Timeline (2003)

Director: Richard Donner

Writer: Jeff Maguire, George Nolfi (Screenplay) Michael Crichton (Novel)

Starring: Paul Walker, Frances O’Connor, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly, David Thewlis, Anna Friel, Neal McDonough, Matt Craven

Plot: 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 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 travellers find their body count rising, and the deadline for their return home is rapidly approaching.

Verdict: Not Quite There

Story: Ever film that is based on time travel tries to find something different to make it stand out, and I will give this one credit. It does pose a different idea to what we are used too, the whole 3D fax machine that creates a wormhole is new but very farfetched. If we are being honest this story is about saving an old man but sacrificing a group of young men who make the trip back. That alone would ask a few questions really. Most of the support cast are solely there to be killed off which leads to even more questions about the point in the mission. (6/10)

Actor Review

Paul Walker: Chris the son of the Professor who doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, but will drop everything to go on a mission to save his life, even though he should already be dead. Good performance from Walker showing his potential in an early role. (7/10)

Frances O’Connor: Kate one of the team who is determined to find something and will put her work before any relationship. Good performance but in the end is a very annoying character due to over reactions in the past. (6/10)

Gerard Butler: Andre a man with passion for the past, who risks more damage to what has happened when he tries to save Lady Claire from the fate she already suffered. Good performance from Butler who showed he was the action star of the future. (8/10)

Billy Connolly: Professor Johnston the man behind the dig who has put his career ahead of being a father to Chris, but he gets trapped in the past and calls for his team to risk their own lives to save him. Not the best from Connolly who looks lost a lot of the time, it didn’t help that his character is the catalyst for everything that happened. (4/10)

David Thewlis: Robert the brains behind the time travel operation who fails to tell the team all the risks but shows what he is made of during the story after the machine gets destroyed. Good business man role worrying more about covering himself than the people whose lives he is risking.(7/10)

Anna Friel: Lady Claire the lady whose death drove the French to victory but after she gets saved by Andre who is meant to be the motivation for the victory. Good performance pulling off the accents perfectly. (8/10)

Neal McDonough: Frank the solider sent back to protect the team with his experience of previous trips, but he gets more than he has bargained for. Good performance in a supporting disposable character role. (6/10)

Director Review: Richard Donner – I think it would be fair to say this film was a little bit too ambitious to put to film without any real major stars at the time and a lot gets lost in translation. (6/10)

Action: The battles sequences are big and full of plenty of action. (8/10)

Sci-Fi: The different idea for time travel works really well, but still leaves plenty of questions. (7/10)

Settings: Good authentic settings created for both past and present scenes. (9/10)

Suggestion: This is one to try it is not brilliant but has some good ideas that don’t quite come off but the effort should be given credit. (Try)

Best Part: Andre character steals the show.

Worst Part: Questionable reason for doing the traveling.

Action Scene Of The Film: The final battle.

Favourite Quote: ‘So what you are saying, it that you accidently discovered time travel’.

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Box Office: $44 Million

Budget: $80 Million

Runtime: 1 Hour 56 Minutes