The Time Machine

Play trailer

The Time Machine

PG-13,

2002,

1h 36m,

Sci-Fi/

Action/

Adventure/

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

28%

151 Reviews

Tomatometer

32%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

28%

Tomatometer

151 Reviews

32%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

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.

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.

Read Critics Reviews

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 29, 2010

4/5

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

Go to Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Mar 27, 2009

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.

Go to Full Review

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Nov 6, 2002

2.5/4

If H.G. Wells had a time machine and could take a look at his kin's reworked version, what would he say? 'It looks good, Sonny, but you missed the point.'

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Aug 4, 2026

1.5/4

...a progressively lackluster endeavor...

Go to Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Apr 20, 2025

3/5

…this 2002 edition wasn’t quite the definitive version of the HG Wells time-travelling story we were looking for, but it’s not awful; there’s a few vestiges from a bigger, better film, a few sly grace notes which make it worth the watch….

Go to Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 26, 2022

4.5/5

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

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

David T

Apr 18, 2024

string testing this review to see if it will be shown with the word that I am about to use to describe this movie. in INT the woord is trash

See more

Hagrid R

Mar 23, 2019

The contemporary modern update of H.G. Wells' science fiction novel impresses at the advantageous production scale and remained connected to the story's consequential time-traveling core with well-intended additional bits, but the adventurous take validates the loose adaptation with campy impacts. (B) (Full review TBD)

See more

Oct 30, 2018

One of my favorite movies of the 2000s. It gives reason to his journey. The to go back, and the need to move forward.

Hagrid W

Oct 17, 2018

GOOD FOR CASUAL VIEWING Personally, I didn't think that the movie was bad, in fact I thought it was good. However, it needs some improvement: 1. The scene where his girlfriend dies doesn't seem real enough 2. The Morlocks were also too fake Well, not everyone is satisfied with this movie but I really don't mind it. This is a movie I could watch again. Now here's the things I liked: 1. It was entertaining 2. Not that bad (except for a few things) for a 2002 movie 3. Contained most elements of the book 4. Good acting (However not amazing) My rating: 82-84

See more

Sep 4, 2018

I have no idea why the ratings on this movie are so low. It contained most of the elements of the book and was done in a very interesting way. The time travel visuals are IMHO probably the most accurate visual portrayal of what time travel would look like from the travelers perspective. The acting was good, not great but good enough to keep me intrigued with the characters. The set design was superb in every era. They seemed to have spent a lot of time getting the sets built. The music was off the chart good and sticks with you long after the movie is done. About the only part that let down in the movie was the bad creature design for the flesh eating Morlocks. I thought the part played by Irons as the master of the Morlocks was well done. Overall the movie was well worth watching.

See more

Leia W

Mar 19, 2018

A perfectly watchable if ultimately disappointing retread of the old H.G Wells novel. Sadly there is not much else the film says and other time travel adventures have been bolder and imaginative.

See more

Read all reviews

Simon Wells

Director

Guy Pearce

Alexander Hartdegen

Samantha Mumba

Mara

Mark Addy

David Philby

Sienna Guillory

Emma

Phyllida Law

Mrs. Watchit

View more videos

Waterworld

61%

43%

Waterworld

Watchlist

The Perfect Storm

47%

63%

The Perfect Storm

Watchlist

Independence Day

77%

75%

Independence Day

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Independence Day

The World Is Not Enough

50%

49%

The World Is Not Enough

Watchlist

Tomorrow Never Dies

57%

53%

Tomorrow Never Dies

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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: Walter F. Parkes, David Valdes
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)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings