A monkey and a frog discover the world: The classic “Around the world in 80 days” is reinterpreted in this animated film. Only a gerbil stands in the way of the adventures.
Berlin – Who doesn’t know it, at least by name: the book that served as a template for this animation fun. The novel by the French author Jules Verne is known under different titles.
“Around the World in 80 Days”, “Around the World in 80 Days”, “Around the World in Eighty Days”, “The Wager of Phileas Fogg” for example. In any case, the book was published on January 30, 149 years ago, under the French title “Le Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours”.
And the first German-language edition is said to have been published in the same year. In any case, this work occupies a special position among all known adventure novels. And it has also been filmed several times: in 1956 by Michael Anderson, but also in 2004 with Jackie Chan.
Monkey and frog in the leading roles
This new, animated version now stars the marmoset Passepartout and the frog Phileas Frogg (the original character in the book is named Fogg). When their paths cross and Phileas accepts the bet to circumnavigate the earth in 80 days and earn an indescribably large amount of shells, Passepartout senses his chance: to finally experience the big wide world – after all, the inquisitive young monkey Passepartout is dreaming of becoming an explorer. And indeed he can persuade Phileas to accompany him in the endeavor.
But there’s also Inspector Fix – this really bad-tempered gerbil who wants to arrest Phileas. What awaits our little heroes is a wild journey full of crazy adventures. Oscar-nominated French director Samuel Tourneux and screenwriter Gerry Swallow (“Ice Age 2 – Now Taut’s”) have taken care of the animated reinterpretation for the cinema.
Around the world in 80 days, France/Belgium 2021, 97 min., FSK from 0, by Samuel Tourneux dpa
