I still remember how the critics ripped it apart when it was in the theatres, but I went to see it anyway. Since I happen to enjoy movies when I’m expecting the worst and am disappointed when I’m all hyped up, I had a good time.
One big problem with it was that two thirds of the movie took place in the present, not exactly what I’m looking for in a time travel story. But fortunately nowadays it’s different as Walker starts in 2004 and ends up in 1994
I loved the way the make up artists aged the 2004 Van Damme and rejuvinated his 1994 alter ego, a nice touch about the movie I had completely forgotten about. Another thing I enjoyed and couldn’t remember was that he gets to save his dead wife for a happy end, instead of the usual whiny rant of such stories that you can’t change the past and shouldn’t, even if you could.
The only thing that takes off points from this B-movie gem is that the villain is just too cheesy. Furthermore the martial arts stuff that’s a given with Van Damme movies could have been toned down a bit, at least for my taste.
So, what are you waiting for? Go watch it, already! =)
My favorite part is the expert way in which he defends himself against the guy who attacks him in his apartment with the knives. Hold knife directly verticle pointed up to deflect all attacks to your face and chest, hold knife directly verticle pointing down to deflect all attacks to your torso. Now THAT’s realistic combat!
Eh, it wasn’t the worst Van Damme movie, and it did have that neat part where they kick off the guys frozen arm, which was rather cool. But still, that whole “There’s never enough time” pick up line of his…something about the thought of Van Damme pleasing a woman makes me want to vomit. Maybe it’s the accent, I don’t know.
Eh, it was better than Universal Soldier Returns! That’s not saying much, but hey, you take what you can get.
It’s funny, because just yesturday they showed a bunch of episodes of tthe Timecop t.v. series on Sci-Fi. It wasn’t very good either, but at least each episode took place at a different time that wasn’t the present day, which was pretty neat.
All I remember about it is that the date they arrive back in time was my birthday.
And that even though there’s a happy ending, hemissed out on many years of life with his family, though they remember experiencing it with him. A time travel paradox side effect that makes my head spin.
I’ve always wondered why the physical laws of causality cause the “same matter” that happens to be in the “same place” at the “same time” (ugh, how many times did we hear those three phrases?) to mutate into some horrific CGI-fest that looks just like cheap late-90s faux-fluid magically disappearing from view. I’m sure that’s exactly what Einstein was predicting.
My point is more this: Even IF what the movie postulated is true, that this was the “same matter”, wouldn’t its reaction be more akin to a matter-antimatter reaction, and the contacted material would be the only matter affected? Why would the guy’s left hand melt if his right hands were what came in contact, in other words?
It’s like a “Magic Science” mentality, witnessed in every significant Sci-Fi series (from Star Wars/Trek to The Matrix to… hell, at least The Fifth Element pretty much admitted it was mysticism mumbo-jumbo from the get-go).
Well, I agree that it’s annoying when people think that just because they have one impossible piece of technology (timetravel) in the movie, they get a free pass to do any nonsense.
But come on: Apart from such minor technicalities, the movie is awesome!
Oh and where do those 7 years come from? Does that mean cells have such a short lifetime that 7 years from now no original cell will be left intact, but that they have been replaced in their entirety by new cells through division? I feel kinda dirty doing it, but you wouldn’t happen to have a cite handy for that?
I think “regeneration” is also a pretty bold term, after all, if I cut of my pinky, it’s still going to be missing in 7 years. Shoddy regeneration, if you ask me.
(TimeCop 1994)