Mortadelo and Filemon: Mission Implausible (Spanish: Mortadelo y Filemón contra Jimmy el Cachondo, "Mortadelo and Filemon versus Jimmy the Freak") is a 2014 Spanish animated comedy co-written, directed and edited by Javier Fesser based on the characters from the Mort & Phil comic book series. It achieved six nominations for the 29th Goya Awards,[3] winning in the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Animated Film categories, and two for the second edition of Premios Feroz.[4]
| Mortadelo and Filemon: Mission Implausible | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Mortadelo y Filemón contra Jimmy el Cachondo | |
| Directed by | Javier Fesser |
| Written by | Javier Fesser Claro García Cristóbal Ruiz |
| Based on | Characters by Francisco Ibáñez |
| Produced by | Antonio Asensio Luis Manso Federico Ramos |
| Starring | Karra Elejalde Janfri Topera Ángel Chame Mariano Venancio Víctor Monigote Emilio Gavira |
| Cinematography | Miguel Pablos |
| Edited by | Javier Fesser |
| Music by | Rafael Arnau |
Production companies | Ilion Animation Studios Zeta Cinema Películas Pendelton Televisión Española (participation) Canal+ (participation) Televisió de Catalunya (participation) ONO (participation) |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures (Spain) Film Factory Entertainment (international) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
| Budget | $12.5 million[1] |
| Box office | €4.9 million ($5.5 million)[2] |
Plot
editAfter installing his 301st vault, Superintendent Vincent, the head of the spy agency known as the T.I.A. (a play on the real life CIA) receives a message from Jimmy the Freak (Jimmy el Cachondo), the agency's main enemy. After he successfully steals the vault, The Super calls the unlucky Phil (Filemón) and his sidekick Mort (Mortadelo) (after the former had a dream where he was respected and admired by everyone), when he discovers that a thug he held in jail named Mulecruncher (Tronchamulas) has escaped, and thirsty with rage to apply the technique known as "the Ding-Dong" (El Aquello) (turn the victim inside out).
At the agency, a furious Mulecruncher ends up being sedated by Professor Bacterium's invention, called Reversulin, which completely changes his angry and intimidating appearance to a kind and polite person. The Super orders that Phil and Mort take Mulecruncher to a witness protection program, but after a chase across town for a Mulecruncher in a runaway baby stroller, the trio stop at a reality show named Gran Fulano (a parody of Big Brother)), where a Reversulined Mulecruncher accidentally leaks the Super's whole plan in front of 200 million viewers.
Jimmy, outraged by his cousin saying he knows where his hiding place is, destroys the roof of the T.I.A. building, which prompts the Super to order Mort and Phil to again take Mulecruncher to their apartment. Taking advantage of the fact that Mulecruncher is disoriented by the Reversulin, they force him to do housework, such as darning, ironing, washing and cooking. Phil provokes Mulecruncher by joking about the fact that his father didn't want him, so Mulecruncher threatens Phil who, despite being Reversulined, can still perform the "Ding-Dong" on him. Above them, an angry Jimmy and his henchmen attempt to destroy the building his cousin was in, failing miserably. On the ground floor of the apartment where they were staying, Mulecruncher finds a little old man, half blind, who thinks that Mulecruncher is a child and decides to take him to the police station, but when the effects of the Reversulin wear off, Mulecruncher takes the wheel and goes to his cousin Jimmy's hideout to alert him that he is wanted.
Convinced that Mulecruncher was kidnapped by Jimmy, Phil and Mort decide to go rescue him. Jimmy intends to destroy the T.I.A. once and for all with a missile, after seeing that the duo "destroyed" his hiding place. Mulecruncher, using a crane, catches the duo on a "homemade plane", very similar to Phil's dream, and launches both towards Jimmy, who was heading towards the T.I.A. with the missile. An intense aerial battle takes place to prevent the destruction of the building, however, in an act of distraction, Phil unintentionally releases the missile he was holding, hitting the T.I.A. building and launching it, the Super and Professor Bacterium into space.
Mulecruncher appears again with a dog catcher car, following Jimmy's helicopter in search of the little old man. When Phil teases him that he forgot his shoes with him, growling and huffing, he finally does the "Ding-Dong" technique. When he finally prevents the little old man from having a bad fall, Mulecruncher assumes he wants to change his life and they head off into the sun. Jimmy, annoyed at having his plan go down the drain, decides to blow them both up after pressing a button that transforms his helicopter, but seeing that the duo was still mocking him, Jimmy threatens to throw a bomb towards the duo. They try to buy time making small talk with Jimmy, which doesn't work and causes Jimmy to press the button, but before the bomb can hit the duo, the T.I.A building falls on him, brutally crushing him.
After retrieving the envelope for the Super, who was in the hospital, Phil and Mort are outraged to learn that what was inside was just a simple sweet potato puree recipe. After Mort and Phil force the Super to swallow his vault, the Super is searching for the both of them with a fishing spear in Antarctica, while both are in disguise, waiting for the problems get "cold".
In a post-opening-credits scene, it is seen that Phil used the last dose of Reversulin to make a woman named Irma from the T.I.A. fall in love with him, although both of them are offscreen beaten up by the goalkeeper.
Characters
editThe portrayal of the characters is rather faithful to the comics except for Mortadelo and Filemon: Mortadelo has far more common sense and Filemon is actually quite dumb while in the comics, it was the opposite.
The T.I.A. Staff
editMortadelo: The Subordinate of Filemon and the Super. Despite being a bit clumsy, he's rather cunning, resourceful and has invented several gadgets on his own to protect his apartment. He has incredible skill in disguising himself as virtually anything ranging from animals to professionals outfits, machinery etc...Like everyone else, he cares very little about his boss and has often proved that he might be actually more competent than Filemon.
Filemón: The Boss of Mortadelo. Initially presentend as the "Straight-Man" to Mortadelo's "Ditz" in the comics, his portrayal into this film is different: extremely stupid, arrogant, cowardly, bossy and incompetent. The only trait of Filemón's personality from the comics that remains in the film is that he's incredibly accident-prone, capable of being injured in comical and painful ways.
He spent most of his time dreaming that he's a great hero but is despised by everyone and tries to avoid vengeful foes who he has arrested in the past.
Voice cast in Spanish
edit| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Karra Elejalde | Mortadelo |
| Janfri Topera | Filemón |
| Ramón Langa | Filemón (in a dream) |
| Mariano Venancio | The Superintendent |
| Enrique Villén | Professor Bacterio |
| Berta Ojea | Ofelia |
| Athenea Mata | Irma |
| Emilio Gavira | Rompetechos |
| Ángel Chame | Jimmy el Cachondo (Jimmy the Freak in English) |
| José Alias | Tronchamulas (Mulecruncher in English) |
| Víctor Monigote | Tronchamulas (reverted) |
| Chani Martín | Mari (Billy in English) |
| Manuel Tallafé | Trini (Bob in English) |
| Karlos Arguiñano | Himself (on TV) |
Box office
editThe film's production budget is estimated at $12.5 million.[1] In Spain, the film grossed €4.9 million ($5.5 million).[2]
Awards and nominations
edit| Awards | Category | Nominated | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29th Goya Awards[3] | Best Adapted Screenplay | Javier Fesser, Claro García and Cristóbal Ruiz | Won |
| Best Animated Film | Won | ||
| Best Art Direction | Víctor Monigote | Nominated | |
| Best Production Supervision | Luis Fernández Lago and Julián Larrauri | Nominated | |
| Best Sound | Nicolás de Poulpiquet and Javier Muñoz | Nominated | |
| Best Original Song | "Morta y File" by Rafael Arnau | Nominated | |
| II Premios Feroz[4] | Best Comedy | Nominated | |
| Best Original Soundtrack | Rafael Arnau | Nominated | |
References
edit- ^ a b Amidi, Amid (26 November 2014). "Mort & Phil Will Take on 'Penguins of Madagascar' in Spain This Weekend". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ a b Hopewell, John (June 15, 2015). "Annecy: Paramount Animation, Spain's Ilion Ally on 3D Tentpole (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 1, 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
- ^ a b del Caz, Ángela (7 January 2015). "Lista de nominados a los Premios Goya 2015". eCartelera (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
- ^ a b "Lista de nominados a los Premios Feroz 2015". Premios Feroz (in Spanish). 16 December 2014. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.