Review: Timeline (2003)

Timeline

Matinee

It's shameless, I know, but this movie is nice, simple fun.  Michael 
Crichton, the author of the book on which this film was based, is a 
bang-up writer who can craft a scene filmically on paper; it's 
natural that people want to make movies of his books.  Some work 
super, even when simplified (Jurassic Park) and others, 
wellŠ(Sphere).  Timeline is only inferior to Jurassic Park in sheer 
fun by not having been directed by Master Spielberg.  The science is 
too complex so one has to either have a wordy exposition or simplify 
greatly - and what do you really need to know except we have a 
wormhole through time to 1357 and in 1357, battles are extremely cool 
and scary?

So it's a little sci-fi, a little smartypants archaeology 
(increasingly hip thanks to Dan Brown and Crichton himself), a little 
adventure, and a tidy bundle of fun.  It's not literature, it's not 
epic, it's just a really fun pot-boiler with some great set pieces 
and some rewarding tie ups.  Superman and Lethal Weapon director 
Richard Donner knows some stuff about making simple material fun, and 
in light of his filmography I think he was a great choice.  The book 
is really interesting and complex, and I recommend reading it, but 
screenwriter Jeff Maguire did a great job slimming it down.

You'll notice how much I am making of the reduction aspect; I want 
you to see this film, but see it in an informed way.  The reason you 
would see it is for the fun action sequences and the fish out of 
water time travel aspect, really.  Not unlike the obligatory Star 
Trek episode where they end up on 20th century earth for some reason 
(a noble tradition), Timeline enjoys making it easier than it should 
be to jet back 650 years.  Now, keeping in mind the lingustic 
differences and all, the book explains that since they are all 
experts in this field, they spoke some Old French and Old English; 
but this movie has no time for subtitles - we must dash in and start 
whipping up the trebuchets!  We have history to preserve!  And the 
props and sets are truly fantastic, it's worth a rent just for them.

Hottie Gerard Butler runs all over "heartthrob" Paul Walker's namby 
pamby booty in this film, and we can almost forgive him for Tomb 
Raider and remember his hotness from Dracula 2000.  He's got to get 
himself into some more reputable films, but he really owns this one. 
Billy Connolly (no, it's not Trek star Colm Meany) has too little to 
do but every time he's on screen, the film gets a little better. 
Frances O'Connor is miscast as a grown up Hermione Granger but she 
also infuses the film with more energy than it probably deserves. 
All in all, it's clear that it's a big, expensive labor of love, and 
it's a fun little ride.  Read the book, though, seriously.

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These reviews (c) 2003 Karina Montgomery.  Please feel free to 
forward but credit the reviewer in the text.  Thanks.    You can 
check out previous reviews at:
http://www.cinerina.com   and   http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com - the 
Online Film Critics Society
http://www.hsbr.net/reviews/karina/listing.hsbr - Hollywood Stock 
Exchange Brokerage Resource

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X-RT-RatingText: 4/5