The Time Machine (2002)

AN UNNEEDED BUT NEVERTHELESS FUN RIDE

A Video Review of The Time Machine (2002)

Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker

Did we really need a remake of this one? No, but it's a fun ride nevertheless. The original from 1960 was directed by George Pal and in most cases there can be no improvement on him but here is a legitimate case.

Guy Pierce plays as well as one can in a movie that is predominantly a special effects event. His transformation from man on a personal quest to hero saving others and the future of mankind is flawless. He is wooden as the time traveler but the performances of Orlando Jones (former 7-Up spokesman) as the library hologram and Jeremy Irons as the Morlock leader more than make up for it in their all too brief roles. More of either of these two would have only improved the flick. I am also once again stunned by the work of Mark Addy. He is superior in whatever role he takes on, either here, in A Knight's Tale or the CBS sitcom "Still Standing," he is always excellent.



The real star here is the special effects. The time travel itself is amazing. It is like an advanced time lapse photography experiment left to go for a few centuries. It is a very nice touch. It's fun to play with the fast forward, rewind and pause buttons during these sequences. There is so much to see.

The Morlocks as costumed actors and CGI effects are more than real and seriously frightening. Pierce's fight with the one Morlock is terrifying. The mind boggles when you realize he's going to go down where they all are. To be perfectly honest the Morlocks from the original 1960 version with the blue skin and white fright wigs never seemed anything but ridiculous to me. The new models are probably going to give me nightmares.

My only complaint is the politically correct editing of the film. Because of the 9-11 attacks a sequence was axed where chunks of the exploded moon crash into the World Trade Center. Politically correct? Probably not. A special effects pinnacle? Definitely.

Rating - ****

***** Must see
**** Worth seeing
*** So you have eight dollars you want to throw away…
** Is Adam Sandler in this mess?
* A bullet would be quicker.

The above review appeared in a slightly different form at
Project Popcorn
http://whitevioletpictures.com/popcorn