they shot this outside my apartment for a while, so i had some personal interest in it. trivia fact: the cops' badges read nowhere city. nifty! this movie is a lot lighter than all the other versions of this story, and guy pearce is a lot more accessible than george pal or the cheesy mustache guy who played the inventor in the 70s version. also, his character gets a name, and the dinner party guests who were known only by their professions in the book are subtracted. there's a new romance, and a best buddy character, who were both played well. the morlocks are very scary and their hive is reminiscent of scenes from aliens , very well constructed and shot. the eloi are sleepy sun people who play angels to the morlocks' devils, and illustrate i think compellingly the flaws of a society that is entirely innocent and positive while still being more desirable than the alternative. why they were apparently based on the maori is unknown to me. it's not a movie huge on action, but the drama and the wonder are still there, even as jeremy irons's super-evil baddie slithers and sulks his way around the screen. it reminds me of those great old mgm classics, a fine family picture for a quiet evening at home.