I will agree with the writer of the review about the scores ability to save a movie from going completely bad. The movie itself did not flop to horrible even though most viewers didn't enjoy it as much as anticipated. I am a die hard fan of the original Time Machine, which aside from the special effects consisting of fast action photography, and miniature modeling, has very good acting, and a plot more resembling the book. Relating this to the score, I had high hopes for both. When I saw this movie in the theaters, a scene came after they were canoeing on the river where the score cue is "Stone Language" I turned to my friend and said "this movie is turning into crap". How ironic that now I can not part from listening to it, and yet during the movie, I thought the score played a role in destroying the mood at points. My dislike for the movie comes at the end mostly because it strays from the original, and the book, however it's the exactly opposite for the music.
Doing some research, I found that Klaus did allot of collaboration work with Hans Zimmer, and writing a complete score for a movie is a new thing. It's about time. Hannibal was great stuff, and K-19 (although the movie was long and boring) had good stuff. Klaus has that mix between soft melodies Horner can bring, and the skill with a pen (or a mouse and keyboard) bombastic composers like Williams, and Denby have. Time Machine's concept alone is enough to sit back with the stereo humming and day dream of a different world. I love the theme to Emma, and it's fantastic how Klaus brings the piano back into the score during "the Master" track. On the opposite end of the spectra, powerful horn lines of the time travel, and main theme are just cool. On a few tracks, the digital effects inherited from Zimmer are heard, which I thought was different.
My favorite picks for this sound track would have to be the intro, Emma, the time machine, I don't belong here, and Godspeed. I do have to ask Klaus one thing; at the end of Godspeed where the tempo changes in the Eloi theme, why did you stop writing? That part gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. Closely resembling the Lion King's African percussion vibe and free tempo fluxes, it's just cool and you should have given it more of a climax. So what if the credits ran out!!
Great stuff, and I'm looking for more!