Based on the classic sci-fi novel by H.G. Wells, "The Time Machine" stars Guy Pearce in the role of scientist and inventor, Alexander Hartdegen, who is determined to prove that time travel is possible. His determination is turned to desperation by a personal tragedy that now drives him to want to change the past. Testing his theories with a time machine of his own invention, Hartdegen is hurtled 800,000 years into the future, where he discovers that mankind has divided into the hunter - and the hunted.

I have to admit that I was very sceptical going into this movie. I had heard mainly bad reviews but I just had to see if Samantha Mumba was as bad as I thought she was going to be - call it morbid curiousity. Plus there was Jeremy Irons who I think is always a great actor to watch and Guy Pearce who well...lets just say I find him aesthetically pleasing and leave it at that.

The first half mainly confirmed my fears. The acting was pretty wooden to say the least, and that was before Samantha Mumba appeared. As for the american accents of Guy Pearce and Mark Addy (the Full Monty)...I winced a little. However once it got to the actual time travelling it picked up a lot. The journey to the far far future is admittedly rushed but there is a nice little interlude involving a know-it-all hologram (and you thought star trek: voyager had the monopoly on that!) on the way.

The story really gets going when Hartdegen arrives 800,000 years in the future. The Morlocks were very well animated. Singer/ and now Actress Samantha Mumba, and her younger brother (Omero Mumba) weren't as bad as I feared as members of the hunted Eloi and Jeremy Irons made an excellent Uber-Morlock (though there was far less of him than I would have liked). Guy Pearce manages to go from total geek to ruggedly attractive as he battles the future and loses the annoying accent. The film doesn't stray too much from the original movie and even if it's not the best film of the year it should be worth catching at some point.