Tous à l’Ouest: Une aventure de Lucky Luke (2007) - film review
Olivier Jean Marie
Animation / Comedy / Western

Summary
New York, 1855. After escaping from prison, the infamous Dalton
brothers waste no time in resuming their criminal exploits and raid
every bank in the city. Before being captured by Lucky Luke, the
fastest gun in the west, Joe Dalton has enough time to hide the loot in
a wagon belonging to a convoy of European settlers. The latter
are heading for California, to take possession of a plot of land they
have bought from a crooked real estate agent (named Crook). The
settlers have just 80 days to reach their land, after which they will
lose their claim. Lucky Luke not only has to bring the Daltons to
justice (and prevent them from running off with the stolen money); he
must also lead the convoy of settlers to their promised land, not
knowing that someone is ready to stop them at any price...
Review
One of the most popular comic book creations returns to the big screen
in his fourth full-length film, as determined as ever to bring law and
order to the Wild West. Lucky Luke was last seen in Les Dalton en cavale (1983), the
third instalment in a loose trilogy that also included Daisy Town (1971) and La Ballade des Dalton
(1978). Assisted by his faithful steed Jolly Jumper, Lucky Luke
was brought to the small screen in 2001 by a company named Xilam for a
series of TV episodes. Tous
à l’Ouest: Une aventure de Lucky Luke comes from the same
company and is faithful to René Goscinny and Morris’s creation
in almost every respect. It would be another two years yet
before Lucky Luke made the transition from animé to live action
feature, with Jean Dujardin playing the cowboy hero in James Huth’s Lucky Luke (2009).
Tous à l’Ouest is a treat for diehard Lucky Luke fans, although the fact that its creators were so determined not to depart from the original comic books may limit its appeal to a wider audience. The jokes come thick and fast, although between the inspired belt-busters there are quite a few duds that fail to evoke more than a grudging wince. Unlike the previous Lucky Luke films, this one appears to be more targeted at a child audience - the characterisation and situations are generally shallower, the humour lacking any real sophistication. Whereas La Ballade des Dalton was superb entertainment for adults and children alike, Tous à l’Ouest has very little to draw an adult audience, although it is highly recommended for the under-13s and the artwork is of a consistently high standard.
Voicing the main characters are some big name actors - Lambert Wilson, Clovis Cornillac, François Morel and Michel Lonsdale - who all throw themselves into their parts and give tremendous value. Lonsdale is particularly funny as the play-it-by-the-book bailiff Bartleby, making such an amusing double act with Edgar Givry’s Crook that Lucky Luke, the Daltons and all the other regulars risk being completely sidelined. Maybe Bartleby should be given his own spin-off?
© filmsdefrance.com 2011
Write a review for this film...
Tous à l’Ouest is a treat for diehard Lucky Luke fans, although the fact that its creators were so determined not to depart from the original comic books may limit its appeal to a wider audience. The jokes come thick and fast, although between the inspired belt-busters there are quite a few duds that fail to evoke more than a grudging wince. Unlike the previous Lucky Luke films, this one appears to be more targeted at a child audience - the characterisation and situations are generally shallower, the humour lacking any real sophistication. Whereas La Ballade des Dalton was superb entertainment for adults and children alike, Tous à l’Ouest has very little to draw an adult audience, although it is highly recommended for the under-13s and the artwork is of a consistently high standard.
Voicing the main characters are some big name actors - Lambert Wilson, Clovis Cornillac, François Morel and Michel Lonsdale - who all throw themselves into their parts and give tremendous value. Lonsdale is particularly funny as the play-it-by-the-book bailiff Bartleby, making such an amusing double act with Edgar Givry’s Crook that Lucky Luke, the Daltons and all the other regulars risk being completely sidelined. Maybe Bartleby should be given his own spin-off?
© filmsdefrance.com 2011
Write a review for this film...
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Related links
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To buy this film
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Credits
- Director: Olivier Jean Marie
- Script: Jean-François Henry, Olivier Jean Marie, Morris
- Music: Hervé Lavandier
- Cast: Lambert Wilson (Lucky Luke), Clovis Cornillac (Joe Dalton), François Morel (Rantanplan), Bernard Alane (Averell Dalton), Edgar Givry (Crook), Michael Lonsdale (Bartleby), Titoff (Monsieur Pierre), Jean Piat (Spike Goodfellow), Eric Métayer (Piotr), Dee Dee Bridgewater (Molly), Adrien Antoine (Jolly Jumper), Marie Vincent (Louise de Paname), Dorothée Pousséo (Miss Littletown), François Siener (Ugly Barrow)
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Runtime: 90 min
- Aka: Go West: A Lucky Luke Adventure
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