Time After Time

Time After Time (1979)
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, Mary Steenbergen
Memorable Line(s): "What... have... I... done? I've turned that bloody maniac loose upon Utopia!"

* Underrated and Overlooked *
This is as about as high concept of a movie can get, but in the hands of first time director, Nicholas Meyer, it turns quite well. Quite well, indeed.

Malcolm McDowell plays the writer of fantastic tales, H.G. Wells, who constructs his own time machine only to be usurped on it's initial use by none other than Jack the Ripper (Warner). Wells discovers the Ripper's transgression and travels into the future to the stop the madman from ruining what Wells perceives to be Utopia. In his chase, Wells encounters and teams up with a very modern woman (Steenbergen) as they seek to stop the homicidal maniac before he turns the city into a blood bath.

What could have been preposterous becomes quite plausible in the hands of director Meyer. McDowell is wonderful as the fantastically intelligent, yet reserved and somewhat shy Wells. Warner is delicious as Jack the Ripper and Steenbergen is endearing as Amy, the modern woman that Wells meets and falls in love with.

The ending of the movie is quite tense and satisfying and trip there has it's own delightful and compelling twists. I highly recommend this movie.