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Remakes are very tricky things for a screenwriter (let alone a director) to get right., Classic movies are usually remade simply because the original films have a built-in audience that will most likely make the film a box-office hit regardless of its quality (take a bow Tim Burton's Planet Of The Apes)

Of course, films famous for their special-effects also pose a tempting target for ideas-starved filme executives - as merely updating a film stylistically and technically is often thought of as a just remake. It boggles their minds to consider that the best remake of recent times was Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven - which remade a relatively poor film into a funky success.

H.G Wells' The Time Machine, published in 1895, is a novella that ultimately paved the way for science-fiction to tackle the idea of time-travel, and so is quite rightly considered the grandfather of this overused sci-fi device. His book was successfully adapted to the silver screen once before by George Pal in 1960, but now Simon Wells (great-grandson of H.G, no less) is adapting this great work of literature once more for a contemporary audience.

In fact, screenwriter John Logan has actually decided to remake the original film, which is held in such high regard by filmgoers already. As a consequence, the movie is less the second adaptation of a great novel, and more a weak retread of an existing film adaptation (with niftier effects, obviously).

To be fair, Logan makes some pleasing additions to the overall plot (a better reason for Guy Pearce's hero to actually invent time-travel, amongst others). Director Wells updates the environments and creatures to fine effect, while still managing to retain a style the original movie had - particularly regarding the Time Machine's design and effects wizardy whilst travelling through a "speeded up" world.

Guy Pearce, fresh from critical acclaim in Memento, is pleasingly na=EFve as the supposed genius Hartdegern, although he's quite clearly on autopilot in a role that isn't too difficult to play. Samantha Mumba is surprisingly good as the female lead - playing Mara, a member of the futuristc Eloi race who understands Pearce's ancient English language. Again, no acting here is really a sizeable test for any true thespian, but Mumba acquits herself very well in her first starring role - as does her younger brother Omero Mumba as Kalen.

Jeremy Irons delivers a pleasing rasp of evil to proceedings as the "Uber Morlock", but his expected beefy role is criminally just a one scene moment (believe it!). A special mention should go to Orlando Jones - whose role in this movie is the sole example of true originality and wit, managing to shine in his brief sequences as a holographic librarian (for want of a better word!)

The Time Machine is an enjoyable, lightweight romp that should please kids under the age of twelve, while those old enough to remember the ground-breaking original film, or who have read H.G Wells' novella, will be left wanting. By and large, the changes made to this remake are sound enough, although the addition of a romantic tragedy for Guy Pearce is never a wholly satisfying starting point for the adventure.

However, save for a few bad moments, the special-effects are generally quite good - although it's a shame the Moon disaster sequence has had to be cut to shreds in light of September 11th (featuring, as it was supposed to, the destruction of New York skycrapers by flaming moonrock). The cannibal Morlocks are a huge improvement over the lumbering dolts of the original film, and the weedy Eloi of Pal's movie are also far more believable in Wells' remake.

It just doesn't quite gel together somehow. Wells' pace is fast and spirited, but just when it gets interesting the film rushes into a climax that, ultimately, just leaves you perplexed it's over so quickly! Indeed, Jeremy Irons role in this film should have pushed things to the next level... but he instead signals the imminent end!

Overall, it's difficult to hate The Time Machine, especially if it were a TV-Movie Special (which it resembles in scope and style throughout). Thankfully it does improve on some key elements of the book and George Pal's movie, while the special-effects are pleasing - but pedestrian by today's standards. Sadly, all the depth, nuance, and social commentary of the book is totally abandoned, together with the inherent charm of George Pal's effort, while the thrill of the time-travel never truly excites as it should.

Curiously, I always hated the original film once star Rod Taylor arrives in the Eloi/Morlock future Earth... but with this 2002 remake things actually started to improve around this exact same point... only to falter because of an unnecessarily abrupt finale, the stupid waste of Jeremy Irons, and an unsatisfying conclusion. But, this is nowhere near the worst remake I've ever seen, but I can't help thinking they should have adapted the book again, and not just remade George Pal's movie with a few 21st Century bells and whistles...

Review copyright © Dan Owen, 2002.

DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier.

PC games reviewed by the editor are on: