This particular formula has been bouncing around in Sci-Fi for nearly a century. It isn't often used because it's very hard to pull off. "The History of Time Travel" illustrates that by failing to bodly tackle the intricacy, depth, and nuance that could have made it a true mind-bender to the nth degree of geek.
Depending on your level of Sci-Fi sophistication, you'll find this to be anywhere from 'amazing' in the truest sense of the word to 'quaint' and amusing. For the serious Whovians (Dr. Who fans) and/or Douglas Adams fans, it would be the latter... and perhaps a bit disappointing. For those who aren't looking to solve puzzles, it's a good chuckle. For anyone who struggles with non-linear concepts, it may just be confusing.
The writers/Directors dispensed with an opportunity to make this an otherwise brilliant piece of work that could have rivaled Cloud Atlas in complexity.
It definitely has Easter eggs. For instance; in the IMDB description under "Goofs" it states: "Edward and Anne's headstones say they died in 1975. The pistol used to kill them was a Beretta model 92, which was not produced until 1976." In any other non-time travel story, that would be a bit of an error. In this particular case, it could have been quite deliberate.
But the opportunities to make this a true mental menagerie were passed over and instead it's just an enjoyable and entertaining faux-documentary with a twist that may confuse the uninitiated but hard core sci-fi fans will see coming from a parsec away.
It's a good time, but don't expect to be blown away.
Depending on your level of Sci-Fi sophistication, you'll find this to be anywhere from 'amazing' in the truest sense of the word to 'quaint' and amusing. For the serious Whovians (Dr. Who fans) and/or Douglas Adams fans, it would be the latter... and perhaps a bit disappointing. For those who aren't looking to solve puzzles, it's a good chuckle. For anyone who struggles with non-linear concepts, it may just be confusing.
The writers/Directors dispensed with an opportunity to make this an otherwise brilliant piece of work that could have rivaled Cloud Atlas in complexity.
It definitely has Easter eggs. For instance; in the IMDB description under "Goofs" it states: "Edward and Anne's headstones say they died in 1975. The pistol used to kill them was a Beretta model 92, which was not produced until 1976." In any other non-time travel story, that would be a bit of an error. In this particular case, it could have been quite deliberate.
But the opportunities to make this a true mental menagerie were passed over and instead it's just an enjoyable and entertaining faux-documentary with a twist that may confuse the uninitiated but hard core sci-fi fans will see coming from a parsec away.
It's a good time, but don't expect to be blown away.