Amazon.co.uk Review
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of T2 was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing T2's Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the saviour of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and future wife Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfilment of T2's prophecy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive.
With Breakdown and U-571 serving as rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to Jurassic Park III in returning the Terminator franchise to its potent B-movie roots. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVD: Terminator 3 two-disc set has only one deleted scene, but it's first-class. The "Sgt Candy Scene" is a must-see and, unfortunately, the best thing on the second disc. The rushed HBO documentary shows us far more flash than substance. Better is the Visual Effects Lab that goes more in-depth with four sequences, although you need to wade through a weak interface for each segment. Making your "own" effects isn't that much fun; you can only choose a few effects that change in two scenes. Anyone looking to get the complicated backstory of the trilogy figured out should dig into the "Sky Net Database" and an intricate timeline.
Disc 1 has a 30-second intro from the Governator himself, plus two commentary tracks: director Jonathan Mostow goes into great detail on how the little things (from lighting street scenes to tricks for destroying buildings) count; the second track is pieced together from the actors recorded separately--here Mostow appears with actress Claire Danes doing her first commentary track. The anamorphic 2.40:1 widescreen picture and thunderous DTS 5.1 or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound options deliver everything you would expect. --Doug Thomas
Amazon.co.uk Review
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of T2 was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing T2's Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the saviour of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and future wife Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfilment of T2's prophecy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive.
With Breakdown and U-571 serving as rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to Jurassic Park III in returning the Terminator franchise to its potent B-movie roots. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVD: Terminator 3 two-disc set has only one deleted scene, but it's first-class. The "Sgt Candy Scene" is a must-see and, unfortunately, the best thing on the second disc. The rushed HBO documentary shows us far more flash than substance. Better is the Visual Effects Lab that goes more in-depth with four sequences, although you need to wade through a weak interface for each segment. Making your "own" effects isn't that much fun; you can only choose a few effects that change in two scenes. Anyone looking to get the complicated backstory of the trilogy figured out should dig into the "Sky Net Database" and an intricate timeline.
Disc 1 has a 30-second intro from the Governator himself, plus two commentary tracks: director Jonathan Mostow goes into great detail on how the little things (from lighting street scenes to tricks for destroying buildings) count; the second track is pieced together from the actors recorded separately--here Mostow appears with actress Claire Danes doing her first commentary track. The anamorphic 2.40:1 widescreen picture and thunderous DTS 5.1 or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound options deliver everything you would expect. --Doug Thomas
Customer Reviews:
This movie should be Forbidden...to watch this film should be a hanging offence (or something of the sort)!!!.......2008-01-16
Probably the worst sequel of all time...or the worst film of time!!! If a film ever got a -5 stars rating, then it would be this film!!!
Now the reasoning................
The Story changes everything from the Terminator 2. For Example, in Terminator 2, when the system goes online, it sends out missiles to Russia so that Russia retaliate and attack USA, starting a Nuclear War(you find this out if you listen to the conversation between Terminator(Arnold) and Sarah Connor! Well in this movie, that doesn't happen at all, instead the machines just start attacking random people. And can anyone tell what this new terminator actually does?? And whats with the stupid comedy..the film is about the start of what could be the biggest war ever and could wipe out billions of people.....whats so funny about that...the film should be more serious then the 2nd movie....not funnier!!!..But even more depressing is the fact that none of the jokes are funny???? Catherine Brewster is the most annoying character in the universe!!! This new John Connor is a complete wimp..even Borat or Mr Bean have more chance leading the humans to victory that this guy. Why kill off Sarah Connor???? I could of got a five year old to write the story and a caterpillar to write the dialog. I wonder what they spent that massive budget on???? Arnold Schwarzenegger, what have you done???...its no wonder you stopped making films!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fans or Pockets?.......2007-12-09
I think those of us who remain firmly in the 1-star camp all know the answer to that question - money was the clear driving force behind this 'sequel'.
The previous reviews pretty much cover my feeling about this film, but I simply felt the need to bump down the review score by adding my own. It's heart-breaking when something seminal is cheapened this way. In fact, it is disgraceful that it is allowed to happen.
Very disappointed.
WORKS IN UK PAL HD-DVD PLAYERS.......2007-09-18
Hello, i am simply writing to inform everyone that although it is stated to be Region 1 NTSC this HD-DVD works absolutely fine in UK PAL HD-DVD Players, including the XBOX 360 HD-DVD Player.
I LIKED IT.......2007-08-07
No Cameron, Arnie being a tad older and the fact it was twelve years since T2, while I was looking forward to Terminator 3, I was also a bit of wary, but I shouldn't have been. Terminator 3:Rise of the Machines is fantastic, a spectacularly entertaining blockbuster ride that continues the story with respect, great action, a knowing sense of humor and with a seriousness that doesn't drag the film down. Mostow may have seemed like an unusual choice to direct (someone more along the lines of John McTiernan or Ridley Scott would have more accommodating I would have thought), but he does justice to the first two, continuing the saga of John Connor in a way that more than respects the fineness of the first two films.
Essentially the film is a mixture of the first two installments, more so the second one, in the execution of the action sequences (huge chase scene, cyborgs beating each other to a pulp), but like the first one, Mostow favors a more pessimistic tone to the film, giving the film a sense of approaching darkness, especially in the final minutes that is both shocking, touching and moving, in much the same way as Cameron did in the first Terminator film. Mostow does not just put Connor in danger again, have him stop judgment day again and have him live happily ever after again. No, he layers the film with twists and turns such as the fact that the machines' strike on humans was merely delayed and that Connor is now dead in the future, that it his future wife, Katherine (played by Claire Danes) who has sent the T-800 back to save John.
Nick Stahl replaces Edward Furlong and he is a good replacement, perfectly playing the part with a brooding intensity. Danes is charming and if there is a fourth film I hope she will be in it. Kristanna Loken is great at the T-X. Playing the part with a cold blooded humor that is fantastic to watch and lastly there's Arnie. Let's just say it's like watching someone ride a bike after having not done so for many years. He clearly hasn't forgotten (talk to the hand is right).
All in all Terminator 3 is terrific. A surprising joy from start to finish, one hopes that a forth film will be left alone because as it stands this is a perfect little trilogy.
Good Start Crappy ending.......2007-07-26
I was strongly anticipating this movie, and was enjoying it until the end, it was a massive anticlimax and was also very depressing.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of T2 was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing T2's Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the saviour of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and future wife Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfilment of T2's prophecy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive.
With Breakdown and U-571 serving as rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to Jurassic Park III in returning the Terminator franchise to its potent B-movie roots. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVD: Terminator 3 two-disc set has only one deleted scene, but it's first-class. The "Sgt Candy Scene" is a must-see and, unfortunately, the best thing on the second disc. The rushed HBO documentary shows us far more flash than substance. Better is the Visual Effects Lab that goes more in-depth with four sequences, although you need to wade through a weak interface for each segment. Making your "own" effects isn't that much fun; you can only choose a few effects that change in two scenes. Anyone looking to get the complicated backstory of the trilogy figured out should dig into the "Sky Net Database" and an intricate timeline.
Disc 1 has a 30-second intro from the Governator himself, plus two commentary tracks: director Jonathan Mostow goes into great detail on how the little things (from lighting street scenes to tricks for destroying buildings) count; the second track is pieced together from the actors recorded separately--here Mostow appears with actress Claire Danes doing her first commentary track. The anamorphic 2.40:1 widescreen picture and thunderous DTS 5.1 or Dolby Digital 5.1 sound options deliver everything you would expect. --Doug Thomas
Customer Reviews:
This movie should be Forbidden...to watch this film should be a hanging offence (or something of the sort)!!!.......2008-01-16
Probably the worst sequel of all time...or the worst film of time!!! If a film ever got a -5 stars rating, then it would be this film!!!
Now the reasoning................
The Story changes everything from the Terminator 2. For Example, in Terminator 2, when the system goes online, it sends out missiles to Russia so that Russia retaliate and attack USA, starting a Nuclear War(you find this out if you listen to the conversation between Terminator(Arnold) and Sarah Connor! Well in this movie, that doesn't happen at all, instead the machines just start attacking random people. And can anyone tell what this new terminator actually does?? And whats with the stupid comedy..the film is about the start of what could be the biggest war ever and could wipe out billions of people.....whats so funny about that...the film should be more serious then the 2nd movie....not funnier!!!..But even more depressing is the fact that none of the jokes are funny???? Catherine Brewster is the most annoying character in the universe!!! This new John Connor is a complete wimp..even Borat or Mr Bean have more chance leading the humans to victory that this guy. Why kill off Sarah Connor???? I could of got a five year old to write the story and a caterpillar to write the dialog. I wonder what they spent that massive budget on???? Arnold Schwarzenegger, what have you done???...its no wonder you stopped making films!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fans or Pockets?.......2007-12-09
I think those of us who remain firmly in the 1-star camp all know the answer to that question - money was the clear driving force behind this 'sequel'.
The previous reviews pretty much cover my feeling about this film, but I simply felt the need to bump down the review score by adding my own. It's heart-breaking when something seminal is cheapened this way. In fact, it is disgraceful that it is allowed to happen.
Very disappointed.
WORKS IN UK PAL HD-DVD PLAYERS.......2007-09-18
Hello, i am simply writing to inform everyone that although it is stated to be Region 1 NTSC this HD-DVD works absolutely fine in UK PAL HD-DVD Players, including the XBOX 360 HD-DVD Player.
I LIKED IT.......2007-08-07
No Cameron, Arnie being a tad older and the fact it was twelve years since T2, while I was looking forward to Terminator 3, I was also a bit of wary, but I shouldn't have been. Terminator 3:Rise of the Machines is fantastic, a spectacularly entertaining blockbuster ride that continues the story with respect, great action, a knowing sense of humor and with a seriousness that doesn't drag the film down. Mostow may have seemed like an unusual choice to direct (someone more along the lines of John McTiernan or Ridley Scott would have more accommodating I would have thought), but he does justice to the first two, continuing the saga of John Connor in a way that more than respects the fineness of the first two films.
Essentially the film is a mixture of the first two installments, more so the second one, in the execution of the action sequences (huge chase scene, cyborgs beating each other to a pulp), but like the first one, Mostow favors a more pessimistic tone to the film, giving the film a sense of approaching darkness, especially in the final minutes that is both shocking, touching and moving, in much the same way as Cameron did in the first Terminator film. Mostow does not just put Connor in danger again, have him stop judgment day again and have him live happily ever after again. No, he layers the film with twists and turns such as the fact that the machines' strike on humans was merely delayed and that Connor is now dead in the future, that it his future wife, Katherine (played by Claire Danes) who has sent the T-800 back to save John.
Nick Stahl replaces Edward Furlong and he is a good replacement, perfectly playing the part with a brooding intensity. Danes is charming and if there is a fourth film I hope she will be in it. Kristanna Loken is great at the T-X. Playing the part with a cold blooded humor that is fantastic to watch and lastly there's Arnie. Let's just say it's like watching someone ride a bike after having not done so for many years. He clearly hasn't forgotten (talk to the hand is right).
All in all Terminator 3 is terrific. A surprising joy from start to finish, one hopes that a forth film will be left alone because as it stands this is a perfect little trilogy.
Good Start Crappy ending.......2007-07-26
I was strongly anticipating this movie, and was enjoying it until the end, it was a massive anticlimax and was also very depressing.
Customer Reviews:
A GOOD CORMAN FILM, ONE OF HIS BETTER EFFORTS.......2007-11-03
It seems the small town of is experiencing several weird events. First, there is something unusual happening to the fish of the coast. They are strangely in smaller schools than ever before. Then, dogs begin to disappear, and are found later ripped to shreds. When the town gets together to hold their annual harvest, a scientist for town's cannery, Dr. Susan Drake, (Ann Turkel) announces that she can make their catch bigger than ever before with the introduction of genetically introduced fish to the environment. Her boss, Hank Slattery, (Vic Morrow) enthusiastically shares her point of view. The next day, several teens in the town disappear. Townsman Jim Hill, (Doug McClure) has had it, and he decides to investigate the occurrences. After news carries of more attacks, Dr. Drake becomes concerned that the creatures responsible for the attacks are the mutated offspring of failed tests her company held earlier. With this bit of knowledge, they head out to stop the creatures from mating with human women for their species to survive.
The Good News: I really like the opening in the movie. A man and his son head on down to their boat to do some fishing. The son is more concerned with his video game, so when the father throws it into the water, he goes in after it. While diving down for it, he is attacked by some sort of weird creature. The commotion gets the father's attention, and he accidentally knocks over a lantern on deck. This causes the ship to go up in flames, and it settles into a great opening sequence. It has all the hallmarks of a good opening scene: you are introduced of a threat to man by some thing, a great shock, and a setting of suspense that carries out throughout the rest of the film. This bang of an opening sets the tone and pace for the rest of the movie. It starts out strong and doesn't let up. This is a very action-packed film, with something happening almost every five minutes or less that keeps the viewer interested. Whether it's an attack, nudity, or something else, there is always action in this film of some kind. Rick Bottin definitely proves here why he got "The Howling" job: the Humanoids are very creepy and look like suitably evil creatures. The long, gangly arms, the large claws, the moss growing off their back and shoulders, and the face, which looks suspiciously like "The Creature from the Black Lagoon," thrown in for good measure. There is a lot of action as well, with the highlight of the film undoubtedly being the ending attack on the carnival. The creatures appear en masse, over-powering the running humans and dragging them down to rape them. The fact that they are also being gunned down always for tons of gore: both the creatures getting shot and the creatures attacking the humans. Several people have their throats ripped, spilling out lots of blood in sprays. The long claws are also seen ripping through flesh and bone, so that provides more gore as well. I don't see gore-hounds having any problems with this one. Even without the ending, we get abundant gore. One person has his back ripped open, revealing the bones underneath, still another has a leg amputated, and another is gutted, only without the guts piling out. The nudity is also abundant as well, featuring enough naked bodies to give any red-blooded male a dream woman for a while. This is a great movie. It has a fast pace, stuff happens all the time, and it keeps things interested with all that goes on.
The Bad News: There is only one complaint I have about the film: the cry that the creatures give is utterly annoying. Instead of making them seem scary, it got on my nerves, and that isn't something that a film should do. If they change the creatures cry from a scared mouse, this film would be a little better.
The Final Verdict: You never are bored with this film. I think that is a film's greatest compliment: it is very entertaining. Definitely check this out if you love creature films, 80's horror flicks, and Corman fans will also want to see one of his better films.
AMAZING!!!.......2006-10-06
If there was a fight between Alien and the Creatures From The Deep in this film, the creatures would win, hands (or fins) down! Featuring some some promising acting skill and some intriguing "special" effects, this film is a highly entertaining rollick about the perils of toxic waste and government experimentation; all I can say is...."Save The Fish!!"
this was possibly the most entertaining film i have seen for a long while. fact. I am the soul founder of the film night of hawthorn terrace and this would rival such films as conan2, phirranas, anacondas2, shrek, love actually and king cobra. this film is, surprisingly, better enjoyed halfway through a bottle of whisky.
Worthless made for TV remake........2006-02-08
The script makes no sense whatsoever at any time. The scenes are stolen from other movies such as Jaws, pirrhana and Alien. The monsters are for some unexplained reasons capable of withstanding being perferated by bullets, yet are remarkably flamable. All the characters are unconvincing and badly developed. The movie is idiotic in every aspect, and never entertains.
Absolutley nothing to recommend it.
Enjoyable low budget eco-thriller with horror aspects..........2005-02-15
This is an entertaining and well made low budget horror thriller with a little bit of eco-awareness thrown in. Although this movie is a sequel, it's sold over here as Humanoids from the Deep without the 2 at the end, which could confuse some people. However, not to fear, as the events of the previous movie are regularly explained. This isn't an all out horror, in fact it feels like a cross between Jaws and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and has more of a thriller feel to it. Some horror fans may possibly find it a little disappointing, as it isn't particularly scary or violent, though it does have some surprising scenes, and the monster is pretty cool looking. The basic plot is that people start disappearing in a coastal town after a company starts dumping toxic waste into the dock, and it soon becomes a race against time to stop the source of the disappearance, the film's namesakes, the Humanoids from the Deep. The cast is actually pretty solid, most of them have a reasonable history of TV acting and are therefore very watchable, unlike the casts of similar B features. The only things I can really fault it for is its sometimes worthy tone and possibly the fact that the film drags a little in some places. Other than that, this makes a fun watch, especially if you like light horror-eco-thriller type films like Jurassic Park and Independence Day. It is much lower budget than those films though, and some of the more violent sequences won't be for everyone. But if you're happy with that, this is an enjoyable creature feature which shouldn't disappoint, and it has a cool ending to boot.
Customer Reviews:
Hark working film.......2008-01-31
Don't judge this film until you understand the time and effort that these guys put in to making this dream project into reality.I ejoyed this film as it has humour as well as action,and each character was played well and not over the top.Making an independant film is what most people could only dream of The makers and cast put the heart into this which you will realize upon watching the making.It's a great film which deserves to be seen,top marks from me.
Amazon.co.uk Review
As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in I, Robot. Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; I, Robot, the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, and James Cromwell. --Bret Fetzer
Customer Reviews:
fails to deliver.......2008-02-10
I expected so much from this movie , Will Smith hadn't done anything good for a while and the trailer was excellent . I thought I was going to watch a moderm version of Terminator or Blade runner but this movie is neither.
Will smith plays a cop who does not like robots very much as is asigned to investigate the murder ( apparently by a robot ) or a programmer who desings robots to help humans 9 they are evrywhere ).
Alongside him Bridget Moynahan helps him in the investigation ( the chemistry between the actors is the same as the one between Gordeon Brown and George Bush ). the plot can become a bit muddle and has some very good ( but hardly credible action scenes .
The is some elegant camera work but will Smith is angry and confused the whole movie ( no dry humour threre ) and almost ruins the whole movie by himself.
It could have been so much better
Terminator + The Lawnmower Man = a film about as real as a chocolate tea-pot.......2008-02-09
I Robot is a decent film. That's about it however - as per usual in modern film making, what it lacks in story is made up for with CGI, so it came to no great surprise that Will Smith was acting in front of a Blue Screen about about 95% of the film.
The plot has potentinal, but is suffered by being dampened with Big Will running away from robots, mechanical diggers, and oh yes... those things called humans. And then he has to try and keep up the one-liners every 20 seconds which gets pretty lame. For example, a cat looks at him...
"C'mon man, it just aint gonna happen - you need to find your own partner. For starters, i'm black (oh dear...) and I'm 6ft 3"
What gives the film it's humorous side is the impossibility of pretty much every action sequence. At the end, we see him darting about on top of a giant mainframe thats thousands and thousands feet high, standing on jumping around on platforms that are as slim as your shoulders. Yet he manages to beautifully twist and turn between each one, only to keep saying "Damn I'm scared of heights, this is NOT where I wanna be!).
And like in a typical Chuck Norris film, he has a serious case of 'unlimited ammo', as when a hurdle of hundreds and hundreds of robots attack him on the mainframe, he never re-loads his gun once.
The only difference I Robot offer's from most other technology related/modern flics is that it simply puts all these different themes together in a fancy computer generated package! And though the robots are truly convincing close up, Big Willy's car chase in the tunnel is less than convincing, as he does about 50 360 degree turns in 5 seconds (whilst still travelling at phenomenonal speeds).
Even Audi cashed in on this one - Smith drives a flash new concept car developed by the funny lot. Though if that's what the future of the car industry looks like, i'll stay well clear of German automobilia...
So... I Robot make look like a typical CGI packed film with very little convincing scenes.. and that's because it is! Though for under a fiver, i'd buy it for the laughable factor - Armageddon is currently top of that list for me!
Best Azimov on Screen So Far.......2007-11-23
When I suggested to Will Smith that he should do "I, Robot" I warned it was inevitable that people would say the result wasn't close enough to the Azimov's writings. Go ahead - you try. Azimov's books are for reading and I understand that translating it to cinema is a big challenge. For me, there were many scenes in the movie that were exactly what I imagined as I read. Smith's character was a little experimental but after Independence Day, I was completely convinced that a little of his characteristic cockiness would make it more entertaining for modern audiences. I still laugh when I think about him smacking the alien in the face (Independence Day) in their first face-to-face encounter. Azimov's work is not comedy however and I would take that back today, but would still be very happy with Smith as the lead character. I am willing to take responsibility for Smith's humorous deviation from pure Azimov. It was my fault. I will say however, that his portrayal merely added a little rather than being completely different (while not denying that the addition made it different).
Russian immigrant Azimov blended commentary on mass social (and political) movements and cultural differences in his writing as clearly as descriptions of science and environment - which rivaled Jules Verne. The robot rebellion itself, complete with central computer, mirrored the Bolshevik Revolution and rise of Communism. He defined (take this literally) the meaning of "hero." (One person can make a difference.) Some might have been more satisfied had the film included a Blade Runner type narration to beat home particulars - to have made the central computer's (V.I.K.I) reasoning for the take-over clearer. While viewing with others previously unfamiliar with the story, I heard some "What?" - "Why?" and even a "What's wrong with that?" The apparent loss of understanding of the evil of dictatorship and value of freedom convinces me that Azimov's work is as important today as it ever was.
I think it is important to bring Azimov's work to the screen, not least because it is some of the very best science fiction produced in the twentieth century. And I do prefer keeping films true to the original work. I would argue that this film is the best adaptation of Azimov so far. Letting action speak for itself - to some extent - is not entirely wrong in film. I am hoping that sci-fi fans everywhere will join me in encouraging more Azimov at the movies in the future; regardless of the challenge. Perhaps a nip and tuck here and there will bring the experience a little closer to the read. But I will now caution viewers just as I caution movie-makers. If you really want the full experience of the book - read it!
A great film none the less.......2007-10-27
I found this film thoroughly engaging and was supplied with a host of ingenious and clever acting from suprisingly Will Smith. With cutting edge directing from increasing star Alex Proyas and a large number of production greats I concur I have some isses to discuss. Why rate it a fifteen just because of a trailer for AVP which sadly was uter garbage with noble respects to Ridley Scott and James Cameron. The marketing industry are losing sales to the younger fans by a higher certificate than its original release. None the less a great adaption of Isaac Asimovs Robot novels that have supplied endless imaginative ideas
A future murder mystery.......2007-10-05
The movie starts by showing the Three Laws of Robotics. They appear within what are the workings of a robots positronic brain. Though taken from a number of short stories by Isaac Asimov, do not expect it to be faithful. It is a fast paced detective story. Filled with action and many great special effects.
Will Smith plays our detective, Del Spooner, and suspects a robot of murder. He believes a robot, called Sonny is the murderer. Though no one else can even conceive of such a concept. He follows a trail of clues that leads him toward solving the case. Will is his usual self in this movie...just in better shape.
In contrast, we have Dr. Susan Calvin played by Bridget Moynahan. She believes that Sonny did not commit murder. For it would violate the main law of the Three Laws of Robotics, that is hardwired into each robot. She starts off true to the Asimov character, but evolves, as all good characters should in a good movie.
Though a Sci-Fi/Action Adventure movie. Its plot is that of a murder mystery. And in that aspect, I think this movie was well done. And you will be thrown a twist during the course of the movie. If that is not enough for you. You may just want to watch a movie for great action and fun.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Reinterpreting HG Wells' The Time Machine, one of the most well-loved science fiction classics both as a book and in its 1960 film incarnation, was always going to risk critical condemnation. Yet despite all the problems experienced in making the film (reshoots, September 11 comparison fears, Guy Pearce breaking a rib), this new Time Machine is still great fun. Critics and naysayers may point at the obvious timeline gaffes, the lazy groundlaying for a sequel, or even the radical departure from Wells' scenario, but the film is still gorgeous to look at and imbued with a sense of carefree adventure. Pearce plays Professor Hartdegen with just the right touch of distraction turning into passionate resolve. The secondary cast all manage to make something of their brief on-screen appearances, too, notably Mark Addy as faithful friend Philby, Samantha Mumba as Morlock babe Mara and Jeremy Irons making more of his shadowy baddie than might be thought likely. The film's chief accomplishment is that it in no way supersedes the George Pal version. If anything, it enriches the spirit of fun it has happily inherited.
On the DVD: The Time Machine 2002 incarnation has picture (2.35:1) and sound (Dolby 5.1) that are as pristine as you'd expect from so recent a digital FX extravaganza. In the extras department there's plenty to keep you busy: a gallery of production drawings, an action sequence animatic, three trailers, four mini-documentaries on stunts, FX, Morlocks and building the Time Machine. The only thing missing is anything acknowledging the 1960 version or the link with director Simon Wells (the author's great-grandson). Wells joins editor Wayne Wahrman for one commentary track dealing with the broad strokes of conceptualisation and changes along the way. Commentary two is from the Designer, FX Supervisor and Producer, so is naturally more technically focused. --Paul Tonks
Customer Reviews:
not bad for a remake.......2007-12-18
Yes, another remake. However the result is not bad at all, although the critics can't seem to agree on how good this film this.
So, what is better ?? The plot certainly. After the murder of his wife to be, the inventor tries to use the time machine to change history, and after failed attempts to stop her death, decides to travel into the future and find out why he can not change the course of history. His quest so answer the question, what if ?, has serious consequences.
The 'baddie' Morlocks are certainly better in this film, and Jeromy Irons, as their cheif manages to steal the show, although his part is fairly brief. Mildly shocking, is the time traveler's first findings, when investigating the Morlocks underground caves.
The conclusion of this film, is slightly less obvious than the original film, which is also a plus. The whole approach to this film is more modern, and so it should be after all these years. There is no good reason for you not to enjoy this.
Cynical branding exercise.......2007-12-09
Although this is by no means an irredeemable movie, it really has very little to do with the Wells novel it purports to portray, substituting a rather inferior plot and conferring some ludicrous longevities on today's artifacts. (Go and look, for instance, at the average hundred-year-old tombstone and speculate on whether a stone engraving might survive 800,000 years unscathed by weathering.)
Under some other title, this might earn 3 stars or more, but the use of the highly regarded brand to entice viewers to the film is shallow and cynical.
POOR REMAKE.......2007-10-26
Okay, some of the ffects were good, but here endeth the praise.
Beyonce looked lovely but the interpretation of a classic story just didn't get there.
No time like the present..........2005-12-28
I must confess that I march to a different drummer when it comes to this film. I enjoyed it for the most part, and find it very clever in many aspects. The major drawback comes from the plot - it is far too simplistic for the elaborate care that went into both the visual aspect of the film as well as the nice touches at almost every turn.
The plot is rather simple - Alexander Hartdegen, a mechanical physics professor in turn-of-the-century New York (turn of the nineteenth-into-the-twentieth century, that is), has his head in his equations, apart from one thing, his love for Emma. When she is killed in a botched mugging (yes, New York at that time even had muggings in Central Park), Hartdegen drops everything to invent the time machine he'd theorised, in order to prevent Emma's death. He soon makes the discovery that it isn't possible to undo the past (at least not that aspect of the past), but becomes obsessed with finding the reason why. He speculates this is more likely to be answered in the future than in the past or present, and thus goes forward in time. He makes a few stops along the way before arriving at a far-distant future (nearly a million years in the future), in which the human race has evolved into two distinct species - one on the surface, and one below the earth.
So far, so good - departure from H.G. Wells' original classic (a great piece of literature) and from the earlier film, but not beyond the pale. The effects here are truly stunning in many respects - the time machine itself is a marvel (the DVD has a feature on the making of the machine), and the time transformation scenes are very inspiring, up to and including the zoom-away shot from the machine into the air all the way to the city on the moon. The Eloi city along the river is also a remarkable scene. The movie rightly won awards, including the Academy Award, for these effects. Unfortunately, effects do not a movie make. This is where the plot failure comes into play.
Hartdegen seems to give up far too early in trying to change the past, and his relationships (such as we get to see them) in the future are very stilted. Jeremy Irons (himself an Academy Award winner) has precious little screen time, to deliver what is perhaps the most anticlimactic resolutions I've seen in a long time. The overarching question should be 'why?', but seems to transformed into 'what if?' in an unclear way (the deleted introductory scene, available on the DVD, helps to more firmly establish the question, but, alas, it was deleted). Hartdegen remains in the future (like Wells' and the earlier film's scientists, albeit in a different way), perhaps to help transform the future, but we'll never know (a sequel is not likely).
Despite the thin plot, what I found most enjoyable (apart from the special effects) were the clever touches here and there, far too numerous to mention. When Hartdegen arrives in 2030 (prompted by an advertisement proclaiming 'the future is now'), he encounters a user-friendly library computer (personified by Orlando Bloom) with a real sense of humour and humanity. When Hartdegen asks about time travel, the library computer even incorporates Star Trek gestures and sound effects into its discussion (as well as the yet-unwritten musical version of 'The Time Machine', by Andrew Lloyd Weber). One woman in the distant future speaks English (now called the stone language, for the stone engravings that remain from store fronts and the like), but speaks without accent (strange enough, but even stranger that New Yorker Hartdegen sounds more British, as does the Morlock leader Jeremy Irons).
Indeed, there are so many little pieces here is seems that the writers spent more time trying to incorporate bits of cleverness throughout the script than making sure the script as a whole had thorough soundness.
Another piece I really liked was the music. The sombre brass tones, the triumphant orchestral arrangements, the folk/modern synthesis for the Eloi, and the dramatic scoring really enhanced this film beyond measure. The DVD has bits of the score that replay on a loop sequence during menu screens, and I've sometimes left these on to hear the pieces over and over again.
The DVD has one of the better menu sequence set-ups I've seen, simulating the machine effects in visuals and sound, as well as incorporating score elements and special effects. DVD extras include the delete scene, commentaries by many of the crew, several pieces on the special effects (including one on the time machine itself),
This is a fairly good film, despite its flaws. Overall I would award it three-and-a-half stars, but will round up to four in honour of the effects, the music, and clever pieces.
A Remake Of The Classic 1960's Film.......2004-08-01
Doing a remake of the hugely successful Time Machine movie from 1960 was always going to be a comercial risk. It was going to have to be pretty good to do well at the box office and even better for the critics to like it. I was quite sceptical before seeing it becuase like most people i had loved both the popular H.G Wells novel, and the 1960 film, and didn't want this to be a second rate remake. Now that i have seen it, i can say that it wasn't second rate at all, and although its not as good as the original, in fact it is still a very enjoyable film.
Guy Pearce plays Alexander Hartdegen, a proffessor at the University Of Columbia who is highly interested in the 'what if's' of life, and when his girlfriend whom he has just asked to marry him, is shot in a struggle between a mugger, Alexander spends two years building a time machine so that he can go back and change what happended. However after several attempts at trying to save her and failed, he realises that he can never change what happened and sure that the answer lies in the future, he travels eight hundred thousand years into the future. There he meets the Eloi and Morlocks, and sees exactly what has happened to the world which treasured so many milleniums ago. The Morlocks are the masters, living below the ground, and the Eloi there slaves, or more precisly their food!
When Mara, one of the Eloi who befriends Alexander when he arrives, is taken into the lare of the Morlocks, he immediately begins searching for a way in, so that he can save her and hopefully stop the reign of the Morlocks. Once below, he is captured and imprisoned and there he meets the Uber-Morlock, the one who controls them all. He explains exactly why the Morlocks came to be and also answers the question that Alexander came into the future for. He is then offered the chance to return to his own time and forget about what he has seen. However he is determined to save the Eloi from the terrible fate that awaits them all, and this means destroying the Morlocks altogether.
The acting in this movie are pretty good alround really. Guy Pearce is convincing as Alexander Hartdegen, the proffessor with what is seen as very radical ideas, by his piers. Mark Addy makes an appearance as David Filby, Alexander's kind and loyal friend. Sienna Guillory is well suited to her role as the love of Alexander's life. And lets not forget Samantha Mumba who makes her debut appearance in a feature film as Mara, One of the Eloi who is kidnapped by the Morlocks while Alexander is in their tme. The director of this film is in fact the the grandson of the great H.G Wells and so is really very well suited to direct this film and in my opinion, does a nice job.
I also must mention the special effects side of this movie, as there are plenty of them going on right through the film. CG technology was used a lot in the film; the whole representation of time traveling such as the ivy growing over the the grrenhouse, the change in fashion and the advance in technology such as cars. The geographical time travel was the same. CG was also used when the Morlocks aged about a century in a few seconds, and this helped to give the detail of the skin rotting ad sropping off and the bones decaying etc. If you look really hard at these bits you will be able to see the effects, but if you just accept the film for what it is you will enjoy it a whole lot more.
When it came to creating the Morlocks, the director called upon the help of Stan Winston's multinational special effects company who came up with thousands of sketches and some really amazing puppet things that have really realistic facial expressions, and it was these that were used in the movie. Of course, lets not forget the centre piece of the movie, the actual time machine itself, which took months to build, and is the biggest and most time invested prop ever. It was definately worth it though, becuase it really does look beautiful in the film with all the gold and glass etc.
On the DVD itself there are a number of extras that make it worth getting just that little bit more. Firstly there are a number of small documentaries, about five or so minutes long, about the different areas of special effects, for example there is one on the creating of the Morlocks, and one on the building of the time machine itself. Secondly there are a number of trailers: the original cinematic trailer and a teaser trailer. Thirdly there is a commentary with somone involved in the making of the film (i'm not sure who) and he explains loads of diffrent things about the film, as its playing. Then of course there re the usual extras, subtitles etc for the hearing impaired.
Overall, although this re-make is not quite as good as the 1960 original i personally think that it is not too bad and will entertain viewers for a good few hours. If you have seen the original Time Machine film or have read the book by H.G Wells, then i would recommend that you watch this, although don't expect it to be quite as good, however don't be too harsh either. Just ask yourself if you enjoyed it for the few hours it was on, even if it wasn't as good as the original, and i think most people will find that answer is yes.
Customer Reviews:
humanoids from the deep.......2005-11-02
I first saw this in the early eighties at my local cinema.
I liked it so much I went to see it more than twice.
You can rely on a film with doug mcclure containing rubber (men in suits) monsters ( at the earths core/land that time forgot etc)
But this is adults only gory entertainment.
Looks dated by todays standards but stands out as a classic of the genre.
On release the film was slated by womens libbers saying it degraded women and potrayed them as sex objects.
Little did they know at the time that the film was directed by a woman.
All in all if you have an 80 min timeslot you wont do worse than give this a try, its by far better than some of the CGI drivel on the shelves today.
An absolute classic!.......2004-11-16
Doug McClure's name on a movie poster is obviously a guarantee for high-budget, totally credible action films with intricate plots. In this absolute classic a bizarre marine-biological experiment leads to fish turning into (Male) humanoids and terrorising a small coastal town, killing the males and trying to mate with the scantily-clad local females. Cue our chisel-jawed hero...
DVD Review:
- The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl [2005] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Ant Bully [US Import] [HD DVD] [2006]
- The Batman Legacy (4 Disc Box Set)
- The Black Hole [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Dragon Dynasty, Vol. 3: The Protector [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Golden Goose [1964] (NTSC)
- The Last Man [1999] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Little Vampire [2000] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Lord Of the Rings [1978] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Lost Treasure of Sawtooth Island [1999] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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