The Time Machine Movie Review 2002

Well, the special effects are pretty cool but this sci-fi adventure has little to do with H.G. Wells' 1894 novel. Eccentric scientist Alexander Hartdegen (an anorexic-looking Pearce) lives in New York, circa 1900. He's devastated when his fiance Emma (Guillory) is killed and is determined to change fate by building a time machine. But going back in time changes nothing so Hartdegen goes forward to discover why he can't change things. He accidentally winds up in 800,000 when the Earth is once again pastoral and its inhabitants are divided into the gentle surface-dwelling Elois and the monstrous, cannibalistic subterranean Morlocks. Irish singer Mumba debuts as Mara, whom Hartdegen falls for, and a heavily made-up Irons is the Uber-Morlock. Unfortunately, the story is dull rather than what it should be--rousing in a who-cares-about-logic, B-movie way.

Distribution

Universal Studios Home Video, 100 Universal City Plz., Universal City, CA 91608-9955, Phone: (818)777-1000, Fax: (818)866-1483, URL: http://www.universalstudios.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 96 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Books to Film: H.G. Wells, Time Travel, Cannibalism, Post-Apocalypse

Screenplay

John Logan

Cast

Guy Pearce, Samantha Mumba, Mark Addy, Sienna Guillory, Omera Mumba, Jeremy Irons, Orlando Jones, Phyllida Law, Yancey Arias

Cinematography

Donald McAlpine

Director

Simon Wells

Music

Klaus Badelt

Other

Alan Young, David MacMillan, Wayne Wahrman, Bruce Robert Hill, Chris Burian-Mohr, Donald Woodruff, Bob Ringwood, Deena Appel, Oliver Scholl, James E. Price

Producer

Walter F. Parkes, David Valdes, Warner Bros., Dreamworks Pictures