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Timeline [2003]
![Timeline [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51AMW006YGL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £19.99
Our Price: £3.99 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
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 hope 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 travellers 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 is 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
Nearly five stars!
Review date: 2008-10-19 Rating: 8 out of 10
Good fun, watchable, and enjoyable. Harmless, if a little unbelieveable. Well acted and a good collection of faces. Worth watching, but what was King Leonidis doing in middle ages France? lol.
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Reviews
' Timeline ' a Good Effort
Review date: 2007-09-16 Rating: 10 out of 10
Rather than repeating the plot line I will pass general comments.
It was only after watching ' Timeline ' was I aware that it was Directed by ' Richard Donner ' { think Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut }
Timeline's has a Claimed budget of $ 80,000,000 although this may be widely inaccurate.
You really have to watch it twice as it grows on you and it does have some very interesting extras.
The Trebuchet Scenes make up for any plot holes . { and ' Night Arrows ' is a very interesting concept }
By the way there was a substance that was called 'Greek fire' which may have been a 'thermite-like' reaction, possibly involving a quicklime or similar compound.
Its the only DVD I know where I ended up supporting the French against the English.
All in all its a enjoyable dvd.
Rubbish
Review date: 2007-07-29 Rating: 2 out of 10
It's rubbish. I'd give it a minus if Amazon allowed.
Save your money.
Buy the book instead.
They say creative authors die young. Poor Michael Crichton must be just about ready to pop his cork if he has seen this abortion of his novel.
The book is fantastic. Please buy that and avoid this movie pile of acky-poo!
A fine example of the Dumbhouse genre
Review date: 2007-07-13 Rating: 8 out of 10
You may not be familiar with Dumbhouse, possibly because I just made it up. Think Grindhouse, but big and stupid instead of cheap and exploitative. These are the kind of films that entertain because they are so daffy and make so little sense - either through ineptitude or simple laziness - and Timeline fits into this genre perfectly.
The story goes: Archeologist Billy Connolly is trapped in fourteenth century France, an accident caused by a Stargate-type gizmo that's created a wormhole in time. Connolly's son - Paul 'Bro' Walker, who is rebelling against archeology - teams up with a group of similarly underqualified folks to dress up in costumes and head back in time to rescue dad. They're in a real rush about it, too, which makes no sense when you think about it. And that is the joy of Dumbhouse.
What makes Timeline such a great Dumbhouse film is that it centres around time travel, and those stories hardly ever work - always leaving themselves open to giant plot holes and random idiotic happenings. With this one, that means treating the wormhole as though it is a tunnel to another place rather than another era (Why rush? The fourteenth century was over quite a while ago and you are TRAVELLING IN TIME) and explaining the time travel process by comparing it to sending a fax (there's a reason why it's called a facsimile, fake scientist types - you don't send an actual piece of paper down the phone line). What Timeline does best is prove that time travel can never be possible because it's just too stupid to exist.
Another prerequisite for Dumbhouse status is the presence of a wooden actor, and we get that in the form of Walker. To be fair to the guy, it's not all his fault. His character is given hardly anything to do, leaving him to wander around in search of some charisma. He doesn't find any.
There's more to say - Anna Friel's baffling accent, our heroes' tendency to extricate themselves from trouble only to stumble right into it again (seriously, these guys are the worst time travellers ever) - but there isn't space here to do it justice. Suffice to say, fellow connoiseurs of Dumbhouse should check this one out immediately. It's spectacularly awful.
Oh dear....
Review date: 2007-06-06 Rating: 2 out of 10
I read the book and was totally blown away by the way Crichton sells you the impossible! I ordered the film having read the reviews, but 'made for telly' is definately the vibe here, and it aint even great telly! Having said that it is an enjoyable sort of romp all the same. One thing though is that Thewlis (a very fine actor) is dreadfully miscast, as are some of the others, and I found it hard get past the 'Allo Allo accents of the French played by english or american actors.
Hopefully one day this will be made into a much better film or perhaps a big budget mini series.
It was fun to see Gerry Butler in a film after the terrific 300.
Rob
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Paul Walker
Gerard Butler
Billy Connolly
Frances O'Connor
David Thewlis
Creators:
Paul Walker (Primary Contributor)
Gerard Butler (Primary Contributor)
Brian Read (Producer)
Derek Hoffman (Producer)
Don Granger (Producer)
Gary Levinsohn (Producer)
George Nolfi (Writer)
Jeff Maguire (Writer)
Michael Crichton (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Entertainment in Video
Manufacturer: Entertainment in Video
EAN: 5017239192296
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2004-04-26
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 115 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2003-11-26
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)