmoud S I have been a die-hard Asterix fan since childhood. However, Asterix's animated outings have been largely disappointing, and the live movies abysmal. This movie is the exception. Made by Goscinny and Uderzo's (Asterix's creators) ill-fated animation Studio (Studios Idefix) in 1976, the cartoon is a modern take on the Herculean tasks. Asterix and Obelix are required to successfully perform 12 tasks, upon which Caesar will surrender to them. Failure in one task means surrender, certain imprisonment, and probably death to the Gaulish villagers.This Asterix movie outshines all others in several aspects. Firstly, the animation (although dated) is lush and very true to the comic books; in fact it feels like Uderzo drew some scenes himself (I wouldn't be surprised if he did). Secondly, the screenplay by Goscinny drives the clever humour in the movie (and in the comic books, which have suffered greatly since his death in 1977). Thirdly, this movie caters to all ages. I've seen this film countless times as a child and as an adult, and it never grows old. The movie is brilliant in the way it presents tasks aimed at the universal child in people of all ages (ie. The race with Asbestos) and tasks aimed at adults (ie. The Isle of Pleasure and the Place that sends you Mad) without alienating children too young to understand the themes presented.I highly recommend this film. One of my favourite movies (not just animated). Very re-watchable. Highly enjoyable. Great humour. Great animation.

IndustriousAngel Most of the by now many Astérix adaptions are based on the comic albums, this film has its own script - maybe that's why it works better than the other ones. The story is much more fantastic and postmodern than usual and most of the gags center more on sight than on wordplay - which is a good thing for a movie. The comics are full of clever wit but that's hard to translate on screen. There's also much satire here; I especially liked the bureaucratic hellhouse. Some of the 12 labours are obviously better than others but that's OK too, the story is episodic enough anyway. The animation is just OK, a far cry from Disney or Miyazaki standards, but basically it does its job.

Shawn Watson The best Asterix film at the time of its release and certainly one of the best overall. "Twelve Tasks" was always a favorite of mine and watching it now, close to 20 years later, it's still as funny and imaginative as it ever was.As an Asterix movie it's a bit of an anomaly. It isn't based on any of the comic-books (are they graphic novels?) and doesn't follow any of the continuity or logic of any of the other stories. But since it's by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo themselves you could hardly call it unofficial.Julius Caesar calls a truce with the village and says that Gaul can rule Rome if they can win Twelve impossible tasks in the vein of Hercules a few thousand years ago. If they fail, they must surrender to Caesar. But with Asterix and Obelix as their chosen champions do you really think they will fail? The plot lends itself to lots of visual humor and irreverent satire. How can a kid's animated movie have this much depth and wit and still be relatively unknown in the wider world of Toy Stories and Ups? It's insane.Definitely a great treat for Asterix fans and the perfect way to introduce new people to the franchise.

Victor Field The best of the several movie adventures of Asterix, Obelix, Vitalstatistix and Co., our heroes are given a series of increasingly difficult tasks by Caesar, with the future of the village at stake - ranging from crossing a ravine by an invisible bridge ("Which you do not see over there") through avoiding the lures of the sirens, combating a champion javelin thrower and getting a permit for the next task (something that will strike a chord in anyone who's ever had to face red tape) to facing a celestial challenge by a god who asks them to... actually, that last one is so funny you have to see it for yourself.There is a book out, but it's the adaptation of the movie, making "The Twelve Tasks Of Asterix" the only one to date actually written for the screen first. Perhaps the makers of the later animated movies and the live-action ones could take the hint? (Or is adapting them properly beyond 'em?) Sheer pleasure throughout, with moments that still make me laugh years after seeing it and some surprisingly strong satire, all the movies should have been like this. Right, let's tie up the bard and bring on the boar...