Lucky Luke is a 2009 French-Argentine Western/adventure film directed by James Huth and starring Jean Dujardin, Sylvie Testud and Michaël Youn. Dujardin also co-wrote the screenplay. It is a Live-Action Adaptation based off the comic book series of the same name by Morris, and specifically comics written by René Goscinny. It is the third live-action film adaptation of the comics after 1991's Lucky Luke starring Terence Hill as the character and 2004's Lucky Luke and the Daltons with Til Schweiger. Dujardin had previously played in the latter film, which shares no continuity with this one.
Delegated by US President Winston H. Jameson in person to secure Daisy Town in order to make the junction of the East-West railway in time, "Lucky" John Luke returns to his hometown, now dominated by the crook Pat Poker. Haunted by old demons, Lucky Luke sees his ambitions to start a new life and "make it clean" soon thwarted by the arrival of old enemies.
Lucky Luke provides examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: Pat Poker. His gambling motif also has magic tricks to it and he's far more cunning than his comic-book counterpart, who was never a threat to Luke even in times where Luke weren't flanderized into being an Invincible Hero.
- Badass Longcoat: Jesse James wears a really long coat.
- The Cameo: The film includes a cameo by Argentine writer and TV host Alberto Laiseca.
- Composite Character: Jesse James has taken on several character traits of his brother Frank from the comic, most notably the obsession with William Shakespeare.
- Continuity Reboot: It has no ties to 2004's Lucky Luke and the Daltons starring Eric Judor, Ramzy Bedia and Til Schweiger.
- Credits Gag: Too many to list here
. - Darker and Edgier: Warning — if you expect a standard list of running gags, the film is Played for Drama instead.
- Enemy Mine: Jesse James and Billy the Kid are on Luke's side... but only because they want the honor of having killed Luke for themselves. It's postponed.
- Faking the Dead: A major plot point. Pat Poker smuggled duds into Lukes colt and gets "shot".
- Iconic Outfit: Luke wears the same outfit as in the comics and all other adaptations bar the 1991 film — white cowboy hat, yellow shirt, red scarf around the neck, black jacket, denim pants, and brown boots.
- The Mole: Belle.
- Ninja Prop: Luke is seen standing at the gate of a gorgeous colonial house (his friend Cooper's home) which is obviously a matte painting. Then a black servant invites Luke to follow him, and as he steps away we find out that he was already inside the house and that the painting is an in-universe artwork.
- Our Presidents Are Different: The fictional US President Winston H. Jameson.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Cooper, when he makes a racist remark on Luke's Native American mother.
- Taking the Bullet: Happens with Luke's mother and Belle.
- These Hands Have Killed: When Luke kills Pat Poker (even in a fair duel and as revenge for the murder of his parents), he is Driven to Suicide and Jolly Jumper has to talk him out of it. Poker faked his death to enforce the trope, since he knew "no bullet would ever kill Luke". Only when Luke is shot with his own revolver by Billy the Kid... with blanks, he realizes he has been had.
- Thou Shall Not Kill: One of the main plot elements is about Lucky Luke's oath to never kill anyone.
- Trailers Always Spoil: The trailers of the film give away the facts that Jolly Jumper talks to Luke (which is meant to be a surprise in the film) and that Jesse James and Billy the Kid go Enemy Mine with Luke.
