Timeline (2003)

Just enough of Michael Crichton's novel survives in Timeline to make it a passable popcorn thriller. It's likely that Crichton fans will lament the shallowness of director Richard Donner's film, and its gee-whiz style of acting lays waste to any scientific credibility that Crichton's scenario might have retained. Still, the Crichton formula is a sturdy one, following the model of Westworld and Jurassic Park by involving a small band of adventurers in a fantastical realm of danger and death. In this case, a group of archaeologists and combat experts (led by Paul Walker and Frances O'Connor) use a "3-D fax machine" (so much for technobabble!) to time-travel back to France in 1357, in hopes of retrieving Walker's father (Billy Connolly) and returning safely to the present. No such luck! Fending for themselves against marauding hordes of medieval French warriors at war with the invading British, these semi-intrepid travelers find their body count rising, and the deadline for their return home is rapidly approaching. All well and good, so far, and the castles-and-crossbows action reaches a fever pitch, but it's obvious that Donner's too lazy to make the much better film that this could and should have been. Despite its enjoyable highlights, Timeline is perfunctory entertainment. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Never a dull moment in this movie.

I am not one who enjoys an action film. I did find myself drawn to this one though. It has charm and wonderful actors. There is twist's and turns throughout the film. My husband loved it so much that I decided to buy this for him. It's definately worth buying! It takes you through time but in a way that it differs from the rest of the "time traveling" films. It's the only one of it's kind and Would make a wonderful gift for anyone. November 29, 2008

Still worth watching

Paul Walker is laughably horrific in his lead performance, but the presence of the ever charismatic Gerard Butler and Billy Connoly save the film from disaster. Kate's character is played very poorly by a good actress, a fact which disappoints on several levels. Of course the book is far better than the film, but for those of us who can't completely grasp all the scientific concepts alluded to in the novel, the movie serves the purpose of giving you the bare basics. The fact that the movie disregards the common knowledge that modern French and English are far different from their Medieval counterparts is further exacerbated by the pathetic "Frenchman" of their group. However, the historical romance between Marek and Lady Claire steal the show and bring this film from a taudry piece of poorly written scripting into a likeable film I'm willing to watch often enough to warrant purchasing. November 20, 2008

TIMELINE

TIMELINE IS ORIGINAL AND VERY ENTERTAINING. GERARD BUTLER AS WELL AS THE WHOLE REST OF THE CAST IS GREAT.

VERY INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER. IT'S A SCIENCE-FANTASY AND QUITE ENJOYABLE.

I'LL PROBABLY WATCH THIS ONE AT LEAST FOUR TIMES A YEAR!! October 22, 2008

Cool castle siege, that's all

There's some cool scenes of a nighttime siege on a castle with flaming projectiles flying back and forth and some interesting glimpses of Medieval warfare--some really well-done historical recreation in that department--but the rest of the movie is just plain silly, and some of the acting is pretty bad, and a lot of the acting is really bad, and obviously the director is pretty sad if he just let slide so much bad. Probably a movie for teenage boys. I probably would have liked it when I was a teenager and lacked an age-earned discriminating eye. For teenage girls? Well, that's for a woman to say. There's a cute, although preposterous, romance mixed in. Medievalists might like owning a copy for the recreations. My copy's going to the used bookstore if they'll give me a buck for it. October 12, 2008

They sure messed up the book badly

It is still a good sci fi time travel movie,
even if they parched the novel badly.
The devil is in the details and they left out
so many that a lot is lost.
This novel with the archaeology was one of Chichton's best.
He actually seemed to care about his characters and subject material.
The lead character of the archaeologist who could use a long bow and a sword
is truncated to a bit lover story without the background
of the interaction between Lady Clair and him.
Changing history and the greed of the company back in
real time are sort of glossed over...
I like the movie anyway, by halves.
August 12, 2008

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