Les Visiteurs 2 Les Couloirs Du Temps Xerxes !link! | BEST | 2024 |
In the French comedy sequel Les Visiteurs 2: Les couloirs du temps is the name of the dog belonging to the character Béatrice de Montmirail (played by Muriel Robin). Character Feature: Xerxès
: A small dog (often identified as a Yorkshire Terrier) that provides several comedic moments in the modern-day 1990s setting of the film.
is famously involved in the "dinner scene" where the medieval characters, including Godefroy de Montmirail (Jean Reno) and Jacquouille la Fripouille (Christian Clavier), cause chaos in a modern household. Interactions
: He is frequently seen with Béatrice, who treats him with the typical over-affectionate care of a modern pet owner, which contrasts sharply with the medieval characters' view of animals as either pests or tools. Rotten Tomatoes Movie Context
: The film follows Godefroy as he must return to the 20th century to recover sacred jewels and a relic stolen by Jacquouille, which are keeping the "corridors of time" open and causing his future father-in-law to fall ill. Streaming & Info
: You can find more details about the cast and crew on platforms like in the film or specific famous quotes from that dinner scene? The Corridors of Time: The Visitors II - Rotten Tomatoes les visiteurs 2 les couloirs du temps xerxes
A very specific and intriguing search query!
"Les Visiteurs 2: Les Couloirs du Temps" (The Visitors 2: The Corridors of Time) is a 1998 French comedy film directed by Jean-Marie Poiré. It's the sequel to the 1993 film "Les Visiteurs" (The Visitors).
The movie takes place several years after the events of the first film. The characters of Philippe (Jean Reno) and Rémi (Christian Clavier) are back, and this time, they're joined by a new character, Xerxès (played by not less than the excellent, Roberto Benigni).
The plot involves time travel, medieval adventures, and hilarious mishaps, which are characteristic of the franchise.
The reviews for "Les Visiteurs 2: Les Couloirs du Temps" are generally positive, with many praising the chemistry between the leads, the comedic timing, and the entertaining storyline. In the French comedy sequel Les Visiteurs 2:
Here's a summary of some reviews:
- Rotten Tomatoes: 44% ( Critics' score), 73% (Audience score)
- IMDB: 6.4/10
- Allociné: 3.5/5 (French critics' score)
Some reviewers noted that the sequel couldn't quite match the charm and originality of the first film, but it's still a fun, lighthearted comedy that will please fans of the franchise.
What do you think? Have you seen "Les Visiteurs 2: Les Couloirs du Temps"? What are your thoughts on Xerxès, played by Roberto Benigni?
2. Who is Xerxes (Xérès)?
Xérès is a minor but memorable character in Les Couloirs du Temps:
- Role: A Roman legionary stationed in Gaul during Antiquity.
- Appearance: Typical Roman soldier with a helmet, segmented armor, and a short sword (gladius).
- Key scene: Godefroy and Jacquouille, while traveling through time corridors, briefly land in Roman-occupied Gaul (around 50 BC). Xérès mistakes them for barbarians or deserters and tries to arrest them. Jacquouille, terrified, knocks him out.
- Comic function: His confusion when seeing medieval knights and modern objects (e.g., a lighter) highlights the film’s absurd anachronisms.
Important note: In some DVD/streaming subtitles, his name is written as Xerxes (Persian king) but pronounced in French as gzɛʁks or kseʁks. The intended humor is that he is a simple, grumpy legionary, not the famous Persian emperor. Rotten Tomatoes: 44% ( Critics' score), 73% (Audience
Time, Thrones, and Terracotta: Unpacking the Madness of Les Visiteurs 2: Les Couloirs du Temps and the Enigma of Xerxes
In the pantheon of French comedy, few films have achieved the cult status of Les Visiteurs (1993). The time-traveling misadventures of Godefroy de Montmirail (Jean Reno) and his squire Jacquouille la Fripouille (Christian Clavier) as they crash-land into the 20th century are legendary. Yet, its sequel, Les Visiteurs 2 : Les Couloirs du temps (1998), often dismissed as a simple cash-grab, is a far more complex, ambitious, and wonderfully bizarre beast. While the first film dealt with the clash of medieval and modern mentalities, the sequel expands its scope to explore the very philosophy of history. And at the chaotic heart of this temporal whirlwind stands a character so unexpected, so historically grandiose, that he redefines the film’s absurdist logic: Xerxes I of Persia.
This article delves deep into the labyrinthine plot of Les Couloirs du temps, analyzes the pivotal role of Xerxes, and explains why this ridiculous, anachronistic collision of Merovingian France and Achaemenid Persia remains a masterpiece of comedic science-fiction.
The Climactic Convergence: Three Eras Collide
The film’s finale does something remarkable for a 90s comedy: it stages a three-way temporal battle. In the castle of Montmirail (the Middle Ages), you have:
- Godefroy trying to save his lineage.
- Jacquard (the modern descendant) trying to understand why a knight is fighting a cat.
- Xerxes' elite Immortals (who have come through a broken corridor) trying to capture the crystal.
And then, Xerxes himself arrives. He steps out of a swirling vortex, looks at the medieval castle, looks at the modern television crew accidentally filming the event, and declares in Persian-accented French: "So... this is the future. It is... noisy. I will burn it."
This line encapsulates the film’s genius. Xerxes is not evil; he is simply a man of his time (which is a different time) applying his logic (conquest and fire) to a world that has no category for him. Godefroy ultimately defeats him not with a sword, but with a lesson in temporal mechanics: he shoves the crystal into Xerxes' crown, causing the king to be violently sucked back to 467 B.C., where he arrives mid-feast, confused and wearing a 20th-century sneaker on one foot.
1. Quick Context
- French title: Les Visiteurs 2 : Les Couloirs du Temps
- English title: The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time
- Director: Jean-Marie Poiré
- Release: 1998 (France)
- Plot: Godefroy de Montmirail and his servant Jacquouille are stuck in the present (1990s) but must travel through time corridors to the Middle Ages to prevent Jacquouille’s descendant from altering history.
8. Related Characters to Compare
| Character | Era | Interaction with Godefroy | |-----------|-----|---------------------------| | Jacquouille | Middle Ages | Servant, time-travel companion | | Béatrice | Middle Ages | Love interest | | Le Père Supérieur | Middle Ages | Sends them on a mission | | Xérès | Roman Gaul | Brief antagonist (comic) | | Godefroy’s descendant (1990s) | Present | Confused doppelgänger |
7. Why Include Xerxes in a Guide?
- He is a fan-favorite minor character among French comedy enthusiasts.
- His scene exemplifies the film’s core joke: historical figures reacting to displaced medieval knights.
- If you are writing an essay, review, or fan content about Les Visiteurs 2, referencing Xérès shows attention to detail and understanding of the film’s multi-era humor.