Rating: 
Summary: .
Review: The Time Machine had enough convincing special effects to disract you from the fact the movie contained no dimension. The linear storyline and cinematography were above average although character development was non-existent, thus disappointing.Starring Guy Pearce as Alexander, a Columbia University professor who creates a time machine in an attempt to bring his dead fiancee back to life. Realizing he cannot, he heads into the future in search for answers. It's a science-fiction movie, and i'm quite amused by people who complained it wasn't realistic or the concept was impossible. I recommend this movie to anyone who wants stimulating eye candy and superficial escapism. Don't bother scratching the surface for any deep dramatic symbolism or meaning to this movie. There isn't any.
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Summary: Revamping the Classics
Review: Director Simon Wells and screenwriter John Logan's new interpretation of H.G. Wells' classic story is nothing short of spectacular. Although many of the details from H.G. Wells' original novel have been modernized or re-interpreted, all of the essential elements from Wells' original story are still present in this new film. Of course, one cannot ignore the fact that John Logan's screenplay for the new film is based on David Duncan's 1960 screenplay (written for George Pal's film). For that reason this new film contains more elements taken from George Pal's 1960 film than it does from H.G. Wells' novel.
True to light, John Logan has re-interpreted the Eloi and their characteristics, much in the same way that David Duncan re-interpreted them for the 1960 film. In H.G. Wells' novel, the Eloi are a gentle and highly curious (albeit not very bright) people. Then in 1960, David Duncan transformed the Eloi in an apathetic and uncaring people (a striking dissimilarity from Wells' novel). For the new film, John Logan has once again re-envisioned their characteristics. Although neither this film nor the 1960 film present the Eloi in the same way that H.G. Wells does, the most essential aspect behind these people's character remains present: their submissiveness. Also, missing from this film are H.G. Wells' anti-Capitalistic ideas (the original novel was highly influenced by Marxism, something that was not at all uncommon for writers during the turn of the century); as well as George Pal's fears of nuclear annihilation (the 1960 film was highly influenced by Cold War fears, something not at all uncommon during the 50s and 60s). Instead, this new film reflects our own time, and our own fears.
Fans of the novel should not expect a verbatim interpretation of the story. Instead, this new film should be enjoyed for what it is: a modern revamping of a classic story.
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Summary: Fun but not in any way like the book
Review: This movie is a fun watch with great special effects. That being said, however, it is not true to the book. The basic idea of travelling to the future and the relationship between the Eloi and Morlocks is the same. The rest is TOTALLY different. The reasons for time travel, the reasons that the Eloi and Morlocks have their current relationship, the intellectual capacity of both groups, and the end of the story are all changed by this movie version. My advise is read the book first, then go to the movie, so that you can see how drastic the changes are.
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Summary: A Very Interesting picture.
Review: well i must say it's not what i expected, but it was bad either.
i saw the previews for this one & i thought i had to see it, because i enjoy hg.wells works like war of the world , food of the gods etc he's well respected writer of sci-fi/mystery world so i thought why not , if any of you read the novel then you'll know what i mean when i say the past is unchangeable . i must also say that effects in this film will whip your mind into a thought of motion frenzy & you'll wonder what happened to the time . what time is time is motion, don't worry you'll get i mean after you see it & parents need not worry it's PG for violence / scary moments i would'nt recommended take kids under the age of 8 too take them to this it would freak them plus it would bore them . all i have to say is did'nt like the ending there i say it that's why there's four stars. the guy that plays the professor in this movie is an excellent pick by the way.
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Summary: Look Ma, No Hands!
Review: I've been reading some fairly negative reviews of this movie in newspapers and magazines throughout the country. Very seldom do those critics get it right. THE TIME MACHINE by H.G. Wells really doesn't make that great of a movie if one stays true to the text. After all, H.G. Wells' book was more a commentary on society than a science fiction novel. With that said, THE TIME MACHINE movie directed by Simon Wells is a rocking adventure, full of excitement. The movie stars Guy Pierce (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, MEMENTO) as Alexander Hartdegen. Hartdegen is a professor at Columbia University and among several eccentricies contains a correspondence with German clerk, Albert Einstein. Hartdegen has an interest in all things mechanical and a strange fascination with time. However, it takes an overwhelming tragedy to focus Hartdegen's energies into building a time machine. He travels into the past and future, but a knock on the head causes him to travel 800,000 years farther into the future than he planned. There he discovers two races of men: the peaceful Eloi, and the cannabilistic Morlocks. Alex is faced with a choice and his decision will affect all of time. Simon Wells has done a good job of putting together an action packed science fiction adventure. It is true that the movie does not much resemble his great-grandfather's novel. However, Simon Wells did not write the script. He just had an opportunity to work on something and have a family connection. Anyway, the movie is fairly fast paced and though it does not try to explain time travel (such as the great BACK TO THE FUTURE) and has a few plot holes, the movie is still enjoyable. It's a nice piece of mind candy.
Rating: 
Summary: The death of a classic
Review: There are so many things wrong with this movie, it's difficult to know where to start. Well, the first thing that must be said is that this version is an insult to George Pal's 1960 film. It has none of the intelligence of that classic sci-fi movie. The entire film is a sloppy and boring mess of misguided revisionism and misplaced emphasis. Professor Alexander Hartdegen (Pearce) is an addle-brained physics savant stinking of social retardation in turn-of-the-century New York. When his fiancée Emma (Sienna Guillory) is murdered by a very nice mugger, Alexander decides to build a time machine to fix things. Aww, ain't that sweet? In an unintentionally funny scene, it's obvious poor Emma is doomed one way or another, sending Alexander off into the distant future to discover the answer to the question, "Why can't I change the past?" After a brief stop in 2030, where Alexander has a conversation with a super computer at a museum in Brooklyn, he falls asleep at the wheel and wakes up in a African commune 800,000 thousand years into the future. From there, the film falls on its face. The big problem with The Time Machine is that it swiftly get's rid of Alexander's heartsick plight in favour of terrible action sequences and a terrible score filled with insipid tribal chants. Guy Pearce's casual reaction to the incredible events around him is laughable. The FX are good (YAWN). Shockingly, almost no attention is paid to the actual time machine itself. There is not even a token mention as to what makes it work. One of the most ridiculous characters in recent film history has got to be Orlando Jones, whose computer generated character was somehow (get ready!) able to survive 800,000 years of planetary change and still work as an all-knowing computer. HA! HA! HA! One major departure from the 60's film is the Elois. In the old film, they are all White. In this film, they are Black. Indeed, it's typical in our politically corrected world to depict a White 19th century scientist who is not in the least bit shocked that humanity has evolved into an inner-city race. But he soon finds out that White people do exist! They just got real ugly and live underground. Hmm, what's Hollywood saying? However, it is with no small irony that our non-White future find's salvation from a White man from the past. Oh yeah, I guess 800,000 years from now, people still speak english............Anyway, a major dissapointment was Jeremy Irons who still thinks he's in Dungeons & Dragons. In the end, there really is not one good reason to see this terrible, terrible film. And so the Hollywood butcher of classic films (Planet of the Apes, anyone?) marches on.
Rating: 
Summary: entertaining but average.
Review: Popcorn and soda movie this is, as Simon Wells gives us a modern take on the H.G. Wells story with Guy Perarce playing the time traveler who goes 20,000 centuries into the future and discovers that the human race has divided into the Eloi and the Morlocks. The love story between the Time Traveler Alex and Mara has it's moments and is able to carry the second half of the movie, but the first half of the movie is nothing special, full of cliches and under-welming acting. Stan Winston's creature effects are good but most of the CGI effects are uneven. Being good in some scenes and others, not worth the time to do it. John Logan's script for the movie was good but it only delivers in the second half of the movie. End result, this is an entertaining but not very interesting film. Take it at that.
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Summary: And I thought no movie could beat Memento!
Review: This movie was so good that it knocked Memento out of my favorite movie slot, and if you knew me, then you would know how great this movie would have to be! I'm not so sure if it followed the novel because I've never read it, but after seeing this movie I most assuredly will! Guy Pearce is in perfect sync with his character, but isn't he always? I would seriously recommend seeing this movie!
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Summary: Absolutely Spectacular
Review: I saw the movie on opening night and I must say I was impressed. The visual effects were stunning and the Morlocks resemble the goblins from the recent Lord of the Rings. Having read H.G. Well's Time Machine and seen the 1989 movie I went into the movie with a slightly critical view. The story remained true in essence to the original and effectively captured the imagination. The soundtrack is also excellent. The music captures the free spirit of the Eloi and the dark, evil history of the Morlocks. ...
Rating:
Summary: Great Effects Make It Worth A Look
Review: I've never read H.G. Wells' classic The Time Machine, so although I've heard that this version differs substantially, it didn't bother me. If you're looking for a straight adaptation of the book, though...just be warned, OK? Guy Pearce plays your typical absent-minded professor, so busy inventing things that he has to be reminded that it's time to go meet his hottie girlfriend (Sienna Guilroy) so he can propose to her. (How come I can't have that problem?) Mere seconds after accepting, however, she becomes what must surely be the FIRST mugging-related fatality in N.Y.C.'s Central Park. Our hero spends the next 4 years building the titular Time Machine, and travels back to the night of the mugging to cheat death. It doesn't work. She dies again, just in a different way. It seems that fate is etched in stone, and will not be cheated. So- Lets go into the future (WAAAYYY into the future- 800,000 years..) and see if that might shed some light on a way to cheat death. The problem is, once in the future (After a brief stop in near-future New York, which is devastated by falling pieces of the moon, in a scene that seems to have been DRASTICALLY cut post-September-11th...), he finds himself embroiled in the struggles between the surface-dwelling Eloi, and the sub-terranean Morlocks, albino cannibals that look like a cross between a bipedal white Lion & Christopher Walken. The Morlocks use the Eloi as their own private pantry, dining on the defenseless saps at will. When his Eloi gal-pal (Samantha Mumba) is dragged off to dinner by the Morlocks, it's Alex to the rescue, heading off to Morlock-land, and a confrontation with the "Uber-Morlock", briefly and un-spectacularly played by Jeremy Irons, looking like the lost Brother of Johnny & Edgar Winter. Ewww.... All of this is well and good; the movie zips along, Pierce is good, as is Mark Addy, as his best friend. The real attraction is the effects: The long effects sequence that takes place when Alex travels into the Future from his lab is breath-taking. It takes the idea of showing the passage of time from a static position, as portrayed in Rod Taylor's version of The Time Machine, to a whole new level, and I found it to be both amazing and beautiful. Likewise the sequence at the end, where, without giving anything away, we see events taking place simultaneously, 800,000 years apart. Great stuff. I've seen better movies this year, but I've also seen worse. I suspect, though, that in the future I will look back fondly on The Time Machine- It's a charming little film.
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