It is not only HG Wells’ visionary novel ‘The Time Machine’ from 1895 that is an absolute milestone. The 1960 film adaptation of the same name, directed by animation legend George Pal, also became a classic. The sci-fi adventure starring Rod Taylor is now an established part of the genre and should be familiar to viewers who have a passing interest in the sci-fi genre.
However, the new edition from 2002 cannot be highly praised. But that shouldn’t stop you from taking a look, especially if you have a soft spot for classic science fiction. ‘The Time Machine’ by director Simon Wells (‘Four Dinosaurs in New York’), the great-grandson of HG Wells, is, unlike many contemporary blockbusters, one thing above all: entertaining!
You haven’t seen “The Time Machine” yet and want to watch the movie Guy Pearce finally catch up on the lead role? Then you can do this with a subscription to WOW (formerly Sky Ticket). By the way: you can currently also watch “The Time Machine” from 1960 on WOW.
That’s what ‘The Time Machine’ is about
New York around 1900: Gifted scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) really only has one thing on his mind: his work. Almost. He spends the rest of his time with Emma (Sienna Guillory). Shortly after his lover accepts his proposal, she is murdered in the street by a pickpocket. Anger and sadness drive Hartdegen for four years as he obsessively prepares to complete his greatest invention: a time machine.
If he succeeds, he travels back in time and wants to prevent Emma’s murder. Vain. Frustrated, Alexander then travels into the future and encounters a completely new civilization in the year 3800: the fearsome Morlocks underground and the peaceful Eloi on the surface. Shortly before Alexander wants to leave the future again, he learns why the Eloi are constantly plagued by fear. At night, the brutal beasts invade and drag the Eloi underground. The scientist wants to know what happens to the kidnapped…
Brevity is the soul of humor
That ‘The Time Machine’ is an incredibly timeless material is evident from the fact that people today are still as far removed from time travel as they were in 1895 or 1960. So ‘The Time Machine’ is about letting your imagination run wild – and that’s what happens. This makes for some truly visually stunning sequences. Above all, Alexander’s journey to the year 2037 should be mentioned at this point: here the moon collapses, which Simon Wells uses to stage pure disaster cinema.
On the other hand, the second half of the movie stinks a bit. When Alexander enters the world of the Morlocks and Eloi, the landscape shots can be exciting, but the Morlocks themselves have an almost tragic appearance. Moreover, you do not become particularly emotionally involved in what is happening, which is also because the actors do not show their most charismatic side. In any case, it is not entirely clear why Alexander risks his life.
Unlike the original, ‘The Time Machine’ does not deliver any smart socially critical ideas, but considers itself as pure entertainment cinema – and it works. If you look at today’s blockbuster landscape, there are hardly any films that have a running time of less than two hours. “The Time Machine,” on the other hand, clocks in at a crisp 95 minutes – and fills them with speed and a nice sense of storytelling. And the very last shot, accompanied by Klaus Badelt’s beautiful composition, can even give you goosebumps.
Author: Pascal Reis
Source : Film Starts
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
