The Time Machine (DVD, 2002)

For those that love time travel movies, this one tops the list. Thanks to the mind and matter of H.G. Well's Great-Grandson Simon Wells, this film is a total masterpiece. The time machine prop is on record to be the most expensive single prop in film-to-date which was reported to weigh 7 to 8 tons and took over a year to actually build.

Even though Simon Wells suffered from extreme exhaustion and had to turn over his work to Gore Vebinski to finish the last 18 days of shooting, the film was completed and planned to open in theaters in December of 2001. Because of the attack on 9/11, the film was re-edited to exclude a sequence where New York City was bombarded by meteor showers. The film actually didn't hit theaters until March of 2002.

The film captures the life of Alexender Hartdegen (Guy Pierce), a young and somewhat eccentric scientist who becomes obsessed with mastering time travel. Alexander becomes grief stricken over his love's untimely death and begins building a time machine in order to travel back in time to prevent Emma (Sienna Guillory) from meeting her fate. After trying on several occasions to prevent her death, he finally gives up on going to the past and decides that the future might somehow hold more answers.

Alexander's first stop in the future is 2030, then 2037, then July 16th, 802,701. An even spookier future looms over the lost traveler as he goes even further in the future to the year 635,427,810. He can not believe his eyes, so he travel back to 802,701 where he had left off to blow up the time machine forever to be stuck in the distant future he must now choose.

The film gets very interesting when, in the year 2030, our young traveler visits the New York City Public Library and is introduced to an amazing online computer called VOX 114 played by Orlando Jones.

In the year 802,701 we are introduced to the docile Eloi who supposedly live for the moment with no worry. Mara (Samantha Mumba), a beautiful young woman and her son Omero take in Alexander and bring him up to date on things of her day. We then are thrusts into meeting the underground Morloks, who are ferocious and turn out to be cannibalizing the Eloi one by one.

The Uber-Morlock (Jeremy Irons), who turns out to be the top-leader of the evil underground people, becomes neither judgmental nor malicious towards Alexander and only wishes his speedy return back to his own time.

There seems to be many similarities and close attention paid to the story-line between the 1960s version directed by George Pal and Simon Well's version updating or changing things every so slightly.

Most of this film was made in New York and California. Various other oddities and things not usually mentioned are:

Guy Pierce broke a rib making the film during a struggle with one of the Morlock Drones.

The photo of H.G. Wells actually appears on the wall behind Alexander in many shots within Alexander's study.

An unusual error is also documented that during the filming of the segment beginning in 2030, Actress Myndy Crist, who appeared on the credits at the end, shows up as JOGGER, yet the actress never jogged in the movie and was actually only seen walking, unlocking, and riding her bicycle.

Also, interestingly enough, Alan Young, who played Filby in the 1960 version of The Time Machine, has a cameo appearance as a flower shop proprietor in the new film.

5/5 and Top Notch.

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This film is, in my opinion, visually stunning, impressively acted by Guy Peerce, Jeremy Irons and Samantha Mumba, dramatically scored, and best of all; well written. It diverges from the original H.G. Wells novel, upon which it is based, on several key points, but I must say, they improve the story. The Movie is directed, in a rather odd twist, by Simon Wells, the actual Great Grandson of H.G. himself, And If the senior wells were still alive, I think he would agree with the changes and be proud. The 1961 George Pal version, which starred; Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux did what it could with the resources at hand and is still considered a classic of the genre even today. What impresses me so much about this new version is that, despite the fact that special effects are far easier now and tend to quite often drive the story-line of many movies of this type, this film is completely story-driven, and not effects driven as so many new sci-fi movies are these days, the effects are, however, brilliant and do nothing but enhance the screenplay by John Logan, which is genius. The music by Klaus Badelt is nothing short of stirring, and the look of the picture, thanks to Donald M. McAlpine's photography takes you into the journey completely. The acting by Guy Peerce; who plays the time-traveler, is endearing and quirky, and totally believable. One of the best movies of this genre to be produced this century and I feel it is destined to take it's place with all the classics from the previous century as well. A must see experience, and in my opinion every bit as captivating as Avatar, I think both are destined to be classics of the next Generation.

Based on the classic sci-fi novel by H.G. Wells, scientist and inventor, Alexander Hartdegen, is determined to prove that time travel is possible. His determination is turned to desperation by a personal tragedy that now drives him to want to change the past. Testing his theories with a time machine of his own invention, Hartdegen is hurtled 800,000 years into the future, where he discovers that mankind has divided into the hunter - and the hunted.

Looovvveeee this Movie..Great special Effects, Great Casting...I think better than the first one which was a little to sloooooooow moving for me...This is a must to see and to own Guy Pearce does a excellent job in this film love his movies...would love to see him in a good pirate movie...come on Guy....
{Mrs puman}

The DVD contained the most recent film adaptation of H.G. Wells' "Time Machine" a novel written roughly a hundred years ago. Although I read the book itself and saw other film adaptations, this version also tells the story in a fully entertaining way.
The most striking feature of this film is the use of modern computer graphics to depict various scenes, notably the changes on Earth, as the Time traveler advances to the future. The scene of the near-future of 2030, also a new feature in this film, was an attractive part of this film. Even though its story somewhat deviates from the original one, I thought that it was overall a good piece of entertainment.
I decided to buy it because I read the book not long ago.

I love this movie, it's better than the first, with the special effects and a super music score! It keeps true to the first, the original movie, the story written by H. G. Wells. It's something to think about, what would happen if we mess it all up, destroy all the beauty we have and have to go underground to survive. In the past, species have diverted into two separate species, birds, fish, reptiles, big cats, on and on and on. It's not that far fetched that this could happen 10,000 or 20,000 years from now. We already have the capability to destroy all life with atomic/biological technology and weapons. So watch this movie, enjoy the beatiful landscapes, the special effects and the awesome soundtracks and repeating, haunting score. I like this movie so much, even I've viewed it a few times and know it by heart, I had to order one to keep. If you like sci-fi, adventure, mystery at all, you'll like this movie.