I guess the main thing to be said about "les Visiteurs" is that it hardly makes sense for a non-French-speaking audience to watch it. I shudder to think what it sounds like dubbed, for instance. Plus the elements of French satire are probably not transposable elsewhere.
I laughed to tears when I viewed "les Visiteurs" when it was released in France 15 years ago, where it was an immediate box-office hit. Now I must admit it mostly brings a smile there and there. Of course it's me being 15 years older but the movie just hasn't aged well. The directing is mediocre at best, the cheap CGI is horrendous, and Marie-Anne Chazel's character as a tramp grates on one's nerves. There still remains the altogether funny plot, the hilarious performances by Reno, Clavier and Lemercier, as well as the (then) cult dialogs.
Watcheable if you like French comedies, but don't get your hopes too high. In the same vein "Les Bronzés" (part I & II) is far superior. And incidentally Les Visiteurs part II was embarrassingly bad.
I laughed to tears when I viewed "les Visiteurs" when it was released in France 15 years ago, where it was an immediate box-office hit. Now I must admit it mostly brings a smile there and there. Of course it's me being 15 years older but the movie just hasn't aged well. The directing is mediocre at best, the cheap CGI is horrendous, and Marie-Anne Chazel's character as a tramp grates on one's nerves. There still remains the altogether funny plot, the hilarious performances by Reno, Clavier and Lemercier, as well as the (then) cult dialogs.
Watcheable if you like French comedies, but don't get your hopes too high. In the same vein "Les Bronzés" (part I & II) is far superior. And incidentally Les Visiteurs part II was embarrassingly bad.