The Time Machine (2002)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Carlos M

  
  A simplistic yet entertaining adaptation of Wells' story that removes the smart social commentary and invests in action with little imagination. It has some problems but will be enough fun for time travel fans.

• Mike S

  
  Great special effects, but as for the script and acting, well, it could surely have been a lot better. It's a shame how much potential is lost here, due to lazy writing. Because while the time traveling bits are pretty awesome, the storyline per se goes into B-movie territory.… More
  Great special effects, but as for the script and acting, well, it could surely have been a lot better. It's a shame how much potential is lost here, due to lazy writing. Because while the time traveling bits are pretty awesome, the storyline per se goes into B-movie territory. Had they skipped the parts with the Morlocks and Jeremy Irons in creepy make-up, it could have been a highly enjoyable experience. But due to said shortcomings, it's value never amounts to more than an average product of the sci-fi department. Worth the watch though, just for the nice visual treats.

• Dead A

  
  I remember reading a book that was pretty similar was this movie. I was happy to see this. It's a good movie.

• Kylie B

  
  I admit to having not seen the original or read the book, but I was a deal more entertained by this than I was expecting. This is mainly because of two elements which appeal to me personally; the museum's future computer system, and Jeremy Irons needing to pay his bills and… More
  I admit to having not seen the original or read the book, but I was a deal more entertained by this than I was expecting. This is mainly because of two elements which appeal to me personally; the museum's future computer system, and Jeremy Irons needing to pay his bills and tripping my hormones in the process (a.k.a the reason why I did infact buy the DVD). Good news guys: if you find yourself 800,000 years in the future, apparantly girls still like flowers. Make sure you show her your shiny time machine, and you're in.

• Wahida K

  
  Well what can I say to the Remake. I liked the Original one. Nice graphics and all but I had the feeling it didnt have the Magical influence on me like the Original one.

• danny d

  
  doesnt hold a candle to the original. inferior in every way.

• Jason O

  
  Wouldn't we all like to be a time traveler? I know I would. If there was a such thing as being a time traveler for a living, I think I just might would do it. Think about it. You might could change the bad things in the past, or better yet, travel into the future and see what… More
  Wouldn't we all like to be a time traveler? I know I would. If there was a such thing as being a time traveler for a living, I think I just might would do it. Think about it. You might could change the bad things in the past, or better yet, travel into the future and see what happens to the world. A teacher, Alexander (Guy Pearce), does just that. He builds a time machine and does what everybody previously thought was impossible; he becomes a time traveler. After his beautiful fiance gets killed, he is more than compelled to travel into the past to change that unfortunate occurrance. However, something happens and she just can't seem to stay alive. For this reason, Alexander opts to travel into the future in order to find some answers as to why the past cannot be changed. Having never read the book nor seen the classic original, I didn't know what to expect from "The Time Machine". Popular opinion seems to be that the majority aren't crazy about the film, but I for one, liked it a lot. Even though I got real thirsty for a Mountain Dew once while I was viewing the movie, my thirst to watch this interesting film about time traveling was even stronger. It's fun to watch certain parts of the movie in particular, such as seeing the Morlocks (the human/demon looking monsters) for the first time, and watching to see if Alexander will ever return home. I also thought that Guy Pearce did a good acting job. But that's nothing. The main showcase of "The Time Machine" is EASILY the visual effects! Whether you're watching the seasons quickly change (by aid of seeing snow cover a window and then watching vines bloom and grow a few inches in a matter of a few seconds), the monsters getting blasted away by something (you'll have to watch the movie to find out :-Þ) that turns them from huge, muscle bound creatures to little more than specks of dust in a few heartbeats, to the simple act of the time machine's wheels spinning hundreds of miles per hour, you will certainly not be disappointed at all with "The Time Machine" when it comes to its special effects. Along with being the first version of "The Time Machine" that I've ever seen or read, this was also the first DVD that I had the opportunity to watch. Therefore, I don't really know if its extras are a lot or not many, but from what I see, I think it's definitely a good deal. Included in the DVD are such things as a scene index (start watching the film at certain parts), subtitles, audio, and more. Even better are the many behind the scenes extras that are on this little disc. You can read biographies of the cast, see how the Morlocks and the time machine were made, stunt choreography, a deleted scene (it lasts about 5 minutes, and it's good), trailers, commentaries, how the spectacular visual effects were done, and more! If a good movie and all of those extras aren't enough of a reason to purchase a DVD, I don't know what is. If you like the movie, don't think twice about getting the DVD! NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2002.

• Coxxie M

  
  haha wow man i have not heard this movie even mentioned. anywhere since it came out. and theres a reason for that... also there will not b stupid little plastic bikes in the future.

• xGary X

  
  Guy Pearce travels back in time to recreate a half-arsed Victorian version of The Butterfly Effect, but when he is thwarted travels forward to find the world has been taken over by rubbish CGI and libraries have been turned into homages to Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.… More
  Guy Pearce travels back in time to recreate a half-arsed Victorian version of The Butterfly Effect, but when he is thwarted travels forward to find the world has been taken over by rubbish CGI and libraries have been turned into homages to Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. Obviously dismayed by this, he travels to the far future to find the human race has been split into two; one half the offspring of the extras from Waterworld and Ewoks, the other giant Muppets who round them up in a fashion not unlike that in Planet Of The Apes. Jeremy Irons turns up to collect his paycheck dressed up as a reject From Battlefield Earth before slinking off, muttering "never again..." (you said that after Dungeons & Dragons, Jeremy) and I get the uncontrollable urge to invent a time machine to so I can travel to a point in the future after this film has finished. Basically, a classic of English literature has been turned into a cornball pastiche of every junk sci-fi film of the past 40 years fronted by an Australian soap actor and a pop star in a see-through top. That Time Machine was a warning of what will happen to mankind if it abandons books and learning. This Time Machine is a warning of what will happen if Hollywood script writers abandon all books and learning.

• Red L

  
  If you have read the book by H.G. Wells or seen the 1960 movie of the same name, you will realize this movie takes more liberties with the original book than the 1960 version does. Mind you the basis of Eloi and Morlocks and that the Eloi being the source of food for the Morlocks is… More
  If you have read the book by H.G. Wells or seen the 1960 movie of the same name, you will realize this movie takes more liberties with the original book than the 1960 version does. Mind you the basis of Eloi and Morlocks and that the Eloi being the source of food for the Morlocks is still there. I think they could have done a better job of the remake.

• Manu G

  
  Great Movie! 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,… More
  Great Movie! 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. There he finds a post-apocalyptic world where he discovers that mankind has been divided into the hunter... and the hunted.

• moon r

  
  ya hoped with all the brand spank new techno stuff that it would improve on the original...the lure of every remake, failed again here.

• _kelly .

  
  great visuals but shaky acting, shoddy editing, and uneven plot.

• Ross C

  
  Although "The Time Machine" could do with a 21st C remake to benefit from special effects, it fell into the usual trap of forgetting how powerful the simple tricks of the 1960s film makers were. They were clearly hoping the movie's style would triumph over both Guy… More
  Although "The Time Machine" could do with a 21st C remake to benefit from special effects, it fell into the usual trap of forgetting how powerful the simple tricks of the 1960s film makers were. They were clearly hoping the movie's style would triumph over both Guy Pearce's wooden acting and a story that completely fails to engage the viewer!

• Curtis L

  
  Eh. It's got nothing on Doc Brown.

• Rachel F

  
  This was an ok movie, but they could have done more seeing as the script was pretty decent.

• Dean M

  
  Guy Pearce is the next Aussie generation of the character in this sci-fi remake of 1960 classic. Depite being directed by the great-grandson of H.G. Wells, this is far a loving tribute.

• Jason S

  
  Pretty good although it felt a little rushed at times.

• Kalel J

  
  Argh!! Movies like this annoy me. The amount of potential this had was huge and it showed at the beginnings of the film, but it was all wasted. Guy Pearce, the production designs, and the beginnings of the film are the only truly good aspects of the film and it these aspects that… More
  Argh!! Movies like this annoy me. The amount of potential this had was huge and it showed at the beginnings of the film, but it was all wasted. Guy Pearce, the production designs, and the beginnings of the film are the only truly good aspects of the film and it these aspects that prove the potential of this film, however, once the film goes on it's merry way down the track it loses itself. Some say Jeremy Irons was good, I say there wasn't much point, some say this was a good movie, I say no. Let me tell you now, this film deserves so much more and there should be someone to take the helm of this in another ten years and make this into what it should be - a film that delves into the character that is being portrayed and a film that gives true insight into the changes of the world and society.

• Emily A

  
  This movie is completely redeemed by Guy Peirce, because it's all around not that good a movie. It took What's-His-Face so many years into the fututre to figure out that you can't change time by going backwards? Why didn't he just watch Bill and Ted's… More
  This movie is completely redeemed by Guy Peirce, because it's all around not that good a movie. It took What's-His-Face so many years into the fututre to figure out that you can't change time by going backwards? Why didn't he just watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?

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