The Visitors (1993)

I cannot fault the first reviewer's summary of this movie. However, I would not agree that it is best enjoyed in French. I have a very basic understanding of the language but I knew where the subtle gags were... Okay, I admit not all of them but there again I miss the ones in English films too. You only have to watch the faces and the eyes to grasp what it is the characters are talking (well mostly fighting) about anyway. That is where this film stands up because the acting is absolutely brilliant. It is a true gem of a film and the relationships between the characters are immense. Firstly the relationship between Reno and Lemercier is truly a thing of beauty, especially in the future as Reno courts Lemercier and she slowly falls for his charm. Secondly the dynamic of Reno and Clavier (who is a very under-rated actor and a shame that he has not been in more films to reach English speaking audiences) Their master and servant relationship is hilariously done, Reno as the aloof nobleman and Clavier as the clumsy fool and is in all honesty a work of genius. When the two first arrive in the future and stumble upon a road they attack a postal van, thinking it to be a work of evil - I cried with laughter. All I can really say is please watch this movie and never the remake (I mean NEVER) Clavier steals the show to be honest, in both his roles. Reno is excellent and Lemercier is both beautiful and hugely talented (again, it is a shame she hasn't been in more films for English speakers).

Fmovies: I'm Chinese who reside in Sydney, Australia, and was fortunate to have a government operated television studio to show foreign programs in its original language with English subtitles.

More fortunate isn't because of the showing of the Hong Kong Kung-Fu films but the funniest film in anyone's language ‘Les Visiteurs'. As the English subtitles has already provided so much enjoyment to the film, I would assume most of the French would have laugh until they start coughing, to the extended of suffering from a sore throat.

OOOKAY!! – Which was frequently used in the film deliverers the impact to some the comic relief, but from my point of view, it is not a simple comedy to make. Some research was properly done to imagine someone who had lived in the middle ages, not forgetting their customs and habits from that era, then place them to the present day, you will end up witnessing similar chaos and disasters that is far worse than Mr. Bean.

My favorite is when they call the car a ‘chariot', also the subtitles is presented with Medieval English, I would imagine the same in French.

This is not doubt the funniest movie I have seen in my lifetime, the way they mess up the bathroom made me though it was stupid at first, but then I realize it actually make sense, as this is how they clean themselves back in the middle ages. This film beats my funniest English film, which is ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' directed by Yoda (i.e. Frank Oz)

Sometime soon we'll agree not to be mad at the French. When that happens, look for "Les Visiteurs" on cable or at the video place. The frantic humor of this time-shifting comedy works well both on the French dialogue track and through the somewhat loose paraphrases of the subtitles. Yes, folks, subtitles and all, this is a good one.

Christian Clavier emerged from the Splendide, a French take on Second City, to seize the film comedy market by the throat. Like Jerry Lewis, he is in need of a straight man. Lewis's moved on to the Ding-a-Ling Sisters. Clavier has granite-faced Jean Reno of "French Kiss" and "Mission Impossible", the man with the permanent dix-sept heures shadow across his jowls. Their interaction is spot-on hilarious.

Oddly, the memorable quote from this film is in (sort of) English. "OK" is acceptable Franglais, the Academie notwithstanding. Clavier's character becomes fascinated with the word, shouting "O-Kayyy"! at the least provocation. Listen to my wife and I converse: we echo old Jacqouille all the time.

The Visitors fmovies. The French have a wonderful sense of detail. I've spent 10 months there, and this sixth sense seeps through most things - including films. Their comedies are almost always very good, and if they could just get rid of the need for banana-skin-humor (in this case a bowl of soup on someone's head), they would be hilarious.

This film is the funniest of the lot. The characters are extremely funny, and the clash between the medieval knight and his sidekick and the modern world is just as grotesque as I imagine it would be in real life.

The part where they have dinner together is the best: "Jour...nuit...jour...nuit..." You can't quit laughing.

The dialogue is fast at times and sometimes in olden French at that, the subtitles are in white and can't be read on a white background but I still found this excellent, (I don't speak French). Jean Reno always a favorite, plays well, though there is not the same scope as in some of his thriller roles. Christian Clavier is superb in his two roles, but for me the star was the Countess. Altogether very enjoyable.

I admit I haven't seen more than probably 40 or 50 "foreign" films, but of those, this is still the funniest one I have watched. The major problem I had with it was that the dialog (and the humorous lines) came so fast I barely had time to read the subtitles. It gets a little tiring after awhile trying to keep up with the reading and viewing at the same time, at that pace.

As with all comedies, you get smart and stupid scenes. You get more stupid when you have more slapstick, but you also have more laugh-out-loud moments. Such is the case here, as Jean Reno and Christian Clavier portray clownish 11th-century men who suddenly find themselves in modern-day France. Time-travel films almost always are fascinating, whether it's sci-fi or comedy.

Most of the jokes center around the guys trying to figure out today's modern conveniences, such as toilets, and the problems they have trying to figure them out. Also, there are big problems with the men's relatives, who are trying to figure out who these strange-acting guys are all about!

As for family viewing: not suitable. There is no sex and no nudity, but there is rough language which is why it's rated "R."