The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time

Les Couloirs du temps : Les Visiteurs II

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1998 (1998)
Products	Science fiction comedy film
Parent	Gaumont

Les Couloirs du temps : Les Visiteurs II (; English title: The Visitors II: The Corridors of Time) serves as the follow-up to the French movie Les Visiteurs and secured the position of the second top-grossing French film in France during 1998.

Plot

During his wedding celebration, Godefroy de Montmirail discovers that his future father-in-law, Duke Fulbert, is critically ill as a result of the temporal corridors remaining open. Seeking answers, Godefroy turns to the wizard Eusebius to identify the culprit. Meanwhile, in the modern era, Jaquouille and Ginete commit a supermarket robbery before visiting Beatrice's workplace. Jean-Pierre, Beatrice’s dentist spouse, frightens away clients, leading Beatrice to let him watch television; he destroys it, perceiving it as malevolent, and unintentionally ignites a fire at their home.

At the same time, Jacquart endures water torture inflicted by the Inquisition. After confessing that Godefroy destroyed his Range Rover (a reference to the original film), Jacquart faces harsher punishment until Godefroy intervenes on his behalf. Beatrice supplies Jacquouille and Ginete with a potion, which Jean-Pierre accidentally consumes as well. The three are transported back to 1123, where Montmirail faces an assault. Godefroy rescues Jacquouille and notices a stolen ruby ring connected to the ongoing temporal disturbance.

Back in the present with Jean-Pierre and Jacquart, they break free from captivity and cause havoc in a hotel. Jaquouille and Godefroy confront Ginette, who has been beaten after attempting to sell stolen rubies. They recover jewels from Cora, Cousin Hubert’s former wife. At Montmirail’s wedding reception, their antics include pouring ice cream into a guest’s cleavage and smashing the police chief’s hat with a plunger. Trying to use the potion for time travel again, they mistakenly arrive in 18th-century France amid the French Revolution. There, Jacquouille meets his descendant Jacqouillet, an advisor to Napoleon Bonaparte, before both are apprehended as nobles.

Cast

• Christian Clavier: Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacques-Henri Jacquart / Prosper (Jacquouille's brother) / Jacqouillet
• Jean Reno: Godefroy de Papincourt, Count of Montmirail
• Muriel Robin: Frénégonde de Pouille / Béatrice de Montmirail
• Christian Bujeau: Jean-Pierre Goulard, Béatrice’s husband
• Marie-Anne Chazel: Ginette the vagrant
• Claire Nadeau: Cora, Hubert’s wife
• Jean-Paul Muel: Maréchal-des-Logis Gibon
• Sylvie Joly: Gisèle
• Arielle Séménoff: Jacqueline
• Michèle Garcia: Mrs. Frangin
• Armelle: Pétronille
• Élisabeth Margoni: Madame Lumeau-Péricard
• Philippe Nahon: Owner of the supermarket
• Marie Guillard: Philippine de Pouille

Reception

Critics offered mixed opinions on the film, pointing out issues such as alterations in casting and noticeable product placements. Despite this, it set a new record for a French film’s opening day by earning over $2.5 million across 550 theaters with 427,291 tickets sold. Its first week saw a record-breaking attendance of 2,665,916 admissions. Ultimately, with more than eight million tickets purchased in France, it became the second highest-grossing French movie at the 1998 box office, trailing only Le Diner de Cons.