Timeline

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Timeline

PG-13

Released Nov 26, 2003

1h 56m

Adventure

Action

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

13%

Tomatometer

141 Reviews

45%

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50,000+ Ratings

While working at the site of an archaeological dig, Professor Johnston (Billy Connolly) stumbles into a wormhole and plunges back in time to 14th-century France. Mad scientist Robert Doniger (David Thewlis), who accidentally created the wormhole while developing a teleportation device, sends the professor's son, Chris (Paul Walker), and protégé Kate (Frances O'Connor) back in time to retrieve him. Unfortunately, their rescue mission is sidetracked by a bloody battle between France and England.

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Critics Consensus

This incoherently plotted addition to the time-travel genre looks and sounds cheesy.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Weakly entertaining Middle Ages fantasy.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 29, 2010

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Timeline takes the most ridiculous movie plot ever and multiplies it by ten.

Nov 5, 2008

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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.

Nov 5, 2008

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…utter gibberish…feels like a time-capsule from the past when $90 million could be spent realising an overtly terrible load of old cobblers like this…

Rated: 2/5

Aug 4, 2024

Full Review

Sarah Cartland

Caution Spoilers

The passage of time has given this daft and badly-acted sci-fi caper a certain eye-popping charm - bolstered by, if not solely due to, a soaking wet Gerard Butler spinning French aristocrat Anna Friel round in a coracle.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 1, 2021

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

This feels like a film worthy of re-appraisal. It is not some hidden gem or classic, but it is a solidly made and effective science fiction thriller with a good cast and a well-paced three-act story.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 29, 2021

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Ralph R

Timeline turned out to be way more enjoyable than I expected. It doesn’t dig too deep into the whole time travel logic, which might leave sci-fi fans a little underwhelmed, but it leans into the historical adventure side of things in a way that works. The pacing keeps things moving without getting bogged down, and while the directing doesn’t bring anything groundbreaking, it keeps the story tight and the action easy to follow. The cinematography isn’t particularly standout, but there are some cool wide shots and atmospheric moments that help set the tone. The acting is solid all around. Paul Walker has that likable, grounded vibe, and Gerard Butler brings some intensity to the screen. The cast actually makes the movie better than it probably would’ve been otherwise. The script plays it pretty safe and falls into some familiar patterns, but it still manages to be fun. As for the score, it fits the vibe without being too memorable. Overall, Timeline isn’t the smartest or deepest movie, but it’s a good time if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced historical adventure with a sci-fi twist.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/01/25

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Roger L

My criteria for rating a movie is quite simple. Was I reasonably entertained for the duration and would I consider watching the movie again at some future time. For Timeline, when I first watched it years ago, I was entertained and have watched it a couple of time over the years. So, for my 2 cents, Timeline gets 4 stars!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

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Preston M

Really enjoyed the book. Really hated the movie. It’s bad to the lengths of Caddyshack II. I’ve seen better high school plays. It’s amazing how screenwriters and a director with such pedigree can produce such a bad movie. And this movie could have been soooo good. There was great material in the book that got completely eliminated or changed beyond recognition. “Timeline” is like Python’s Holy Grail, if you edited all the jokes out. “Timeline” should’ve used coconuts instead of real horses to leave us with something worth watching.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/25

Full Review

Jelisije J

An absolute imaginative film from the late great Richard Donner about modern people travel back in time during the 100 years war.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/24

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Ormus B

Beyond the bad acting and filming in low light, the plot is not the one from the book. I looked up this film expecting it to at least follow the general plot in the book, but it did not. The plot which the movie took is not engaging and painful to watch.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

Full Review

Yoosik Ethan O

I don't understand the negative reviews. This was an exciting time travel story from start to finish. A great riveting story, none of which seemed convoluted at all to me, despite what critics said.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/19/23

Full Review

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Richard Donner

Director

Paul Walker

Chris Hughes

Frances O'Connor

Kate Ericson

Gerard Butler

Andre Marek

Billy Connolly

Professor Johnston

David Thewlis

Robert Doniger

Timeline: Official Clip - Traveling Back Home

1:57

Timeline: Official Clip - Trapped in the Past

1:56

Timeline: Official Clip - Weird Findings

2:09

Timeline: Official Clip - The Journey to 1357 AD

2:13

Timeline: Official Clip - Greek Fire

1:59

Timeline: Official Clip - I Thought You Were Dead

2:07

Timeline: Official Clip - A Little Surprise for the French

1:45

Timeline: Official Clip - You Make Your Own History

2:10

Timeline: Official Clip - We Discovered a Worm Hole

2:13

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Synopsis

While working at the site of an archaeological dig, Professor Johnston (Billy Connolly) stumbles into a wormhole and plunges back in time to 14th-century France. Mad scientist Robert Doniger (David Thewlis), who accidentally created the wormhole while developing a teleportation device, sends the professor's son, Chris (Paul Walker), and protégé Kate (Frances O'Connor) back in time to retrieve him. Unfortunately, their rescue mission is sidetracked by a bloody battle between France and England.

Director: Richard Donner
Producer: Richard Donner, Lauren Shuler Donner, Jim Van Wyck
Screenwriter: George Nolfi, Jeffrey Maguire, Michael Crichton
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Artists Production Group, Mutual Film Company, Donners' Company, Paramount Pictures, Cobalt Media Group
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Battle Sequences)
Genre: Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 26, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $19.5M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround

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