A Masterpiece!

A different way of telling a story

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

TIME TRAVELLER is an unusual time travel type movie starring Josh Hartnett, ill at ease in a role which requires him to put on a British accent. The bizarre thing about this is that the present day story is merely a framing device that feels like it gets in the way of the main tale, a typical historical romance set in 18th century India. I think a straight-up historical story would have worked a lot better. As usual, the film suffers from heavy-handed scripting, presenting stereotypical British soldiers plundering their way through the Indian subcontinent and asking us to believe in a fierce warrior-woman who's more than a match for her male counterparts (yeah, right). The director isn't too bad but the story never goes very far, making this a slight effort.

First of all this film was beautifully done, it deserves the stars given. The music, the cinematography, and the acting were all done well (aside from a few minor and unnecessary scenes by supporting roles).The main disappointment with the story was the past and present coming together in a more fluid and fulfilling fashion. This is where the entire film seems to fault and lose a good deal of satisfaction. The story involves lovers in the past and lovers in the future. In the past the lovers only share a brief time together amidst much conflict. Their fate seems to be sealed from the beginning by visions of betrayal, death and a unique set of rings that intertwine into one ring. Many issues with the story arise in the transition of past to present and the meaning of the rings. Some questions seem to go unanswered if not viewed carefully. Having read some reviews it seems viewers overlook important details due to rapid scene changes and a constant search for significance. For example, it's easy to completely miss the explanation of how one half of the ring comes to rest at the bottom of the ocean in a metal snap purse with the initials D.E. engraved on it. The answer is actually mid story. The character named Dolly, played by Alice Englert, actually holds the purse in her hands while the camera quickly closes in for a brief closeup. There are the initials and the one hint that gets sadly overlooked because it seems unimportant at the time. But this hint is crucial for understanding how half of the ring is discovered in the future. There is also a bit of confusion regarding the rings. Initially they seem to relate to love that cannot be fulfilled due to the cursed nature of the visions shared by Tulaja, the lover from the past who is played by Bipasha Basu. At first the rings seem to betray the lovers. Later in the story the combined rings seem to bring good fortune due to their mystical powers which are never clearly explained. Granted in the end it seems the rings symbolize the complexity of love, at times difficult, binding and powerful. But the problem for most viewers may not be in the rings themselves or their meaning. The greatest conflict within the story seems to surround the fact that the characters played by Josh Hartnett both in the past and future don't end up loving the same woman. If the lovers were the same people throughout the entire time line the film may have received a better reception. As another reviewer mentioned, The Fountain (starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz), also explored a love across time. This story had a sense of closure and satisfaction because the lovers were the same in the past, present and future. The characters in that film came full circle. In The Lovers, they sadly do not reunite the way most wish them to. The female lover from the past appears in the distant future in a recognizable form only to give the other half of the ring to another woman who is in love with the possibly reincarnated version of her past lover. This creates a considerable amount of conflict. It leaves one wondering why one lover finds happiness and the other can't. Will he one day bring half of a ring to her future reincarnation to allow her the same happiness with another? One will never know. It's a very unselfish interpretation of love, which is why most people won't enjoy that outcome. Everyone wants the two lovers from the past to find each other in the end. That apparently wasn't the point. It's not hard to imagine that the writer's intention was to express that love, which can transcend time, will wait its turn. It's just not as satisfying for the general public who are used to two hour films with happy endings. This story bends the rules but it's done lovingly. Although I was left wanting closure I appreciated the attention to quality and wouldn't regard it a bad film because it didn't end the way I wanted it to. It was also nice to see Harnett again.

2nd review ever, only to shove it in all the pompous amateur critics on this site who almost made me turn away from this entertaining adventure-rom....yes not everything is spot on, mainly how the ring ended up on the ship....use your imagination folks, if any of these reviewers paid attention , the main characters brother was under his direct command .....ya so hard to figure out....disregard the other reviews who hate all but masterpieces...solid heartwarming movie with adventures action and drama...and the cinematography is breathtaking. must add....historical fans don't worry, the modern plot comprises 10 min or so of the movie and could have been left out...cheers to a farm in Massachusetts!

This review is meant only to emphasize that current rate (4.5) is not at all fair in my opinion, and here are the reasons behind my statement: 1. Very good playing, all actors made me feel like the story was real. 2. Good plot, it may have been presented as rather being sci-fi but time factor in this movie is like the backbone of a living person: not in plain sight but yet it holds the whole body up, too much science would have been altering the story, which is beautiful by appearing as being simple, though not simple at all, the very end proves it. 3. It is, in my humble opinion, one of the most inspired attempts to capture the timeless feature of love. And it's supreme quality of being unconditional. Instead of conclusion, for those in search of a more scientific movie, challenging their minds with riddles and special effects I would suggest to look for something else since this one is about The Lovers (much more suggestive title) seeking to find peace beyond the limits of time. Tip: Watching this movie without expectations is the best way to enjoy it.