The Time Machine (DVD, 2002)

For those that love time travel movies, this one tops the list. Thanks to the mind and matter of H.G. Well's Great-Grandson Simon Wells, this film is a total masterpiece. The time machine prop is on record to be the most expensive single prop in film-to-date which was reported to weigh 7 to 8 tons and took over 1 year to actually build.

Even though Simon Wells suffered from extreme exhaustion and had to turn over his work to Gore Vebinski to finish the last 18 days of shooting, the film was completed and planned to open in theaters in December of 2001. Because of 911, the film was re-edited to exclude a sequence where New York City was bombarded by meteor showers. The film actually didn't hit theaters until March of 2002.

The film captures the life of Alexender Hartdegen (Guy Pierce), a young and somewhat eccentric scientist who becomes obsessed with mastering time travel. Alexander becomes heart-broken and obsessed about building a time machine and traveling back in time in order to prevent the death of his love interest Emma (Sienna Guillory). After trying on several occasions to prevent her demise, he finally gives up on going to the past and travels into the future.

First stop in the future 2030, then 2037, then July 16th 802,701. Even then he somehow goes even future to the year 635,427,810. Then back to 802,701 where he had left off to blow up the time machine forever to be stuck in the future.

The film gets very interesting when, in the year 2030, our young traveler visits the New York City Public Library and is introduced to an amazing online computer called VOX 114 played Orlando Jones.

In the year 802,701 we are introduced to the docile Eloi who supposedly live for the moment with no worry. Mara (Samantha Mumba), a beautiful young woman and her son Omero take in Alexander and bring him up to date on the future humanity in there day. We then are thrusted into meeting the underground Morloks, who are ferocious and turn out to be cannibalizing the Eloi one by one.
The Uber-Morlock, who turns out to be the top-leader of the evil underground people (Jeremy Irons), becomes neither judgemental nor malicious towards Alexander and only wishes his speedy return back to his own time.

There seems to be many similarities and close attention paid to the story-line between the 1960s version directed by George Pal and Simon Well's version updating or changing things every so slightly.

Most of this film was made in New York and California. Various other oddities and things not usually mentioned are:

Guy Pierce broke a rib making the film during a struggle with one of the Morlock Drones.

The photo of H.G. Wells actually appears on the wall behind Alexander in many shots within Alexander's study.

An unusual error is also documented that during the filming of the segment beginning in 2030, Actress Myndy Crist, who appeared on the credits at the end, shows up as JOGGER yet the Actress never Jogged in the movie and was actually only seen walking, unlocking, and riding her bicycle.

Also, interestingly enough, Alan Young, who played Filby in the 1960 version of The Time Machine, has a cameo appearance as a flower shop proprietor in the new film.

5/5 and Top Notch.

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