Being the Medieval freak that I am, you know I had to see Timeline on opening day. Now I'ma tell ya, I was ordered to bed rest and fluids until all my tests next week... I went straight from the Doctor's office to the theater. heh. Hey.. Those seats recline, sorta, and root beer is liquid! This movie was worth disobeying orders.
Timeline is about a group of archaeologists who are digging thru the remains of a castle that was central to a battle in 1357. The company financing this dig has discovered a worm hole which leads directly to April 4, 1357. Some of you will recognize that date... not a day you'd really wanna be jumping directly into. heh.
Well, the leader of the dig does just that for various reasons and now it's up to his son and some of the other folks on the dig to follow him back to that day and rescue him. Glorious battles happen.
I love this movie!
Billy Connolly is just a lot of fun in anything he does. Here he is Professor Edward Johnston, he who must be rescued. I don't think I've ever seen anything I didn't like Connolly in. Quite a few of you will recognize him as having been Billy MacGregor in TV's Head of the Class, but he was also Barry Kolker in White Oleander. He does not disappoint in this one.
Frances O'Connor (Windtalkers, A.I.) is Kate, the love of Chris, and one of the Archaeology students who travels back to help save the Professor. O'Connor did well here. There was a place or two that I kinda rolled my eyes a little.. but just a tad. Through most of it she was excellent.. but just that one spot where she fails to find a certain tunnel.. I dunno, the regret she was trying to get across was a bit forced. Like I said, over-all she did just fine.
Paul Walker (Fast and the Furious, Pleasantville) plays Chris, the supposed star of this show. Now, I liked Walker just fine, and he did look good in the garb of the period.. I'll even say he ain't a bad actor. But, he's the blonde haired, blue eyed pretty boy and the show was really stolen by....
Gerard Butler! Butler plays Andre Marek, the head Archaeologist under Professor Edward Johnston. Butler is the bomb. This guy in longish hair is just flat out gorgeous and fit right in amongst the 14th Century knights. Talk about swoon action! Man that guy had my heart all a flutter. AND he can act up a storm. I may go see this one again on the big screen just to see him larger than life. I'll definitely be buying the DVD when it's available. I mean, you can just see the yearning in his eyes to live back in the day.. and he gets his wish. I must confess I liked him in both Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life and in Reign of Fire, but this movie is the one that had me falling head over heels in lust.
Then ya have David Thewlis as the dastardly Robert Doniger, head of the company which is fundiing all of this mayhem. He's out to save his own rear end with little thought to who dies. See now, Thewlis was perfect for this role. I even recognized a bit of King Einon from Dragonheart in this role. Thewlis just does an evil spoiled brat soooo well.
Timeline is based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name. I had not known about this book or I'd have done bought it by now. I'll correct that oversight shortly, to be sure.
Richard Donner is the director responsible for all this dashing sword play. You know him, you love him, he did all the Lethal Weapon movies, The Omen, Ladyhawke, Maverick... yup. That guy. This has the fun elements of his previous ventures.
The cinematography was wonderful! Oh man the sky view of the flaming arrows crossing each other from both sides was fantastic. The Trebuchets were imposing and excellently reproduced. Costuming took a few liberties but for the most part were perfect. Kate's sideless surcoat was spot on and the armor was just really done well.
This movie runs about 2 hours and is Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences and brief language. Well, I'm saying any age. I don't really recall any language myself, and yeah yeah the battle sequences were rough and very realistic... so what... no mental harm to any kid to watch this.
I liked this one so well I almost stayed to watch the next showing of it as well, but wanted to get back here and tell you folks how perfectly marvelous this movie is. Highly recommended. This one is going on my 'best of 2003' list....
Popular action star Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious) leads an ensemble cast as a group of young archaeologists who confront the intrigue--and pe...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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