The Time Machine - My review

Ron-P
Ron-P Posts: 8,519
edited August 2002 in Music & Movies
Time Machine, The
by Ron Peregrin (07-24-2002)

Simon Wells, son of H.G. Wells, gives us a flashy version of this 1960’s classic. Although this film has been getting lack-luster reviews, I bought the DVD sight unseen and was pleasantly surprised.

Attempting to change the past, Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) is launched into the future. Alex is a scientist, physics teacher and inventor in New York during the late 1800’s. He is about to marry his love Emma (Sienna Guillory) when tragedy strikes and she is killed. Alex travels into the past in an attempt to alter fate, only to witness the same tragedy under different circumstances. To answer his question of why he cannot change the past, he travels into the future. During an accident aboard his time machine Alex is knocked unconscious and is propelled to the year 802,701.

Here he discovers the subterranean Morlocks which feed on the humans above. Alex must now fight to save both himself and the human race from extinction.

Audio
Yet again, DreamWorks provides us with a great soundtrack. This is a soundtrack that is filled with lots of accurate surround sound that really brings this movie alive. From the busy New York streets to the jungles of the future and the underground Morlock caverns, the surrounds are always active. This is a detailed LFE track with lots of tight, hard-hitting impact. My only complaint is with the center channel which seemed overly pronounced. Dropping the volume two clicks seemed to solve this problem. The 5.1 DTS track will surely please.

Video
DreamWorks provides us with yet another excellent transfer. The picture is extremely detailed and clean with excellent black levels. The color is vibrant, very soft and warm. Some shots of New York are simply gorgeous and demand a second viewing.

Extras
With a decent amount of extras, we get a look into the visual effects from the Stan Winston studios on the creation of the Morlocks. Simon Wells story boards put to music and commentaries from the director, producer and visual effects supervisor. My favorite extra is that of the creation of the Time Machine. This takes you though the design of the machine which took over a year to complete.

Finally
I found this remake to be very enjoyable. A fun Sci-Fi fantasy with some great special effects and beautiful scenery. Containing an impressive audio track and a few changes in the story from the original to keep my interested throughout. This will not become a classic like the original, but it is sure to please nonetheless. If you’re a fan of H.G. Wells, add this one to your collection. Otherwise, give it a rent first.

This reveiw is posted over at http://www.themanroom.com

Check out the site, brand new forum for HT, Sports, Women.


Peace Out~:D
If...
Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
Post edited by Ron-P on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • avelanchefan
    avelanchefan Posts: 2,401
    edited July 2002
    Nice review Ron. Will have to check out this movie over the weekend.

    I have visited the manroom. Great site with a bunch of knuckle dragging fellas. :) Could not ask for more. Also loved the pitchers of some of the "manrooms" posted there.
    Sean
    XboxLive--->avelanchefan
    PSN---->Floppa
    http://card.mygamercard.net/avelanchefan.png
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SPEAKER7
    SPEAKER7 Posts: 355
    edited July 2002
    Ron,

    Great detailed review!:lol:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited July 2002
    Very good review. It sounds like my type of movie! I picked this one up yesterday at Best Buy for $14.99 (in spite of all of the trashing it got over at HTF). Im looking forward to watching it this weekend.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Strong Bad
    Strong Bad Posts: 4,278
    edited July 2002
    I was debating about even renting this one since it got lackluster reviews, but I'll have to do a Blockbuster night tonight and check it out.

    I'm always up for a good sci-fi flick. Even more so when it's in DTS!

    John
    No excuses!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,519
    edited July 2002
    Thanks guys. It's a fun Sci-fi movie. Simple popcorn fun.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Micah Cohen
    Micah Cohen Posts: 2,022
    edited July 2002
    How come I can't get you to give me detailed reviews like this for us here at Polk Audio? What chapters really rock -- what are go-to demo chapters?

    MC
    ultramicah@yahoo.com

    "There's nothing funny about a clown in the moonlight." - Lon Chaney
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2002
    ****, I actually took the time, since no-one else was doing it (at the time), and gave you, what I thought was a decent jump-to review of SuperSpeedway, what do I get?

    No thank you, no blurb in the Speaker Specialist (and you gave that moron Aaron 2 quotes)....nothing, a big bag of NOTHING...

    Eff that man, do your own homework from here on out.... ;)

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nascarmann
    nascarmann Posts: 1,464
    edited July 2002
    and you gave that moron Aaron 2 quotes

    She-at...........poor Aaron...no job and now we are calling him a moron....:lol:
    Oh, the bottle has been to me, my closes friend, my worse enemy!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited July 2002
    OHHHHHH MAAAAAAAAN!!!!
    You guys are Brutal!!!!

    I love it
    ***WAREMTAE***
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jmasterj
    jmasterj Posts: 327
    edited July 2002
    The Morlocks were cool, sorta jumped around like the apes, Samantha Mumba was nice eye candy. Then I got bored. A friend
    rented it and let me see it before he returned it. Was on my list of
    movies to buy. Not anymore !!!
    JmasterJ Polk to the Death
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,519
    edited July 2002
    I bought it because I love movies like this. But, like you J, most people will not like it.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • scottvamp
    scottvamp Posts: 3,277
    edited July 2002
    This movie really disapointed me. The only part I liked was Jeremy Irons scene which was a total rip off of Kain from Soul Reaver (PS2). But LIKE I SAID before the street date, it IS a reference video and sound quality DVD. The plot was too twisted from the original with no explanation
    very upsetting.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PETERNG
    PETERNG Posts: 918
    edited July 2002
    I didn't like this movie much, not as good as the old classic "Time Machine". I watched it because it's time machine, this subject get my attention, the story is kinda poor, special effects are not that good and Guy Pearce lost his acts since Memento(thank god, the movie wasn't long either, about 90 min). Just my 02 cents, you may want to rent it and watch it first before you decide to add it to your DVD library.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,519
    edited July 2002
    The plot was too twisted from the original with no explanation
    very upsetting.
    How so? I thought it made sense.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • scottvamp
    scottvamp Posts: 3,277
    edited July 2002
    I have not read the book so maybe it explains more.
    *spoiler* How in the hell can you just kill an entire species just for the fun of it! 80,000 years of evolution at work-they had a whole operation going on under there. Intelligent and powerful. Survival of the fittest. Destroys his time machine so he could mooch on some chick in a lame time with weak humans acting like cattle. Come on. At least the original was mind control and ugly ape looking unintelligent freaks. And I think the time machine survived. *spoiler*
    IMO
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • goingganzo
    goingganzo Posts: 2,793
    edited August 2002
    i thought it was good not the best but good i might buy it not today but maby next year have sights ste on spiderman star wars ep2 ice age and beauty and the beast thoes are a must buy it is hard for me to decide what movies to buy i get the ones i like that i can watch over and over i have seen tie time machine 3 times so far i will have to wait a while to decide on it
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dlew308
    dlew308 Posts: 530
    edited August 2002
    I guess I was expecting too much out of this movie, I was sadly disappointed after watching it. Nice visuals and soundtrack, some hard hitting bass like Ron said but the overall story just didn't go well enough.

    The biggest flaw besides it being tamed down for PG13, was when he's in the cave and saw her clothes. So you that she's in the cage naked. He leaves and comes back in the time machine, magically she's clothed :(
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter