the time machine start in new york during 1899 where professor alexander hartdegen ( guy pearce ) propose to his beloved girlfriend emma ( sienna guillory ) who accept and unfortunately just after they be attack by a mugger and emma be shoot dead and dy in alexander arm . jump forward four year later and alexander have build a time machine which he use to travel back to the night emma be kill in order to save her but she be still kill and only a different way this time . alexander realise whatever he do and however many time he go back emma will always end up dead one way or another and he yearn to know the answer why so he travel far into the future to discover the truth . however after have destroy the moon two new race have evolve on earth and the human like eloi and the monstrous morlock that eat the eloi . alexander decide to stick around and save the eloi . direct by simon well who be actually the great grandson of author h. g. well who write the original the time machine book on which the original the time machine ( 1960 ) film be base and it be in fact the 1960 film that producer john logan script be base upon here rather than well original literally source . while all three share the same basic story and idea this remake add the subplot about alexander fiancé emma be kill and that the reason he invent a time machine rather than just because he be clever and he can . the script be a mixture of sci fi and action adventure and drama none of which really grab me or engage me that much and sure there be a few pretty special effect and a few nice action scene and the moment when alexander question be answer regard why he can not save emma be actually quite intelligent and make sense it never really captured my imagination and i be never really move by it either . the time travel aspect of the time machine feel very similar to terminator 2 represent judgment day ( 1992 ) in the sense you can not change the past but at the same time the future be not set only the time machine isn not anywhere near as good a film a terminator 2 represent judgment day . the character be alright although i think guy pearce just look too young to be a brainy scientist capable of invent a time machine and there never any real explanation behind it mechanics either a it like one moment there no time machine the next he have invent and make one and it work perfectly . i reckon the back to the future trilogy offer far more thrill and laugh and excitement and general entertainment value than the time machine ever do and while i will stop short of call it a bad film since it move along at a decent pace and tell a reasonable story and have it moments i wouldn not call it brilliant or even particularly good . there be also a cheeky little reference to the book and original film which be both name check here . the benefit this modern version have over the original be the development of special effect and in particular cgi which lead to scene of time rapidly pass around alexander in his time machine complete with huge building be build and new ridge and canyon and mountain be form and a elaborate pan back which end up in space a we see passenger rocket orbit the moon . the effect work be good and there be one or two moment that look a little below par but generally speak the effect be good . i saw the time machine on telly and the station play it badly pan and scan it so the left and right edge of the frame be cut off the screen thus cut off part of the year on alexander time machine dial so i actually do not know what year he go to . apparently director gore verbinski take over the last eighteen day of film a well be suffer from extreme exhaustion while the imdb say that the time machine itself be the big and most expensive prop ever build for a film at that point which i find hard to believe and guy pearce break a rib during a fight scene but like a trooper carry on . with a supposed budget of about $ 80 and 000 and 000 the production value be high with a lovingly recreated period new york and good effect work although amazingly the time machine be nominate for an oscar for best make up but lose out to frida ( 2002 ) . the acting be mixed and jermey iron put in a good performance in a terrible make up job that have him look like a reject from a lord of the ring film while singer samantha mumba make her big screen debut here and be simply terrible although guy pearce be quite good and fairly likable . the time machine isn not a particularly bad film or a particularly good one and just a somewhat unremarkable one that be watchable and pass an hour and a half but not much else . watch back to the future ( 1985 ) again instead .