The Time Machine | Rotten Tomatoes

The Time Machine

PG-13

Released Mar 8, 2002

1h 36m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

List

28%

156 Reviews

Tomatometer

37%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) is determined to prove that time travel is possible. His determination is turned to desperation by a personal tragedy that now drives him to want to change the past. Testing his theories with a time machine of his own invention, Hartdegen is hurtled 800,000 years into the future, where he discovers that mankind has divided into the hunter ... and the hunted.

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Critics Consensus

This Machine has all the razzle-dazzles of modern special effects, but the movie takes a turn for the worst when it switches from a story about lost love to a confusing action-thriller.

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Doak P

It's like they took the worst parts of Avatar and LOTR, added some of the visuals from the 1960 version and a few cheesy references to other sci-fi authors, and then wrote a bad script. Simple, inane dialogue that was made for translation and little else. Read the book. That's worth your time. This is not.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/16/24

Full Review

Jelisije J

An absolute hidden gem of a film with great actors with a decent story. I absolutely don't understand the low score for this movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/03/24

Full Review

Antihrist P

One of the all time classics. This movie can expand horizons of a young mind, but falls flat for older audience. If you watch it in your teens, it will forever be engraved in your mind. I still get goosebumps each time I hear its main track.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/08/23

Full Review

Jan C

One of my favorite movies of all times.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/08/23

Full Review

Steve D

Far too Planet of the Apes for its own good.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/26/23

Full Review

Wolfgang G

The Time Machine ist ein Science-Fiction-Film von Simon Wells. Er basiert lose auf dem gleichnamigen Roman von H. G. Wells und ist neben dem Film Die Zeitmaschine von 1960… In der Hoffnung, die Ereignisse der Vergangenheit zu ändern, reist ein Erfinder des 19. Jahrhunderts stattdessen 800.000 Jahre in die Zukunft, wo er die Menschheit in zwei kriegerische Rassen unterteilt findet… Unterhaltsamer Spaß, perfekt inszeniert… Bühnenbild, künstlerische Leitung und Spezialeffekte sind alle perfekt… ein sehenswerter fantastischer Film… – Aber die 1960er-Version ist für mich immer noch topaktuell, er ist für mich ein klassischer Film aus meiner Kindheit…

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/07/23

Full Review

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Simon Wells

Director

Guy Pearce

Alexander Hartdegen

Samantha Mumba

Mara

Mark Addy

David Philby

Sienna Guillory

Emma

Phyllida Law

Mrs. Watchit

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The Time Machine: Official Clip - All the Years of Remembering

2:02

The Time Machine: Official Clip - What If?

2:11

The Time Machine: Official Clip - Going Forward

2:12

The Time Machine: Official Clip - The Morlocks' Diet

1:17

The Time Machine: Official Clip - Time Travel, Practical Application

2:12

The Time Machine: Official Clip - 800,000 Years of Evolution

2:07

The Time Machine: Official Clip - The First Attempt

2:13

The Time Machine: Official Clip - The Morlocks

2:13

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

A good movie based on H.G. Wells' classic novel.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 29, 2010

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Although it gets off to a decent start, this "Time Machine" breaks down when it gets to the distant future, which in this case isn't a good place to be stranded.

Mar 27, 2009

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

An underappreciated movie anchored by a fine lead performance by Guy Pearce.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 26, 2022

Full Review

Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

While I appreciate the ambition... all it made me do is want to watch the one from 1960.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 26, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Many things have changed from both the famous source material and the 1960 feature by George Pal that simply aren't as amusing.

Rated: 3/10

Nov 9, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

Scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen (Guy Pearce) is determined to prove that time travel is possible. His determination is turned to desperation by a personal tragedy that now drives him to want to change the past. Testing his theories with a time machine of his own invention, Hartdegen is hurtled 800,000 years into the future, where he discovers that mankind has divided into the hunter ... and the hunted.

Director: Simon Wells
Producer: Laurie MacDonald, Arnold Leibovit, Jorge Saralegui
Screenwriter: John Logan
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG, Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers, DreamWorks Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Action Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 8, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 21, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $56.7M
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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