THE TIME MACHINE (Theatrical Release USA 2002)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì

The Time Machine spins a new twist on altering the past to change the future. While most movies show that we can influence the past as readily as we can influence the present and the future, this film states there can be no influence on the past, but there can be an alteration of events in a future where presence has been established even though time travel to a future beyond that point of presence makes that future present into a future past. This lack of fluidity in past, present, future creates an intellectual disconnect or inconsistency in the audience’s mind that is very difficult to reconcile because the main character establishes a future present, travels to another future, travels back to the established future present and irretrievably changes a place that actually becomes his past. The script is intellectually unstable and inconsistent on several levels so that the story line creates confusion, disorder, and disconnect.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

A scientist invents a time machine to alter past events to save his fiancée from an early death.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Simon Wells for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Arnold Leibovit, Laurie MacDonald, and Jorge Saralegui for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce), David Philby (Mark Addy), Mrs. Watchit (Phyllida Law), Emma (Sienna Guillory), Flower Seller (Laura Kirk), Motorist (Josh Stamberg), Fifth Avenue Carriage Driver (John W. Momrow), Robber (Max Baker), Central Park Carriage Driver (Jeffrey M. Meyer), Über-Morlock (Jeremy Irons), Flower Store Worker (Alan Young), Jogger (Myndy Crist), Teacher (Connie Ray), and Vox (Orlando Jones).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The movie displays a distinct and unexpected dystopian twist introduced against a perfectly stable past and present that accompanies a future present, a future future, and a future past that does not compute on any level. It seems to promote a new theory on time travel that is illogically unstable by stating that time is quite frozen (unchangeable) at some points, but quite liquid at other points.

Video Critique Available Here 

Ben Meyers