RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Time Machine
The Time Machine

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Time Machine (2002)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
28 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:146

Fresh:41

Rotten:105

Average Rating:4.8/10

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.

Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: Scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen 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... Scientist and inventor Alexander Hartdegen 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.

Based on the classic science-fiction novel by H.G. Wells, "The Time Machine" stars Guy Pearce ("Memento," "L.A. Confidential") in the role of Alexander Hartdegen. Making her feature film debut, Dublin-born singer/songwriter Samantha Mumba stars opposite Pearce as Mara, the woman who befriends Hartdegen in the distant future. The international cast also includes Orlando Jones ("Evolution"), Mark Addy ("The Full Monty"), Phyllida Law ("Saving Grace"), Sienna Guillory ("Kiss Kiss Bang Bang") and Academy Award® winner Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune," "Die Hard: With a Vengeance").

A co-production of DreamWorks Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, "TheTime Machine" marks the live-action directorial debut of Simon Wells, who previously co-directed DreamWorks’ animated hit "The Prince of Egypt." Wells directed "The Time Machine" from a screenplay by John Logan ("Gladiator"), based on the screenplay by David Duncan. Walter F. Parkes ("Gladiator," upcoming "Men in Black 2") and David Valdes ("The Green Mile") produced the film, with Laurie MacDonald, Jorge Saralegui and Arnold Leibovit serving as executive producers, and John Logan co-producing. The film will be distributed domestically by DreamWorks, with Warner Bros. handling the international release.

-- © 2002 Dreamworks Pictures [More]

Starring: Guy Pearce, Jeremy Irons, Orlando Jones, Samantha Mumba

Starring: Guy Pearce, Jeremy Irons, Orlando Jones, Samantha Mumba, Omero Mumba, Sienna Guillory, Mark Addy, Phyllida Law

Director: Simon Wells

Director: Simon Wells
Screenwriter: John Logan
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 18

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Time Machine

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato
3/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2006 03:56 AM

Empire Magazine

N/R

Geoff Andrew

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 03:25 AM

Time Out

N/R

Alexander Walker

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 15 2003 05:08 PM

This is London

N/R

Christopher Tookey

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 15 2003 05:08 PM

Daily Mail [UK]

tomato
3/5

Matthew Turner

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 30 2002 08:15 AM

ViewLondon

N/R

Rich Cline

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 12 2002 08:11 AM

Shadows on the Wall

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 10 2002 06:48 PM

Guardian [UK]

splat
0.5/4

Ian Waldron-Mantgani

The secrets of time travel will have been discovered, indulged in and rejected as boring before I see this piece of crap again.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 04 2002 08:10 PM

UK Critic

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 04 2002 08:10 AM

FilmFour.com

splat
2/5

Richard Luck

Wells' movie is more content to rip off Tomb Raider than remain faithful to his great-grandfather's book.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 27 2002 08:10 AM

BBC

N/R

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2009 03:15 AM

Cinema Crazed

N/R

Todd McCarthy

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 27 2009 03:15 AM

Variety

N/R

Urban Cinefile Critics

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 03:32 AM

Urban Cinefile

splat
2/5

Mark Halverson

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 07 2008 03:15 AM

Sacramento News & Review

tomato

Todd Gilchrist

The Time Machine is harmless, if ineffectual fun.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 02 2008 01:25 PM

IGN Movies

splat
C-

Emanuel Levy

This remake of the 1960 sci-fi feature (based on Wells famous novel) fails to take advantage of the new technology to make the tale more effective.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 09 2007 10:31 AM

EmanuelLevy.Com

splat

Mark Bourne

Dishwater: 10, Wells: 0

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 06 2006 07:32 PM

DVDJournal.com

splat
0.5/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:37 PM

Film Threat

tomato
3/4

Scott Nash

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Sep., 30 2005 03:18 AM

Three Movie Buffs

splat
1.5/5

Garth Franklin

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 14 2005 10:15 PM

Dark Horizons

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Time Machine

February 06, 2002: The story that emerged is both familiar-an inventor (Pearce) travels about 800,000 years into the future and discovers that mankind has evolved into dominant Morlocks and subservient Elois-and updated. Opens in new window
More...

See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
25% 25% Four Christmases
68% 68% Funny People
95% 95% Star Trek
14% 14% The Ugly Truth

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
15
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
156
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
67
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
44
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
42
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
42
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
39
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
39
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
21
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
16
  • 2010 Sundance Film Festival Lineup Announced
10
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
1
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Time Machine at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Time Machine at IGN
  • The Time Machine at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.