Review of Time After Time (2011) by Steve D — 18 Oct 2010

"My name is H.G. Wells. I came here in a time machine of my own construction. I am pursuing Jack the Ripper, who escaped into the future in my machine.".

Best movie ever?

I checked this out after seeing it on a Top-Ten Time Travel Movies list and found myself intrigued by the synopsis: Malcolm McDowell plays H.G Wells who has invented a time-machine but it is hijacked by Jack the Ripper so he must travel to 1970s San Francisco to track him down. He even meets Doc Brown's girlfriend along the way.

Sounded great, if only for the novelty but sadly the novelty soon wears off after being dazzled by McDowell's 19th century moustache. We get to enjoy the moments where the time traveller is fascinated by McDonald's French fries, gets hit by a car when crossing the street, struggles with escalators but all this great stuff along with the set-up soon suffers from poor direction and slow pacing.

After long, its all just too ridiculous. Jack the Ripper would have an incredibly difficult time committing the same amount of carnage he did in the 1800s- the superior time-travel film, Demolition Man, had the better idea of sending the killer to a world unfamiliar with violence where he could easily reign supreme.

There are better films to get your cravings for McDowell or time-travel. Just watch Clockwork Orange and Back to the Future simultaneously.