Les Vacances de Ducobu (2012)
Directed by Philippe de Chauveron

Film Review

L'Elève Ducobu was one of the surprise hits of 2011, a modest family comedy about a schoolboy from Hell that attracted an impressive audience of 1.5 million.  After this success, it was inevitable that there would be a sequel, but this time round it is painfully evident that the ideas are in short supply.  Having raided the books in Zidrou and Godi's famous comic series for the first film, Philippe de Chauveron and his writing team attempted to concoct their own original story for the follow-up, and the result is far from successful.  We can just about forgive the replacement of Vincent Claude (the child star of the original film) with newcomer François Viette, but it is harder to forgive the lack of inspiration in the humdrum series of sketches that Chauveron puts our way.  The film probably still has some appeal for the pre-teens, but for the cliché-conscious grown-ups it is something of a chore to sit through.

Film Synopsis

The summer holidays could not have some sooner for Ducobu, a boy for whom school is the most excruciating form of torture imaginable.  With term over Ducobu imagines long lazy weeks during which he can bury himself in his comic books and feed his face with buckets of ice cream, spared the misery of having to endure the humiliations heaped on him by his sadistic teachers Monsieur Latouche and Mademoiselle Rateau.  Ducobu's plans are cruelly dashed when his father outlines a completely different schedule for the summer.  Together they will go on a happy camping holiday with the Gratin family and see something of the world, instead of being cooped up at home for the duration.  On hearing this nightmarish prospect Ducobu's heart sinks.  It will be worse than being at school.  He will be dumped in some unspeakable spot in the country or, worse, dragged around vile museums 'for his education'.  But this is not the worst of it.  It so happens that the twin terrors Latouch and Rateau have chosen the same spot as Ducobu's father for their summer break.  The nightmare is only just beginning...