The Time Machine

This glossy remake of George Pal's now-cheesy 1960 H.G. Wells adaptation sports far too many currently fashionable Hollywood conventions (wise-cracking sidekick, boo-hoo backstory) to enjoy much of a shelf life before it too becomes laughable. But for now, the 2002 version is passable as a stimulating, entertaining, brain-teasing popcorn pleaser. Guy Pearce (Memento) stars as Wells' late-19th century aristocrat who travels through time in a handsome Victorian-era Rube Goldberg contraption of brass, glass and spinning dials. Witnessing a global disaster in 21st century (different from the original's nuclear war), our hero then travels 800,000 years hence to discover that the remnants of humanity have evolved into two races, one of which literally feeds off the other. Terrific CGI time-travel effects show the world in fascinating fast-forward, but huge chunks of the plot appear to have been left on the cutting room floor. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include a pair of audio commentaries--from director Simon Wells and editor Wayne Wahrman; and producer David Valdes, production designer Oliver Scholl and visual effects supervisor Jamie Price--a narrated storyboard sequence, a six-minute deleted scene, segments on creating the Morlock species (Jeremy Irons talks about getting to know the makeup artists who spent five hours daily making him into a stark albino) and other visual effects, a stunt fight sequence, and a conceptual design gallery. Bottom line: A very solid extras package for a reasonably entertaining film.] (R. Blackwelder)