Timeline poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Paul Walker, Frances O'Connor, Gerard Butler, Billy Connolly, David Thewlis ... see more see more... , Anna Friel , Neal McDonough , Matt Craven , Ethan Embry , Michael Sheen , Lambert Wilson , Marton Czokas , Rossif Sutherland , David La Haye

Directing his first film since 1998's Lethal Weapon 4, Richard Donner helmed this big-budget adaptation of Michael Crichton's novel of the same name. Featuring a script by first-time screenwriter Geor... read more read more...ge Nolfi, Timeline begins in France in the near future. A group of students from Yale are there studying a medieval site, when their professor, played by Billy Connolly, mysteriously goes missing. To make matters more enigmatic, the students are then taken back to the United States by a shadowy technology company called ITC, led by Robert Doniger (David Thewlis). The eccentric Doniger explains that because of a machine that his company built, their professor is trapped in 14th century France. In order to rescue him, two of the students, Chris Hughes (Paul Walker) and Kate Erickson (Frances O'Connor), along with Andre Marek (Gerard Butler), an archeological site manager, must travel to France, circa 1357, amid archaic war, deadly diseases, and other unexpected pitfalls. Meanwhile, David Stern (Ethan Embry), a third student, stays behind to keep an eye on the shady Doniger. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Flixster Users

51% liked it

54,815 ratings

Critics

12% liked it

138 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 18 min.

Directed by: Richard Donner

Release Date: November 26, 2003

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 13, 2004

Get It:

Stats: 2,923 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Timeline Gerard Butler Timeline Timeline Timeline Timeline Timeline Timeline Timeline Timeline Timeline Gerard Butler Timeline Timeline timeline Push it Now It's Me!!!! Gerard Butler, Frances O'Connor, and Paul Walker,
Upload a Photo | View All Timeline Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,923)

  • FilmFanatik
    December 27, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    A pretty forgettable film that goes nowhere fast.
  • garyX
    September 30, 2010
    garyX
    When a group of archaeologists are sent back to the past to locate their missing mentor they are caught up in the seige of the castle they were excavating during the hundred years war. Timeline was on the receiving end of a critical savaging upon its release but I can't for the l... read moreife of me see why. It's predictable, corny and the plot is about as plausible as Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure, but it's a Hollywood family friendly adventure so of course it is. Richard Donner has proved time and again he is more than capable of producing entertaining, tongue in cheek light entertainment and Michael Crichton's story is just more of his usual brand of theme-park-meets-history that goes down so well the rest of the time. The set pieces are fun, the swashbuckling well executed and the characters are all perfectly likable (with the possible exception of the gratuitous yank sleepwalked by Paul Walker). A perfectly servicable if forgettable family adventure that's no worse than many others of its ilk; if you liked A Knight's Tale, you'll probably like this too.
  • EightThirty
    July 13, 2010
    EightThirty
    11/07/2010 (TELEVISION)

    I caught this on TV the other night and decided to watch it. I saw this years back and I remembered that it was good.

    It is quite interesting and from what I know I think it is also a novel. If this is a novel then I have no doubt the book was better a... read morend after watching the film, I can tell that it's got to be a great read.

    An alright choice for the "I have nothing better to do" occasions.
  • puffchunk
    February 1, 2010
    puffchunk
    Well, I ruined most of the enjoyment from this movie by reading the book. It of course was way better. It all felt a bit rushed, and they kinda changed the entire story of alternate dimensions and what not for simplicity reasons, which was why it was interesting to begin with. ... read more Points added for having Billy Connolly, Butler and Sheen in it. The time travel paradoxes are out of control, but hey it's just a movie.
  • fb733768972
    January 13, 2010
    fb733768972
    There's no way that this could ever be fixed to be a great film, but it does have it's ups to it, and I think they overcome most of the failed scenes!
  • jjnxn
    December 7, 2009
    jjnxn
    Mindless piffle in which talented actors like Michael Sheen, Gerard Butler and Frances O'Connor collect a paycheck for pretending that the ridiculous storyline has some kind of validity. But if you're just looking for something actiony that doesn't have to make sense, here ya go.
  • ythelastman89
    November 18, 2009
    ythelastman89
    I can't even begin with how much I hate this movie. Let's start with the cast, Paul Walker and Gerard Butler. Two blockheads who can barely talk, I thought Vin Diesel and Paul Walker was the worst it could get. Then the script, thanks for destroying one of Michael Chrichton's bes... read moret books. The plot was torn to shit and how is Paul Walker supposed to be taken seriously as a scientist? If that's the IQ of scientists now, everyone's in serious trouble.
  • kiriyamakazou
    August 29, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    This film seems a lot older than 2003. Not in a bad way, the feel is very much cheesy 90's blockbuster, in a retro nostalgic kind of way. Perhaps not quite the big blockbuster it was trying to be, Timeline is still an enjoyable romping adventure. The time travel aspects are so-so... read more, just an excuse for some action. I liked the beginning, with a man returning and dying with his body slightly out of line. Perhaps this could have worked better as a conspiracy/mystery as those opening minutes are the best. The film does well to avoid that irritating "time" humour that invades most time-travel films. It's also interesting to watch now, with a cast that went on to much bigger and better things, mainly Sheen and Butler, giving impressive performances that obviously went some way towards them being noticed.
  • DerekA101
    November 8, 2008
    DerekA101
    I will admit, this movie had a lot of potential, and the book was wonderful (RIP in Michael Crichton). But this movie falls heavily short of expectations.

    Timeline is about a group of young archaeologists who travel back in time to 1357 France to rescue their prof... read moreessor. They travel back in time with the help of a secret experimental organization (ITC I think it was called).

    Realistic? By no means...

    Fun and entertaining? Could've been.

    What ensues is a boring plot of so-called "action." However, I will admit, the arrow battle in the end was a great scene, but the hand-to-hand battle that followed was horribly acted, short, boring, and pathetic. There was never a final climatic battle between the main antagonist and the main protagonist... hell, for that matter, the main villain in this movie wasn't even believable nor intimidating. All the characters were cardboard cutouts which is disappointing because the storyline was fairly interesting.

    One bright spot out of the whole movie was the acting of Gerard Butler who played Marek. If the movie would've been centered around his character, and gone more into detail about his love and desire for medieval leisures (like joisting, sword fighting, bow-and-arrows, etc), and maybe even giving him a bigger more powerful role, then this movie would've been 10 times better.

    Paul Walker easily gave the worst performance, but he was poorly cast because his character played such a small role. He seemed to overact to compensate for such short air time, but it was all-around awful.

    This movie is worth watching if you're into medieval films, but it will leave you with no desire to watch it again. Just don't expect too much.
  • bbcfloridabound
    March 27, 2008
    bbcfloridabound
    Saw this movie when it came out in theathers, and then saw it again today. It was far better today, maybe it was the company (ex-wife). Anyway Costumes were great and kept you on the edge of your seat, ashame this type travel isn't possible, I am ready to go.

View All Timeline Reviews

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
November 5, 2008
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

This big-budget adventure is based on a recent Michael Crichton thriller, though its premise is too stale to instill the sense of wonder critical to great sci-fi. Full Review

Robert Koehler
October 18, 2008
Robert Koehler, Variety

Yet another case of making time travel a messy ordeal rather than a load of fun, Timeline lacks the consistent tone, pace and point of view for either a science fiction thriller or medieval war advent... Full Review

Ed Park
December 2, 2003
Ed Park, Village Voice

C'est la 'B'! Timeline is crudely written, haphazardly acted, and improbably fun. Full Review

Richard Roeper
December 1, 2003
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

It's like Back to the Future without the laughs. Full Review

Richard Harrington
November 26, 2003
Richard Harrington, Washington Post

Time travels, but it sure doesn't fly by in this debacle.

Ann Hornaday
November 26, 2003
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Resembles a Star Trek episode by way of Scooby-Doo.

Peter Howell
November 26, 2003
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Curiously lacking in energy, which may be the result of an obviously cut-rate production budget that skimps on the sci-fi sizzle. Full Review

Glenn Lovell
November 26, 2003
Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News

This dunderheaded mix of sci-fi and medieval skull-bashing should have been called Monty Python and the Holey Time Machine.

Carla Meyer
November 26, 2003
Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

The direction by Richard Donner ... is usually a beat or two off, and the dialogue seems clumsily ad-libbed. Full Review

Joe Baltake
November 26, 2003
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

A goofy, curious entertainment -- something of a guilty pleasure, a film that invites you to jeer and laugh in equal measure. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Butterfly Effect
    The Butterfly Effect (97%)
  • Enemy of the State
    Enemy of the State (31%)
  • The Lost World - Jurassic Park
    The Lost World - Jurassic Park (23%)
  • Men At Work
    Men At Work (50%)

More Movies like Timeline

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Timeline : Watch Free on TV

Timeline Trivia

  • Which Actor Was: -Brian O'Conner In The Fast And The Furious -Dean Sampson In She's All That -Jared In Into The Blue -Lewis Thomas In Joyride -Chris Johnston In Timeline  Answer »
  • Which of the following films is NOT based on stories written by stephen king?  Answer »
  • From what movie is this qote "We are speeking the same language but you don't understand a word I'm saying"  Answer »
  • Who was the heart throb in the movie Timeline?  Answer »
More Timeline Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Timeline. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add Timeline to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?