News

In his decades-long career, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been part of several iconic films, giving us pop culture moments that continue to be referenced even today. In 2023, he achieved a significant career milestone when he got the lead in Fubar, marking his first leading television role.

However, Fubar isn’t just some action comedy spy drama, instead, it has emerged as an unofficial True Lies sequel—reigniting an infamous plagiarism case. While the series does reference multiple Schwarzenegger roles and iconic film moments, there is one scene in the series that channels James Cameron’s action comedy quite brilliantly.

Fubar continues on its path to be a ‘true’ True Lies sequel Carrie-Anne Moss as Greta Nelso and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Luke Brunner in Fubar | Credits: Netflix

Fubar showrunner Nick Santora already knows there are going to be a lot of comparisons between the show and Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s past works. However,...

Director James Cameron's explosive True Lies is about to have an all-new streaming home.

Per Hulu, 1994's True Lies will officially be available for streaming on the platform beginning on March 14. The addition of True Lies to the Hulu library marks that of yet another cult classic coming to the platform on the same month, including 1987's Predator, which just so happened to also star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

RelatedJames Bond Might Lose Iconic 007 Codename After New Lawsuit

The James Bond franchise is dealing with several legal challenges in UK and EU courts.

Based on director Claude Zidi's 1991 French action film La Totale!, James Cameron's True Lies starred Schwarzenegger in the role of Harry Tsasker, a quiet family man living a quaint suburban lifestyle alongside his beloved wife, Helen, famously portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis. Contrary to his family's beliefs, Harry is no computer hardware salesman, but rather a...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Back in Action is an action comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Brendan O’Brien. The Netflix film follows Emily and Matt, two former CIA spies who give up their life of danger to raise a family, but when their secret identities are revealed, they must go on a dangerous road trip to get their idyllic lives back. Back in Action stars Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, and Rylan Jackson. So, if you loved the fun action, charming leads, and espionage thrills in Back in Action, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Family Plan (Apple TV+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Apple TV+

The Family Plan is an action comedy film directed by Simon Cellan Jones from a screenplay by David Coggeshall.

Believe it or not, James Cameron has only directed nine released narrative features in his titanic 40-year career in Hollywood. The self-proclaimed cinematic King of the World is the second-most lucrative filmmaker after the incomparable Steven Spielberg, with Cameron’s wildly entertaining movies grossing $8.7 billion globally. Still, two of his titles remain slightly overlooked compared to Aliens and the landmark Terminator and Avatar flicks. If you had to make a legitimate case for either, what would you say is Cameron’s most underrated movie: The Abyss or True Lies? Aside from Piranha 2: The Spawning, that is.

As you chew on that sucker, it’s worth noting that True Lies is loosely adapted from the 1991 French spy farce La Totale, directed by Claude Zidi. It’s the only film in Cameron’s quiver to be remade from a preexisting movie. More historical yet, with a budget nearing 120 million dollars, True Lies...

The Union is a spy action comedy-thriller film directed by Julian Farino from a screenplay co-written by Joe Barton and David Guggenheim. The Netflix film follows the story of Mike McKenna, a simple construction who gets roped into the world of espionage by his ex-girlfriend from high school. The Union stars Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry in the lead roles with Mike Colter, Jessica De Gouw, Alice Lee, J.K. Simmons, and Lorraine Bracco starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the action, comedy, the world of spies, and the romance between the leading duo in The Union, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Ghosted (Apple TV+) Credit – Apple TV+

Ghosted is a romantic comedy and action-adventure film directed by Dexter Fletcher from a screenplay co-written by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Chris McKenna, and Erik Sommers. The 2023 film follows the story of Cole, a simple farmer...

Mission: Cross is a South Korean romantic action comedy film written and directed by Lee Myung-hoon. The Netflix film follows the story of Park Kang-moo, an agent turned househusband who is married to Kang Mi-Seon, a detective who doesn’t know anything about her husband’s past. When Park Kang-moo gets entangled in a perilous mission his real identity comes out in front of his wife, which puts their marriage in danger. So, if you loved the romance, action, and comedy in Netflix’s South Korean film Mission: Cross here are some similar films you could watch next.

True Lies (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Fox

True Lies is a romantic action comedy film written and directed by James Cameron. Based on a 1991 French spy comedy film titled La Totale! by Claude Zidi, Simon Michaël, and Didier Kaminka. The 1994 film follows the story of Harry, a secret...

Studiocanal and Editions Albert René have signed an exclusive development agreement for the fifth live action movie inspired by the adventures of French comic strip hero Asterix.

The deal comes as French publishing house Éditions Albert René marks the 65th anniversary of the creation of the plucky Gaul warrior Asterix and his sidekick Obelix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo in 1959.

Since then, 400 million Asterix books in 130 languages and dialects have sold worldwide, with 40 albums of Asterix adventures published since 1961.

The Asterix & Obelix comic books are embedded in French culture and have inspired five live-action films to date: Claude Zidi’s Asterix & Obelix Take On Caesar (1999), Alain Chabat’s Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002), Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann’s Asterix At The Olympic Games (2008), Laurent Tirard’s Asterix & Obelix: God Save Britannia (2012) and Guillaume Canet’s Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom (2023).

They have had mixed fortunes...

Jamie Lee Curtis and Arnold Schwarzenegger reunited at a charity event, paying tribute to their hit film True Lies, released in 1994. True Lies, directed by James Cameron, became a genre classic and a box office success, starring Schwarzenegger as a spy leading a double life. CBS attempted to adapt True Lies into a TV series, but it was canceled after one season due to low ratings, receiving negative reviews compared to the original film.

Almost 30 years since the premiere of the acclaimed film that brought them together, True Lies, Jamie Lee Curtis and Arnold Schwarzenegger met at a charity event and did not hesitate to take a photo together to pay tribute to the movie.

Released in 1994 and directed by James Cameron, True Lies has become a huge hit. An old school action comedy, True Lies had two Hollywood heavyweights, a strong supporting cast, and did not take long to become a genre classic.

The entertainment business has never been a sure thing. While movies and television shows from specific genres have thrived for a limited period, with so many options for what to watch today, that's not the case anymore. The streaming options developed to such an extent that there is too much content and not enough time to watch it. This has been one of the reasons why so many television shows have been canceled, including the CBS spy show True Lies.

True Lies tells the story of a seemingly ordinary married couple, Helen Tasker (Ginger Gongaza) and Harry Tasker (Steve Howey). Helen is a linguist professor feeling bored with her life which only consists of her job and taking care of the kids and the house. Things quickly take a turn, and excitement and action won't stop happening as Helen discovers that her husband, whom she thought worked in tech sales,...

James Cameron got his start in the film industry doing visual-effects work for low-budget sci-fi movies like “Galaxy of Terror” and “Battle Beyond the Stars,” but it didn’t take long for his wizardry to land him behind the camera. Within just a few films, Cameron put his stamp on the whole industry, crafting oft-imitated sci-fi hits on reasonable budgets before throwing huge loads of money into epic and sometimes troubled productions which, fortunately for everyone, pretty much always found an appreciative audience.

Watching Cameron’s films, from his original low-budget short to his trilogy of underwater documentaries, is a trip through his lifelong passions. You can see seeds of future blockbusters in early schlock like “Piranha II: The Spawning,” and you don’t even have to look that hard.

13. “Expedition: Bismarck” (2002)

The second film in James Cameron’s deep-sea-diving documentary trilogy is the dreariest. Cameron once again travels to the bottom of the ocean,...

French actor and director Guillaume Canet has revealed he is feeling the pressure ahead of the release next week of his ambitious 70M production Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom.

Canet directs and stars in the film as iconic plucky Gaul Asterix in an all-star ensemble cast also featuring Gilles Lellouche as Obelix, Vincent Cassel as Julius Caesar, Marion Cotillard as Cleopatra and Swedish soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimović as Caesar’s bodyguard Antivirus.

The production is Canet’s eighth feature after 2006 breakout Tell No One, 2010 hit Little White Lies, Brooklyn-set, English-language debut Blood Ties and the smaller more personal pandemic-shot film Lui.

Long-time collaborator Alain Attal at Trésor Films produces with Pathé and Yohan Baiada at Les Enfants Terribles.

Pathé will launch Asterix & Obelix: The Middle Kingdom on 1,200 screens on February 1. Local media is hailing the release as the biggest film event of early 2023.

Canet has said he...

Regine, who claimed to have invented the term “discotheque” as she ran a nightclub empire that stretched from Paris to Los Angeles, has died. She passed on Sunday at age 92, according to her granddaughter. No cause was given.

Born Regina Zylberberg in Belgium, Regine opened her first nightclub in Paris’s Latin Quarter in the 1950s, installing turntables and disc jockeys instead of the usual juke boxes. Thus was born a new format, she claimed, the “discotheque.”

“If you can’t dance, you can’t make love,” she said by way of explanation. She apparently was right, as celebrities, royalty and the business elite flocked to her establishments, earning her the nicknme as the “queen of the night,” as her name became synonymous with the elite’s good times.

Her venues included “Regine’s” in New York in the 1970s, and others in Miami, Rio de Janeiro and Los Angeles.

French actor Laetitia Casta will be feted by Locarno Film Festival with its 2021 Excellence Award Davide Campari, which pays tribute to film personalities who have left their personal stamp on contemporary cinema.

The prominent Swiss fest dedicated to global indie cinema, headed by new artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro, has chosen to honor Casta in recognition of a career in which, after making the transition from the sphere of high fashion to the theater and film milieu, she’s risen to become “one of the most versatile acting talents of the new millennium,” the fest said in a statement.

Casta, who began her acting career in 1999 playing the beautiful young villager Falbalà in “Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar,” directed by Claude Zidi, has subsequently appeared in “Savage Souls” by Raùl Ruiz in 2001, in “Love Street” by Patrice Leconte in 2002, and in Tsai Ming-liang’s “Face” in 2009, to name just a...

Above: Hungarian poster for The Sleeping Car Murders. Designer: Sándor Benkő.Last summer I wrote about my discovery of Hungarian movie poster design and featured a number of posters for very well known films from The Wizard of Oz to The Elephant Man. Those posters highlighted the distinctly different graphic approaches taken by Hungarian designers compared to their country-of-origin counterparts. But while delving deeper into the world of Hungarian poster design—mostly via the auction site Bedo—I have come across many even more remarkable designs for films that are less well known. The fifteen posters that I’ve chosen to highlight here were all made in the ’60s and ’70s and there is a distinct pop art sensibility at work: a lot of bold, primary colors and almost cartoonish illustrations, but always in the service of bold, striking graphics. Distinctly upbeat, while perhaps not expressly joyful, they do give...

Luc Besson’s financially struggling film company, EuropaCorp, has entered into exclusive negotiations with Gaumont to sell off Roissy Films’ library, which includes more than 500 titles.

If greenlit, the pact will allow Gaumont to take over the exploitation of films from the Roissy catalogue, which boasts more than 80 award-winning films. Best-known titles include Claude Zidi’s “The Under-Gifted” (“Les sous-doués”) and Jean-Jacques Annaud’s “Quest for Fire” (“La guerre du feu”).

EuropaCorp had acquired Roissy Films in 2008.

EuropaCorp said the deal with Gaumont “falls within the scope of the new strategy of the company consisting in focusing on its core business activities: the production and distribution of films and series around the world.”

The company will also be looking to sell about 30 films from Roissy Films to a third party.

Within the last 18 months, EuropaCorp has taken drastic steps to cut costs, including the sale of its French TV production unit for €11 million,...

Luc Besson's financially struggling EuropaCorp is putting another asset up for sale, entering into exclusive negotiations with Gaumont for the catalog of Roissy Films.

EuropaCorp acquired the 500-film strong catalog — which includes several award winners, such as Jean-Jacques Annaud's Quest for Fire and Claude Zidi's The Under-Gifted — a decade ago. French mini-major Gaumont and Besson's EuropaCorp will engage in negotiations for the titles, though EuropaCorp said it would also explore selling around 30 unspecified films to a third party.

“This project would fall within the scope of the new strategy of the Group consisting in ...

Luc Besson's financially struggling EuropaCorp is putting another asset up for sale, entering into exclusive negotiations with Gaumont for the catalog of Roissy Films.

EuropaCorp acquired the 500-film strong catalog — which includes several award winners, such as Jean-Jacques Annaud's Quest for Fire and Claude Zidi's The Under-Gifted — a decade ago. French mini-major Gaumont and Besson's EuropaCorp will engage in negotiations for the titles, though EuropaCorp said it would also explore selling around 30 unspecified films to a third party.

“This project would fall within the scope of the new strategy of the Group consisting in ...

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: In dubious honor of “Sleepless,” a new Jamie Foxx vehicle that’s been adapted from Frederic Jardin’s “Sleepless Night,” what is the best American remake of a foreign-language film?

Joshua Rothkopf (@joshrothkopf), Time Out New York

Long before I knew and appreciated Jean Renoir, I was in love with “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” a 1986 comedy based on “Boudu Saved from Drowning” that peppered the flow with some truly eye-opening ideas for Hollywood: class warfare, unequal police treatment, a neurotic dog with its own therapist. The movie holds up beautifully — it’s one of Nick Nolte’s quietest performances, and one...

Time limit: 0 Quiz-summary

0 of 9 questions completed

Questions:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Information

Get the feeling someone is looking over your shoulder? This quiz won’t help! This week we’re investigating the subtle (and not-so-subtle) art of spying in the movies.

You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.

Quiz is loading...

You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.

You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:

Results

0 of 9 questions answered correctly

Your time:

Time has elapsed

You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0)

Average score Your score Categories Not categorized 0% Your result has been entered into leaderboard Loading Name: E-Mail: Captcha: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Answered Review Question 1 of 9 1. Question

The plot of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest was suggested by this spy film.

The Man Who Never Was I Was Monty’s Double Odd Man Out Correct

Clifton Webb starred in Ronald Neame’s 1956 film...

Tune in alert for self-discovery and surprise revelations abound in May with TV5MONDE USA. Daniel Auteuil, Quelques Jours Avec Lui (2012) May 15, 1:05pm Edt / 10:05am Pdt Two-time César award (Girl on the Bridge, Jean de Florette), Cannes Film Festival (The Eighth Day) and BAFTA Film Award (Jean de Florette) winner Daniel Auteuil is the focal point of this documentary about self-discovery. Over his forty-year career, Daniel Auteuil has played a thousand roles, including the under-gifted Bebel, for Claude Zidi; Scapin, for Jean-Pierre Vincent; and Ugolin, for Claude Berri. At age 63, after recognizing all of his success, the actor admits he wants to talk a little bit about himself after spending his life hiding behind characters.

"The indie Texan filmmaker David Lowery receives a double bill at the reRun Gastropub Theater in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and while Pioneer, a 16-minute short, and St Nick, an 86-minute feature, don't provide hard answers to their mysteries, both are deeply intriguing," writes Andy Webster in the New York Times. Regarding St Nick, a "potentially stifling ambience is deflected by quiet suspense and the awe-inspiring compositions of the cinematographer, Clay Liford. Decaying rustic interiors evoke Andrew Wyeth still lifes; pastoral long shots suggest a Southwestern walkabout. And Mr Lowery seems ready for a bigger canvas."

"Obliquely charting the terror, loneliness, and liberation of navigating a cold, callous grown-up world, St Nick follows nameless brother and sister runaways (played by real-life siblings Tucker and Savanna Sears) who take up impermanent residence in an empty Texas house," writes Nick Schager in Slant. "David Lowery's debut feature is long on silence and laden...

Le Monde and Le Figaro are among the French papers reporting on the death of Julien Guiomar on Monday at the age of 82. Among the first roles mentioned in nearly every story are his Colonel Vincent in Jean-Marie Poiré's Papy fait de la résistance (Gramps Is in the Resistence, 1983) and his Commissaire Bloret in Les Ripoux (My New Partner, 1984) and Jacques Tricatel in L'Aile ou la Cuisse (The Wing and the Thigh, 1976), both directed by Claude Zidi. International audiences will probably know him best as the Colonel in Costa-Gavras's Z (1969); that same year, he played a Spanish priest in Luis Buñuel's The Milky Way. He also worked with Jean-Paul Rappeneau, André Téchiné, Claude Sautet and Jean-Claude Lauzon. All of the French obits mention Guiomar's deep background in the theater and his popular performances in television comedies.

For news and tips throughout the day every day, follow The Daily...

The ABC network reports that a script has been ordered for a potential TV series based on director James Cameron's 1994 feature "True Lies".

The original action-comedy, casting Arnold Schwarzenegger as a sexist, 'suave' 'James Bond'-like killer, co-starred Jamie Lee Curtis, who won a Golden Globe Award for her performance as legal secretary 'Helen Tasker'. The film was also nominated for a Best Visual Effects Oscar.

Similar to how Cameron took credit after cribbing the original works of writer Harlan Ellison for the feature film "Terminator", the $120 million budgeted "True Lies" was an extended remake of director Claude Zidi's 1991 French feature "La Totale!", starring actors Thierry Lhermitte and Miou-Miou.

"True Lies" was also noted as the first Lightstorm Entertainment project to be distributed under Cameron's new production deal with 20th Century Fox, as well as the first major production for Cameron's VFX company Digital Domain.

"...'Harry Tasker' (Schwarzenegger) leads a double life,...

French filmmaker Jean-Jacques Beineix.

Jean-jacques Beineix:

Divas and Lions and Moons, Oh My!

By Alex Simon

The Noveulle Vague, or “French New Wave” was launched by a group of film critics and cinefiles who began France’s legendary Cahiers du Cinéma magazine in the 1950s. With Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless in 1959, the movement was launched, emphasizing behavior over aesthetics, content over form, and pastiche of other film genres (particularly those born in the U.S., with a healthy dollop of Italian neorealism) over the more traditional narratives of French films from years past. Francois Truffaut, Jacques Demy, Agnes Varda (see our interview with her below) Eric Rohmer, Claude Chabrol, and Jacques Rivette all fell under the spell of magazine co-founder and theorist Andre Bazin, laying the groundwork for a series of articles, monographs and critiques that formed the so-called “auteur theory,” (or more specifically “"La politique des auteurs" ("The policy of authors,...

PARIS -- ARP, France's influential body of writers, directors and producers, said Tuesday that its board has elected director-writer Claude Zidi as president. Zidi replaces director-writer Pierre Jolivet, who has headed the organization since 1999 and will continue to serve as a vp. Director-writers Claude Miller and Jean Marboeuf also were elected vps at a board meeting Monday. Producer-director Claude Berri, who heads the French Cinematheque, will serve as honorary president for a second year, ARP said. French directors Jeanne Labrune, Gerard Krawczyk and Bertrand Van Effenterre have been named members of the association's management, while producer-writer-director Jean-Claude Jean will serve as treasurer. ARP's administrative council of 14 members includes French directors Alain Corneau, Costa-Gavras, Claude Lelouch, Coline Serreau, Christophe Barratier, Jean-Jacques Beineix and Bertrand Tavernier.

MONTREAL -- The Syrian Bride, a co-production from Israel, France and Germany by Israeli director Eran Riklis, picked up the Grand Prix of the Americas as top film Monday at the 28th Montreal World Film Festival. "The jury liked many films, but there is only one Grand Prix of the Americas," jury president Claude Zidi said in announcing the winner. Syrian Bride also was awarded the Air Canada People's Choice Award, the public's choice for the best feature film at the festival, the FIPRESCI prize from the International Federation of Film Critics and the Ecumenical prize.

MONTREAL -- The Syrian Bride, a co-production from Israel, France and Germany by Israeli director Eran Riklis, picked up the Grand Prix of the Americas as top film Monday at the 28th Montreal World Film Festival. "The jury liked many films, but there is only one Grand Prix of the Americas," jury president Claude Zidi said in announcing the winner. Syrian Bride also was awarded the Air Canada People's Choice Award, the public's choice for the best feature film at the festival, the FIPRESCI prize from the International Federation of Film Critics and the Ecumenical prize.

OTTAWA -- French filmmaker Claude Zidi on Thursday was named head of the eight-member international jury for the 28th Montreal World Film Festival, set to run Aug. 26-Sept. 6. Zidi will be joined on the jury by U.S. director Jerry Schatzberg, Czech animator Bretislav Pojar, Quebec producer Denise Robert, Indian director Goutam Ghose, Mexican actress Diana Bracho, Italian star Anita Caprioli and Spanish director Jaime Camino.

Gaumont Buena Vista International

PARIS -- "Les Ripoux3" is the latest in a series of films that director Claude Zidi began shooting back in the early 1980s. The first two films were a great success in France, but it's difficult to see how this one, which amounts to an old-fashioned cop film, will appeal to anyone other than hard-core fans.

Philippe Noiret picks up his role as Rene Boirond, a corrupt, retired police officer who spends his days betting on horses and avoiding creditors. His former partner Francois (Thierry Lhermitte)' has been promoted to head of the anti-crime squad in Paris. The two ex-colleagues have not seen each other for years until Rene becomes involved with the Chinese mafia under surveillance by Francois' squad. The two are now on opposite sides of the fence, and Francois must choose between helping his old friend out of a tight spot or remaining on the right side of the law.

What starts as a simple story is muddied by a string of subplots and secondary characters. Mistaken identity, a long-lost daughter and a drawn-out bank heist stretch the action too thinly. The main characters never have the chance to dig into their roles as the film flicks from one scene to another. This is a real loss as the relationship between Rene and Francois is the true heart of the film. Instead, the plot laboriously twists and turns, and the comedy wrung from the first two movies is sadly lacking here.

Noiret is a highly credible as the lovable rogue Rene. He shuffles and shambles through the action scenes, throwing in the odd wry comment where needed. L'Hermitte is excellent as the uptight Francois, who seems lost without his inscrutable partner of years gone by.the end of World War II, a young girl named Neera (Biana G. Tamimi) gets separated from her caravan when it is set upon by raiders. (Who these raiders are and what happens to the rest of the caravan are never explained.) The same raiding party then goes after a mare and her newborn colt. The colt escapes and is discovered wandering alone in the desert by Neera.

She names the horse Shetan, and without too much difficulty the two "orphans" somehow find their way to the casbah of Neera's grandfather (Richard Romanus). How do they find their way? What do they eat? How is Neera able to make a fire? The filmmakers show no interest in the story of their survival.

Once Neera reaches her grandfather's place, Shetan runs off only to return a year later as a magnificent stallion. Without even a moment to break in the stallion, Neera simply climbs on Shetan's back and gallops off. Within a matter of minutes and against her grandfather's wishes, she enters Shetan into a desert horse race against several powerful mares that furnishes the movie's climax.

As one can see from this synopsis, characters and story are woefully thin. Even the villains (Gerard Rudolf, Ali Al Ameri) do little more than furrow their brows. The movie exists for its splendid vistas and the final horse race. These elements do justify "Stallion", but if the Mouse wants to pursue Imax features, much more dramatic meat will have to go into the storytelling.

Young Tamini, who has ridden horses virtually all her life, makes a credible heroine even though little is asked of her as an actress. The other actors are stranded by the weak dramatic material.

Production designer Paul Peters and costume designer Jo Katsaras give the film a Moroccan feel. William Ross' score also is a plus, though it contains more than a hint of Maurice Jarre's musical themes from "Lawrence of Arabia".

THE YOUNG BLACK STALLION

Buena Vista Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures

Credits:

Director: Simon Wincer

Screenwriter: Jeanne Rosenberg

Based on the book by: Walter Farley and Steven Farley

Producers: Fred Roos, Frank Marshall

Executive producers: Jeanne Rosenberg, Kathleen Kennedy

Director of photography: Reed Smoot

Production designer: Paul Peters

Music: William Ross

Costume designer: Jo Katsaras

Editors: Bud Smith, Terry Blythe

Cast:

Neera: Biana G. Tamimi

Ben Ishak: Richard Romanus

Aden: Patrick Elyas

Rhamon: Gerard Rudolf

Mansoor: Ali Al Ameri

Kadir: Andries Rossouw

MPAA rating: G

Running time -- 51 minutesG-13>Emma: Dina Waters

Michael: Marc John Jefferies

Megan: Aree Davis

Running time -- 88 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...

Gaumont Buena Vista International

PARIS -- "Les Ripoux3" is the latest in a series of films that director Claude Zidi began shooting back in the early 1980s. The first two films were a great success in France, but it's difficult to see how this one, which amounts to an old-fashioned cop film, will appeal to anyone other than hard-core fans.

Philippe Noiret picks up his role as Rene Boirond, a corrupt, retired police officer who spends his days betting on horses and avoiding creditors. His former partner Francois (Thierry Lhermitte)' has been promoted to head of the anti-crime squad in Paris. The two ex-colleagues have not seen each other for years until Rene becomes involved with the Chinese mafia under surveillance by Francois' squad. The two are now on opposite sides of the fence, and Francois must choose between helping his old friend out of a tight spot or remaining on the right side of the law.

What starts as a simple story is muddied by a string of subplots and secondary characters. Mistaken identity, a long-lost daughter and a drawn-out bank heist stretch the action too thinly. The main characters never have the chance to dig into their roles as the film flicks from one scene to another. This is a real loss as the relationship between Rene and Francois is the true heart of the film. Instead, the plot laboriously twists and turns, and the comedy wrung from the first two movies is sadly lacking here.

Noiret is a highly credible as the lovable rogue Rene. He shuffles and shambles through the action scenes, throwing in the odd wry comment where needed. L'Hermitte is excellent as the uptight Francois, who seems lost without his inscrutable partner of years gone by.the end of World War II, a young girl named Neera (Biana G. Tamimi) gets separated from her caravan when it is set upon by raiders. (Who these raiders are and what happens to the rest of the caravan are never explained.) The same raiding party then goes after a mare and her newborn colt. The colt escapes and is discovered wandering alone in the desert by Neera.

She names the horse Shetan, and without too much difficulty the two "orphans" somehow find their way to the casbah of Neera's grandfather (Richard Romanus). How do they find their way? What do they eat? How is Neera able to make a fire? The filmmakers show no interest in the story of their survival.

Once Neera reaches her grandfather's place, Shetan runs off only to return a year later as a magnificent stallion. Without even a moment to break in the stallion, Neera simply climbs on Shetan's back and gallops off. Within a matter of minutes and against her grandfather's wishes, she enters Shetan into a desert horse race against several powerful mares that furnishes the movie's climax.

As one can see from this synopsis, characters and story are woefully thin. Even the villains (Gerard Rudolf, Ali Al Ameri) do little more than furrow their brows. The movie exists for its splendid vistas and the final horse race. These elements do justify "Stallion", but if the Mouse wants to pursue Imax features, much more dramatic meat will have to go into the storytelling.

Young Tamini, who has ridden horses virtually all her life, makes a credible heroine even though little is asked of her as an actress. The other actors are stranded by the weak dramatic material.

Production designer Paul Peters and costume designer Jo Katsaras give the film a Moroccan feel. William Ross' score also is a plus, though it contains more than a hint of Maurice Jarre's musical themes from "Lawrence of Arabia".

THE YOUNG BLACK STALLION

Buena Vista Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures

Credits:

Director: Simon Wincer

Screenwriter: Jeanne Rosenberg

Based on the book by: Walter Farley and Steven Farley

Producers: Fred Roos, Frank Marshall

Executive producers: Jeanne Rosenberg, Kathleen Kennedy

Director of photography: Reed Smoot

Production designer: Paul Peters

Music: William Ross

Costume designer: Jo Katsaras

Editors: Bud Smith, Terry Blythe

Cast:

Neera: Biana G. Tamimi

Ben Ishak: Richard Romanus

Aden: Patrick Elyas

Rhamon: Gerard Rudolf

Mansoor: Ali Al Ameri

Kadir: Andries Rossouw

MPAA rating: G

Running time -- 51 minutesG-13>Emma: Dina Waters

Michael: Marc John Jefferies

Megan: Aree Davis

Running time -- 88 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...

Although often fascinating, "Asterix & Obelix Take on Caesar" doesn't have enough charm, excitement or humor to work outside of the territories involved in its production.

When released in France, this live-action version of the much-loved comic books was a massive success, attracting an audience of more than 9 million and topping the boxoffice figures of "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace" in the process.

Aimed straight at youngsters (the French version was for older audiences, with the jokes somewhat cruder) the dubbed "Asterix & Obelix" is likely to meet with only limited success among boys who have read and loved the comic books.

Dubbing of this English-language version was overseen by former Monty Python cast member and experienced writer-

director Terry Jones, who also takes on the voice of Gerard Depardieu's Obelix.

The casting is certainly top-drawer. Alongside Depardieu is Christian Clavier's wily Asterix, while Oscar winner Roberto Benigni is at his manic best as the scheming Roman Detritus. Director Claude Zidi's film is one of the most expensive in French history and is staged impressively. The effects and costumes are fabulous, plus Zidi recruited 1,500 extras for the scenes of Roman soldiers battling Asterix, Obelix and their buddies.

The film is set in 50 B.C., when Gaul (France) is occupied by Julius Caesar's Roman armies. One tiny village in Brittany refuses to surrender; this is where Asterix and Obelix live. Their ability to resist the Romans stems from a magic potion brewed by the druid Getafix that gives them incredible strength. (Obelix, played with muscular charm by Depardieu, fell into a cauldron of the potion as a baby and is so powerful, he doesn't know his own strength.)

Detritus plans to overthrow Caesar and sets about capturing Getafix. Asterix and Obelix attempt to rescue Getafix and eventually enter the Roman camp with Obelix disguised as a Roman and Asterix pretending to be a prisoner.

The scene is then set for an impressively mounted sequence of Asterix fighting off snakes, lions, crocodiles and spiders while trying to cross an arena in a test staged by Detritus. The Gaulish team escapes with ease, of course, teams with Caesar and sees off Detritus and his army.

Zidi does a marvelous job handling the large-scale scenes and hundreds of extras, and the digital effects are well-integrated, giving the fight scenes a sense of the comic book versions. Clavier and Depardieu are excellent as the little-and-large team of Asterix and Obelix, but as in any film in which voices have been dubbed, you miss out on certain facets of their performances.

Benigni typically goes over the top, though in a way that suits the film, and nice performances from Fassbinder veteran Gottfried John as an imperious Caesar and Claude Pieplu as Getafix (who looks identical to his comic book original) help.

ASTERIX & OBELIX TAKE ON CAESAR

Katherina-Renn Prods./TF1 Films Prods./

Bavaria Film/Bavaria Entertainment/

Melampo Cinematografica

Producer: Claude Berri

Director: Claude Zidi

Executive producer: Pierre Grunstein

Screenwriters: Claude Zidi, Gerard Lauzier

English adaptation by: Terry Jones

Director of photography: Tony Pierce-Roberts

Production designer: Jean Rabasse

Editors: Nicole Saunier, Herve de Luze

Costume designer: Sylvie Gautrelet

Music: Jean-Jacques Goldman, Roland Romanelli

Color/stereo

Cast:

Asterix: Christian Clavier

Obelix: Gerard Depardieu

Detritus: Roberto Benigni

Vitalstatistix: Michel Galabru

Getafix: Claude Pieplu

Panacea: Laetitia Casta

Caesar: Gottfried John

Crismus Bonus: Jean-Pierre Castaldi

Benamenture: Marianne Sagebrecht

Running time -- 110 minutes

No MPAA rating...