What's new

HTF REVIEW: "The Time Machine" (with screenshots) - REPOST (1 Viewer)

soop.spoon

Supporting Actor
Joined
Aug 24, 1998
Messages
757
Excellent and honest review of a piece modern sci-fi garbage. Hollywood is devoid of new and original ideas, and they continually ruin old favorites with updates that offer nothing more than eye candy. Even the music totally stinks.

It has none of the charm, imagination or fun that George Pal's 1960 version does. This is by far the biggest scifi disappointment in recent years. Even a decent cast couldn't carry the D-Grade script.

Do not support the thievery of these classics-pirates by buying this CGI-infested empty-headed poorly scored junk fest.
 

Bill Buklis

Supporting Actor
Joined
Apr 9, 1999
Messages
683
Location
Chicago, IL
Real Name
Bill Buklis
Just as with Battlefield Earth, Hollywood goes out of their way in an attempt to ruin a great book. At least with The Time Machine you have the half-way decent originial movie to fall back on.

Neither the original nor this remake really follow the book. At least the original was closer. I haven't seen this yet and was considering a rental. Maybe I still will since I have a few free rentals at Blockbuster left.
 

Nelson Au

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 16, 1999
Messages
19,040
Actually, this review gave me only one reason to look at the DVD. The section on production design is of interest to me and I'm glad Ron's review covers that.

I am a designer and I am very interested in the world of film production design so it may be of value to me there. I agree though, the movie was a big bore and the original 1960 version was far superior.

Maybe I can find a used copy of this current version fairly easily....

Nelson
 

Chris M

Second Unit
Joined
Apr 15, 2000
Messages
487
I think I'll pick this up Previously Viewed. I haven't seen it in theater, I don't feel like renting, and I won't pay full price for something like this :)
Go figure :)
Chris.
 

JaleelK

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 28, 2001
Messages
296
From that perspective, they were just taking after Pearl Harbour, which is unarguably the worst movie of the last 18 months. It was a disgrace, yet still made millions and people, for some unfathomable reason, still liked it. Why condemn Time Machine for trying to do in fiction what PH tried to do in fact?
I thought Pearl Harbor was good movie and if you think it was the worst film in the last 18 months you just don't watch a lot of movies. You must haven't seen the following movies, these are horrible movies released in the last 18 months,just brutal trying to sit through.

Jason X
Not Another Teen Movie
Vanilla Sky
UnderCover Brother
Moulin Rouge
Monster's Ball
How High
Godsford Park
 

Calvin Watts III

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 7, 2001
Messages
916


I agree wholeheartedly with Colin - there are a lot of films worse than PH.

Anyways,Time Machine is a rental only. Thanks again for the review, Ron.


Calvin
 

soop.spoon

Supporting Actor
Joined
Aug 24, 1998
Messages
757
For those of you who like this remake... just out of curiousity, can you tell us why? Nobody has offered up any reasons why they enjoy this film.
 

Brenton

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
1,169
I like the film because the filmmakers did a good job at giving the time traveller an emotional "push" into creating the time machine. You can really feel for the character. (I won't say what it is and what happens because I don't want to ruin it for those who have yet to see it.)
And of course, because the time machine itself is cool! Second place behind the flying DeLorean from the Back to the Future films.
 

Ron-P

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
6,300
Real Name
Ron
I have yet to see it, but when I do, I'll let you know Jack.
Peace Out~:D
 

ace peterson

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 4, 2001
Messages
340
It's too bad this movie got such a terrible review. I was looking forward to The Time Machine, too! The previews looked good. I didn't see it in the theaters, and I wondered why it didn't do so well. I guess this is why, being a bad movie.

You saved me some money here, Ron! I was thinking of buying this disc unseen! Now, I'll just rent it and see for me self.
 

Peter Overduin

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Messages
776
My scathing denuciation for PH is based on the fact that it pretends to be based on real events; while it, in actuality didn't have the balls to actually portray real events and instead hid behind one of the most boring, drawn-out and silly love stories in decades. No one had the moral or intestinal fortitude to portray PH for what it was: the abysmal and incredible arrogance of the US political, intelligence and military system. While film makers didn't seem to hesitate in making Thirteen Days as close as it could to the real thing (because it was a success) PH, as a movie, should be a disgrace to anyone who ever had personal ties to it.

As an aside, PH is not alone as a spectacular failure by a mighty nation. Still giddy with its success in the 67 war, Israel ignored over 400 clear signs that it was going to be invaded in 73. It nearly lost the war, and it is a matter of record that it was saved from this fate by a US military airlift of supplies, the logistics of which rival the Berlin airlifts. I doubt the Israelis would ever allow that chapter of history to be disgraced by an appalling, gutless PH type of movie.

Time Machine is just fiction and just aims to please and entertain. No doubt it is a B movie, but no less so than BE or Tomb Raider, or Titan AE, or Final Fantasy. And they all entertain.

I enjoyed TM for what it was, without regard for the original version (because I never saw it!). It was eye candy, and sometimes I just don't give a shit about history. Just don't cover it up with the type of pretentious, putrid crap that was PH.
 

Scott Weinberg

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Messages
7,477
Yeah, Ron! Trash that junky movie! I couldn't agree with your review more. I thought the movie had a solid opening act, and quickly turned into an absolute travesty.

...and if you ever get a vacation from the 'gotta watch right away' DVDs, give the original a shot. It's great!
 

Joe michaels

Second Unit
Joined
Mar 6, 1999
Messages
282
I'm not for a second going to come in here and tell you that this was one great piece of movie making or that it makes any leap over the original classic. But this movie wasn't Planet of the apes. I damn near cried when I saw Planet of the apes because the way it took lines from the original movie and used them in the new movie.
I want to touch on some things I liked in this new version of the Time machine.
I liked that the traveller had a reason for building his time machine. The fact that he wanted to change a tragedy in his life gave him the objective of building the machine in the first place.
I also like the way they did the time travelling sequence as compared to the first movie. they did it with reverence and pulled back on the camera to outside of Earth.
In reference to the Eloi, someone said they didn't like how they were portrayed but if you watch the original movie how they all had the same haircut and the women looked like they all had just gone to the beauty salon, these Eloi at least looked like real people. And the fact that many of them spoke different languages was a nice touch.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top