Rating: 
Summary: Don't you wish you had a time machine..........
Review: so that you can recapture the hour and a half that you will waste by viewing this terrible movie.I was simply amazed at how bad this was. Usually movies this bad, can be good in their awfulness. Not this one.
The acting was bearable, and probably the only saving grace of the flick, but is by no means rememerable (just good relative to everything else).
The story had so many holes in it, I sat there and wondered if any of the makers actually watched their final product. 800,000 years of geologic change - yet panes of glass survive. An "ancient" language learned from signs and pieces of storefronts, that everyone seems to know. Why? Don't ask. You won't get an answer from watching.
The characters are one-dimensional, at best, and the story gave no indication or reasoning behind anyone's actions.
The special effects, which I was counting on 10 minutes into the film to be a saving grace, were sub par. So I get to see 5 seconds of the moon breaking up, gosh. Mechanical gears and sparks flying underground for no reason at all... yawn.
Do yourself a favor and avoid this flick. Go rent Time Bandits or Time After Time to get your fix.
Rating: 
Summary: Two stars for a good looking movie
Review: Unfortunately, two stars is all that I can give it. I sooo wanted to like this movie. I have never read the HG Wells book, The Time Machine, so I had no worries about being disappointed with the story matching up. I was fully prepared to take the movie on its own terms. I have to report, though, that those terms were quite thin. I found much in this movie fully implausable, leaving me with more questions than answers. Like: Why would the morlocks sneak into the village, steal the watch, and not take the child or someone else to eat? Why did the Uber Morlock want to let the professor go? What was the machine that all of the morlocks were trying to keep going underground? Where did the virtual librarian get the power to continue running 800,000 years into the future? The movie was visually stunning, the extras on the DVD are nice, and the acting was decent. Sadly, it seems, like so many other movies of our time, that good looks is all that The Time Machine had going for it.
Rating: 
Summary: Different than the book; good in it's own right
Review: GENERAL: I rented this movie with mixed hopes- on one hand, the critics had trashed it, while on another most customer reviews were positive. I'm now very glad that I veiwed The Time Machine and would recommend it to anyone.
ACTING: Suprisingly good. Guy Pearce gives a convinvcing performance Alexander Hardtgen, a professor who builds a time machine in order to go back and save a loved one who died. Samantha Mumba, the semi-famous popstar, actually was decent at Mara, and girl living in the future and trying to take care of her younger brother.
PLOT: Very gripping, yet short and sweet, this movie speeds up after the first few minutes and really sports some interesting concepts. Original and something you'll have to see twice.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: The SFX, by Digital Domain, are wonderful and create some of the most amazing effects seqences ever when Alex travels millions of years into the future while in his time machine. Beautiful and realistic.
SCORE(MUSIC): Beautifully done and original. The music, infused with breathtaking tribal chants at times, is of a high standard and memorable.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Very good for a single disc DVD, there are some interesting "making of" featurettes along with a wonderful segment about how Digital Domain created several effects sequences. Overall very good.
MY GRADE: A-
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie!
Review: I purchased this movie with a little trepidation, considering that it was selling at a lower price than other brand new movies. Also considering that other reviewers were slamming it. Five minutes into the movie, I knew this trepidation was wasted. The movie is a great retelling of the classic story. Guy Pearce does a wonderful job of showing what a great actor he is. The graphics are stunning and the look at the way distant future is very original. If you collect DVD's, this is one to definitely add to the collection. You will defintely not regret having spent the time on this wonderful movie.
Rating:
Summary: I really WANTED to like it, but...
Review: H.G. Wells story, great cast, big Hollywood budget -- what more could you ask for, right? A lot, as it turns out. Costumes, historical sets, special effects, and supporting performances were all brilliant. For a while, in fact, it seemed like this was going to be a good movie. Then it... drifted... It drifted into ghastly political correctness. It drifted into sets that didn't seem plausible with the story line, and less-than-stunning monster effects (where's Rick Baker when you need him?). Then it ended with a huge, ridiculous, totally unbelievable twist that must have H.G. Wells rolling over in his grave. What can I say? Read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect Popcorn Movie
Review: This is a film that carefully balances respect for the George Pal classic while trying to present new material without scarificing the original plot. Simon Wells, the great-grandson of H.G. Wells, does it for the most part. The Time Machine is a dazziling display of effects while allowing the characters to provide the binding so necessary to hold an audineces's attention. The creature features are a bit weak but the lavish photography and the pulse pounding pace leave little time for observation and complaint. Put on your fuzzy slippers, fire up the microwave popcorn and settle back for a time trip worth the taking.
Rating:
Summary: If he were alive today . . .
Review: This is a great adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel. Is is a perfect adaptation? No. The George Pal movie was closer to the original novel. However, if H. G. were alive today, this movie would, in my opinion, have been the story he would have written (except there would have been more sex in it [H. G. was a proponent of free love, scandalous in his day, not so today]). This version gives the protagonist a reason to create his time machine other than scientific curiosity; the death of his beloved. His reason for going into the future? To find a way to revive his beloved after death since he could not change the past. After finding out what the future holds, he, once again as in the novel and movie, it accidentally thrust into the far future. Here is where the real adventure begins. I loved the way the actors really made the characters come alive. Add to that the fact that one of H. G. Well's heirs directed the movie makes it a classic. However, if the script had not been as good as it was, the whole thing would still have flopped. Instead, you have one of the best sci-fi movies in recent years. I'm proud to have it in my movie collection.
Rating:
Summary: An Outstanding Movie
Review: What can I say, this movie will take you on the ride of your life. Very enjoyable, moves along quickly and is a feast for the eyes. The disc is loaded with extra features and the commentary was great!
Rating:
Summary: A Worthy Re-telling of a Classic Story
Review: This film is wonderful. From its heartfelt depiction of both past and future to its depth of characterization, it hits the mark again and again. Its protagonist, Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce), is portrayed as a likable, genuine genius (right down to his Einsteinian longer hairstyle) with equally genuine motivations for his actions. After tragedy strikes he becomes a haunted man, driven to discover why the laws of temporal physics prevent him from attaining the goal he so desperately seeks -- and the limitation imposed upon him is one his brilliant mind quickly recognizes, even with a minimum of evidence. Every other character in the story is equally well presented. 'Vox' (Orlando Jones) is a delight whenever he appears on-screen, as is Jeremy Irons' rational, almost vampiric villain of the distant future. Samantha Mumba's portrayal of the Eloi woman who befriends Hartdegen is both believable and suitably subtle. The film's musical score is magnificent, as are its visual effects, which provide a feast for the eyes. Some scenes are simply breathtaking. Both sight and sound are believable and clever, right down to the most subtle touches. The machine itself is astounding, a marvel of brass, glass and wood -- the most complex prop ever built, it was genuinely fashioned out of those materials from which it appears to have been constructed (no fiberglass or other Hollywood structural trickery here!) and when complete weighed some 4000 pounds. It's almost as impressive a sight sitting still as when fully active. This film suffers only when unfairly compared with its Pal-directed predecessor, a familiar and comfortable classic many have grown to love, despite its faults (and a film to which this version gives many loving nods). When looked upon with fresh eyes, this new telling of 'The Time Machine' stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the earlier work and is a worthy contribution to the legacy of H.G. Wells' original story. Not surprising, since its director is Wells' own great-grandson, Simon. A great movie, and a great DVD with many enjoyable extras. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Hollywood needs to go back in time to redo this movie
Review: This movie started out pretty interesting, however it ended up not being a good movie. the music was beautiful and the scenary was nice, but the storyline was confusing and not good at all. This movie seems like it was thrown together. And it should have been longer. How many times must I say that there is no such thing as a good hour and a half action movie.
| 
