Hey, hey, Wickie, hey, Wickie, hey….
Most Germans will instantly recognize the title song for the animated series “Wickie und die starken Männer”, and the majority will launch into singing the irresistible Ohrwurm, whether they want to or not. The animated series, its characters, and the title song are fixtures of the German cultural landscape even today, nearly forty years after they first appeared.
The 2009 live action film adaptation updates the classic series without losing the charm of the original. It tells the story of young Wickie, son of the Viking chief Halvar. Halvar values physical strength above all else, but Wickie falls short of his hopes; among the Vikings, only little Ylvi values his clever ways. When the other village children are kidnapped, Halvar and the men of the village set off to rescue them, leaving Wickie at home.
But Wickie stows away on his father’s ship, and the adventure begins. As in the original series, Wickie’s imagination and ingenuity save the “Strong Men” time and again.
“Wickie und die starken Männer” is a true German original that is charming, funny and entertaining. In many ways, it is reminiscent of “How to Train your Dragon” with a similar sense of humor, plus top-notch production quality and visuals. It is one of our family’s favorite movies!
Wickie and the strong men is a really lovely action film for the whole family – well done