Lucky Luke

Though he’s been gun-slinging since the forties, comic-strip cowboy Lucky Luke’s golden age came under the auspices of Asterix creator René Goscinny. Released elsewhere in Europe back in 2009, it would have been a shame if James Huth’s inventive adaptation had shared the fate of the Gaul’s dire cinematic adventures by failing to find a British audience. But with The Artist raising its star’s profile (to put it mildly), a belated DVD release was inevitable, and though flawed, Luke is always enjoyable thanks to Jean Dujardin’s game performance. Twin stints as knuckleheaded super-spy OSS 117, plus the aforementioned silent Oscar-winner, have already confirmed him a comic talent par excellence, and here he uses his considerable charm to rise above frequently mediocre gags. Fortunately, for every two dud punch-lines a third hits its target (particularly Luke’s efforts to coax speech from his steed Jolly Jumper); an unimpressive strike rate by its titular hero’s precision firing standards, but an admirable ratio nonetheless. [Chris Buckle]