Timecop (1994)

An officer for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician who has a tie to his past.

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writers:

Mark Verheiden (screenplay), Mike Richardson (story),

Stars:

Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mia Sara, Ron Silver

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Claude Van Damme	...	Walker
Mia Sara	...	Melissa
Ron Silver	...	McComb
Bruce McGill	...	Matuzak
Gloria Reuben	...	Fielding
Scott Bellis	...	Ricky
Jason Schombing	...	Atwood
Scott Lawrence	...	Spota
Kenneth Welsh	...	Utley
Brent Woolsey	...	Shotgun
Brad Loree	...	Reyes
Shane Kelly	...	Rollerblades
Richard Faraci	...	Cole
Steven Lambert	...	Lansing (as Steve Lambert)
Kevin McNulty	...	Parker

Storyline

When the ability to travel through time is perfected, a new type of law enforcement agency is formed. It's called Time Enforcement Commission or TEC. A cop, Max Walker, is assigned to the group. On the day he was chosen, some men attack him and kill his wife. Ten years later Max is still grieving but has become a good agent for the TEC. He tracks down a former co-worker who went into the past to make money. Max brings him back for sentencing but not after telling Max that Senator McComb, the man in charge of TEC, sent him. Max has his eye on McComb.

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Plot Keywords:

Senator | Time Travel | Future | Cop | Secret Agent | 

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Taglines:

Turn back the clock, and you're history.

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Genres:

Action | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, sexuality and language

Details

Country:

Canada USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eisvoli sto parelthon

Filming Locations:

Barclay St & Nicola St, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

£3,530,340 (UK) (24 February 1995)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Largo Entertainment, JVC Entertainment Networks, Signature Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital (uncredited)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scenes where Jean-Claude Van Damme and Ron Silver are in their respective cars, the actors were shot on blue screen. The White House and D.C. backgrounds were added digitally in post-production.

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Goofs

At one point there is an effects shot in which Senator McComb walks round his earlier self. There is a strong raking light coming from screen right throwing strong shadows down the (screen) right hand sides of both versions of the actor. Yet, as the actor walks 'past' - i.e. between the earlier version of himself and the light source - no shadow falls on the stationary actor as it would have done if someone had really walked past him with that lighting.

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Quotes

Irish Cop: Poor bastard. Tomorrow might have been a brighter day.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Danger! Death Ray (1995)
Abe Lincon is Timecop

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Soundtracks

"DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?"
Written by Robert Lamm
Performed by Greg O'Connor

User Reviews

A well rounded sci-fi action movie

Time travel is always a neat concept when it comes to movies. It also can be quite confusing. And because there are these too extremes to using this idea, only some people can use it wisely enough and not have the film involve too much time travel. Director Peter Hyams displays that he's one of those people who can handle this kind of situation. From start to finish, I was thoroughly sure I knew where and what was going on. I wasn't confused once. This shows Hyams had control of how much time travel was used in one instance.

Timecop is actually a generalization for the people who do the job, but focuses on the story of Max Walker (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a man who belongs to an institution of individuals who police time, based on a popular Dark Horse comic. As stated, time travel was discovered in 1994 and now there are people needed to prevent the past from being altered. One thing I didn't understand was that throughout the entire film, I only saw about two or three timecops. Where's everyone else? However, I only noticed this after the film had ended. I was too busy focusing on what was currently happening on screen.

Going back to Van Damme, I was somewhat skeptical about his performance, but in the end, I had much appreciation for it. However, my only complaint is that he reminds me of other actors. His voice sounds a little like Antonio Banderas, his fighting techniques and flexibility, which are impressive, look too much like Jackie Chan's style, and lastly he sports this Peter Weller hair-do as if he were playing Alex Murphy from RoboCop (1987) and not a timecop. I'm not saying this is bad but I was hoping Van Damme would come out as his own actor and not like someone else. Like I said though, Van Damme is cool when he's fighting and he also has some comical moments too. I liked the character of Max Walker, I just thought he'd be somewhat more original and not a knock- off of some other character.

Playing the villain, Aaron McComb, is Ron Silver, a corrupt politician who will do anything to make sure he's sitting in the president's chair by the end of the election. Even Silver has some unique moments where he lashes out at characters and then abruptly simmers down. This shows good characterization because it reveals what a loose cannon McComb is and why he's not fit for a president. Mia Sara portrays Max Walker's wife, Melissa Walker. I also think that the two actors made a good couple; too bad it wasn't real. Melissa definitely may not be a physically strong character, but she has a hardy spirit. As the film came to its finale, I had a fondness for her bravery.

The special effects are also fair game. There wasn't anything that seemed to be overloaded with CGI and the idea of "matter occupying two spaces at one time" is also another visual treat to see. The part where the film shows how the police go back in time was intriguing as well. It recalled what it was like to first watch Back to the Future (1985), with a speeding vehicle hurtling towards some wall and then suddenly disappearing with track marks ablaze. Mark Isham composed the score to this film. Sadly, I did not feel a whole lot from it but and maybe that's because there was no theme song to it. But it definitely was a soundtrack, because it wasn't noise like Keith Emerson's score from Nighthawks (1981). What a mess that was!

Peter Hyams' direction on the Dark Horse comic of a time traveling police officer not only boasts visuals, but also has a great story line. The characters are nicely acted and the action scenes are well played.