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Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, Mary Steenburgen, Charles Cioffi, Patti D'Arbanville ... see more see more... , Antonia Katsaros , Corey Feldman , Geraldine Baron , Larry J. Blake , Bill Bradley , Rita Conde , Michael Evans , Lou Felder , Jimmy Garrett , Gordon Anthony Davis , Shelley Hack , Gene Hartline , Hilda Haynes , Jim Haynie , Dan Leegant , Leo Lewis , Joseph Maher , Laurie Main , Keith McConnell , Boyd 'Red' Morgan , Ray Reinhardt , Nick Shields , Clement St. George , Wayne Storm , Byron Webster , Kent Williams , James Cranna , Stu Klitsher , Clete Roberts , Antonie Becker , John C. Colton , Bob Shaw , Andonia Katsaros

It's H.G. Wells (Malcolm McDowell) versus Jack the Ripper (David Warner) in the fanciful Time After Time -- and, per the film's title, the chase extends from the 19th century to the 20th. Wells has bu... read more read more...ilt a time machine in his cellar, which the Ripper uses as a means of escape. Both men find themselves in 20th century San Francisco, and, after a period of adjustment, they make themselves at home. The plot takes a dark turn when the Ripper, disappointed that Wells' dreams of a Utopian future have not come to fruition, resumes his murderous activities. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

68% liked it

6,379 ratings

Critics

86% liked it

28 critics

PG, 2 hr.

Directed by: Nicholas Meyer

Release Date: August 31, 1979

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DVD Release Date: August 6, 2002

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Stats: 390 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (390)

  • ajv2688
    January 7, 2011
    ajv2688
    This is my favourite of all the Jack the Ripper theory themed movies. It has a bunch of good actors, and the story is good, and it's a great adventure too.
  • rubystevens
    September 22, 2009
    rubystevens
    very entertaining. happy b-day, hg
  • kenstachnik
    September 4, 2009
    kenstachnik
    Take a barrel of monkeys, multiple that by pi and you'll have an idea of how fun this movie is.

    HG Wells allows Jack the Ripper to escape in time through the use of his time machine, so naturally HG follows him to 1979 in order to capture him. Surprisingly funny and light heart... read moreed for a movie of it's body count.
  • dhetteix
    July 19, 2009
    dhetteix
    A well thought out "what if" crime caper. HG Wells seeks out his former best-friend now revealed as Jack the Ripper, as he takes up his prostitute-slaying ways in 1970's San Francisco.

    The morality lectures are short and to the point, and evoke a clever subplot: the Ripper is de... read morelighted by the decadence of modern society, almost tenderly declaring that it is where he belongs... while Wells languishes as his ideals of a future utopia are crushed.

    Thankfully, for a time-travel film, the obligatory "culture-shock" sequences don't overstay their welcome, and a both characters manage to act with actual intelligence in covering up their origins to avoid being thrown into the nuthouse.

    A clever little innocuous exercise which stands out for deftly avoiding the genres pitfalls... though, it hardly rises above them.
  • sononothing
    June 15, 2009
    sononothing
    Nicholas Meyer's Time After Time is an interesting film. It takes two of the most prolific figures of turn of the century London H.G. Welles (Malcolm McDowell) and Jack the Ripper (David Warner, the photographer that loses his head in the Omen, or for you younger fans is the thug... read more working for Billy Zane in Titanic.) and sends them to 1979 San Francisco. This probably sounds idiotic and ridiculous, but the film uses Welles folklore (mainly the time machine) to give the film a little more credibility as Welles chases Jack after his identity is revealed to the authorities. It's a basic fish out of water story for Welles, yet The Ripper fits right into the violence of late 20th century America. Welles does find a girl named Amy (Mary Steenburgen, who ironically ends up with another time traveler in Back to the Future Part III).

    Time After Time is a film that is actually better than you would expect. The story is far fetched, yet you can still believe H.G. Welles is wandering the streets of San Francisco. Malcolm McDowell delivers his best performance since Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange. His out of his element face and emotional force when needed makes you feel for his character and what he goes through later in the film. David Warner is equally great as the creepy Ripper, making you see where he's coming from when he tells Welles that he was made for this violent age. Steenburgen is cast in a conflicted role that has her liberated one minute and totally dependent on Welles the next. She pulls it off with great ability and succeeds in keeping up with her two co-stars.

    A fast paced adventure in our own back yard if you will, Time After Time is a great combination of thriller, adventure, and romance that delivers a film that far exceeds the total of its parts.
  • pier007
    November 1, 2008
    pier007
    If you put H.G Wells and Jack the ripper side by side in modern times, it may sound ridiculous, well it is, but when it's done like this, with style, with two great actors like Malcolm McDowell and David Warner playing them, a beautiful score by Miklos Rozsa, adding time travel, ... read moreadventure, romance, and humour to the odd but sweet mix; all you can do is step aside and enjoy the ride.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    August 18, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    Superb time travel movie with H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper in modern-day San Franciso. Very enjoyable and well made. There's romance with Mary Steenburgen as well.
  • garyX
    December 30, 2006
    garyX
    Enjoyable oddity that pits H.G. Wells against Jack The Ripper in "modern day" (well, 1979) San Francisco. A nice mix of sci-fi, thriller and romance.
  • burgerstar
    August 29, 2011
    burgerstar
    Jack the Ripper uses HG Wells time machine to do his thing in !970's San Francisco. Malcolm McDowell is actually the good guy for once!
  • Dannyrovira
    January 3, 2012
    Dannyrovira
    A literate, witty motion picture with moments of high suspense which is marvelously written and directed by Nicholas Meyer. The infamous Jack the Ripper, played superbly by David Warner who delivers a truly unnerving and chilling performance has returned to continue his horrific ... read morereign of terror in Victorian England years after he vanished, he has just finished murdering a prostitute by gutting her; with the police hot on his bloody trail he appears at a social gathering at the home of his good friend H.G. Wells, brilliantly played by Malcolm McDowell in a intelligent and extremely charming performance; the Ripper's real name is Dr. John Leslie Stevenson he is the chief surgeon at a London hospital, Wells informs his guests that he plans to travel to the future in a "Time Machine," which he has constructed for that very purpose, he escorts his guests to the basement where he shows them all the machine, and in detail explains how it operates; returning upstairs to the living room, Wells tells his guests that he strongly believes that the future will be an utopian society where men will live like brothers and in equality with women, then his maid enters and informs Wells that the police are at the door and wish to speak to him, when he goes to meet them; they tell him that the Ripper has returned and is in the vicinity and that they have cordoned off the neighborhood, as the police search Wells house they fine Stevenson's leather satchel containing a pair of bloody gloves and a knife. After the police leave to hunt Sevenson who has disappeared from Wells home, it dawns on Wells how he must of escaped justice, when Wells runs down to the basement and fines his machine gone, the empty machine returns back to the point of origin in the basement because Wells still has the key to it., which makes it come back. He gets into his machine and takes off after Stevenson who gone from the year 1893 in London to the year 1979 in San Francisco. Wells is amazed at the progress man has made over the course of a century, he also discovers that the cold-bloodied Stevenson has resumed with his sadistic murderous activities, Wells while searching for Sevenson meets and falls in love with a currency exchange officer named Amy Robbins, played wonderfully by Mary Steenburgen, she and McDowell have a terrific romantic chemistry that make their scenes together amusing and so endearing, as a matter of fact the two stars really fall in love during the production of this film and later married. Amy gives Wells information that leads him to Stevenson who has exchanged pounds for dollars at her bank; he escapes from Wells and is now targeting Amy, it becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse between them and time is running out! An engaging and utterly winning fantasy film. Highly Recommended.

View All Time After Time Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
June 5, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

A delightful, entertaining trifle of a film that shows both the possibilities and limitations of taking liberties with literature and history. Full Review

Dave Kehr
June 5, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Clever and well calculated. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 9, 2005
Janet Maslin, New York Times

A movie that's as sweet as it is clever, and never so clever that it forgets to be entertaining. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

There are a lot of nice touches in Time After Time, but the overall plot is too obviously scripted. Full Review

June 5, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Meyer makes a fine directorial debut, pacing the film for optimal suspense despite some obvious holes in the script. Full Review

Steve Crum
February 6, 2007
Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers

Underrated classic mixing H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper. Stylish, even the music.

Geoff Andrew
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

After nearly two hours the tension has evaporated, and all that's left is a curdle of jokes and brutality. Full Review

Christopher Null
February 25, 2006
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

This cinematic oddity is nonetheless a true guilty pleasure. Full Review

Rich Cline
April 6, 2005
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

tense and gripping

Nell Minow
January 14, 2005
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Terrific little time-travel romantic thriller with three outstanding performances.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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