Timeline (2003)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers (WGA):

Michael Crichton (novel)
Jeff Maguire (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 November 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

They had to travel into the past to save the future

Plot:

A group of archaeological students become trapped in the past when they go there to retrieve their professor. The group must survive in 14th century France long enough to be rescued.

Plot Keywords:

France | Ruins | Battle | Village | Team

Cast

Paul Walker	...	Chris Johnston
Frances O'Connor	...	Kate Ericson
Gerard Butler	...	Andre Marek
Billy Connolly	...	Professor E.A. Johnston
David Thewlis	...	Robert Doniger
Anna Friel	...	Lady Claire
Neal McDonough	...	Frank Gordon
Matt Craven	...	Steven Kramer
Ethan Embry	...	Josh Stern
Michael Sheen	...	Lord Oliver
Lambert Wilson	...	Lord Arnaut
Marton Csokas	...	Sir William De Kere / William Decker
Rossif Sutherland	...	François Dontelle
Steve Kahan	...	Baker
David La Haye	...	Arnaut's Deputy

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences and brief language.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #40033)

Filming Locations:

Harrington, Québec, Canada

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Frank Cappello wrote an uncredited draft of the script and his name appeared on a few of the original teaser posters and trailers along side credited writers George Nolfi and Jeff Maguire.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kate and Marek are examining the monastery cave-in, they see a decorated section of the wall, which is damaged. When Kate and Chris go to the same section of the wall in 1357, it is decorated differently, and they break out a larger section of wall than what was missing in the present.

Quotes:

Lord Oliver: [to Lady Claire] God be with you, Lady.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Journey Through 'Timeline' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Just A Little Bad

Why you should read the book AFTER you've seen the movie

This is the worst movie-from-book that I've ever seen! While they did a pretty good job filming Jurassic Park, the seriously messed up with Timeline (same author). So, I would suggest you watch this movie before you read the book, otherwise the lack of "fanta-realism" and the differences between book & movie will be too irritating.

Some people blame the fact that you have to put a 300 pages book into a 2 hour film, but Jurassic Park did fine and, thou the theme is totally different, the writing / plot style is pretty the same. It would be acceptable if the techniques used in the book would be taken seriously! I mean, replacing the whole quantum physics idea with a simple "wormhole that can only be found by accident"? Oh please! In the book they tested everything for a dozen times and they had like 3 versions of the machine! There even was a backup plan! So besides this lack of believable technology, you have the "history plot"... English soldiers that start chasing 5 peasants in a crowd of like 500 peasants with this reason "Hey, why aren't you packing yet?".

+ What's with the language? Everyone in the movie is capable of speaking both English and french... except the main characters! Somehow they only understand English. Even the "pure french people" seem to be able to understand English :p Why didn't they do some research (why research, it's all in the book) on the languages? Why didn't they at least try to simulate some kind of medieval scene? This one is definitely one for my "worst movies ever" list.

But, don't get me wrong! The books is extremely strong! Read it!

(sorry for bad English but my native language is dutch...)