Timecop 2 - La décision de Berlin

First, before watching this movie you should be aware that it is "about" time travel...therefore there is bound to be some inconsistencies and paradox problems; and yes...the film does "bump" into some of these rather clumsily. If you are a movie viewer that demands perfect logic and continuity or a real "time travel" buff you will have to "let it go" for this film. Yes, this movie is ABOUT "time travel" but it is NOT a time travel movie (it is an "Action" movie).

Secondly; this is a sequel, and thefore presumes some previous knowledge of the basic premise; what a "timecop's" purpose is and some of the primary "paradox" problems as to what would happen (to the present / future) if you changed the past. I can say that this movie does try to follow most of the "rules" of time travel; as outlined in the "Star Trek" TV shows (a well known "standard" in science fiction circles).

The movie starts out posing the question; "should Hitler be assassinated" before he has time to put events into motion & "what would then happen if he was?". The viewer gets to see what happens when someone wants to try; and the Timecops have to stop it from happening (or DO they?). Viewers may also want to know that the "Timecop" story, about cops that monitor consistency & prevent history from being altered; was a comic book before it was a movie.

True; "time travel" movies must address such issues in a consistent & believable manner and in this regard the movie is somewhat disappointing. However as an "action" movie (that makes you "think") it generally succeeds.

In my opinion it is far better than the first "Timecop" movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme (1994). Given the comic book / Van Damme history; the target audience for this movie is going to be action / martial art movie fans.

Jason Scott Lee (as hotshot Timecop Ryan Chan) does very well given the script & direction. Viewers may need to remind themselves that Lee is NOT related to Bruce Lee although he did play him in the movie "Dragon, the Bruce Lee Story" (1993). For that movie Lee was trained in Bruce Lee's "Jeet Kune Do" style of martial arts. So not only does he physically look like Bruce Lee, he also fights using the same "moves". Seeing this, I believe the director recognized that he would be unable to avoid the reference; so he "uses" it consciously. In one fight scene there is deliberate homage paid to Bruce Lee. Timecop Ryan Chan (after getting hit in a fight) gets "really mad" and takes off his shirt; flexing his muscles in the famous "Enter the Dragon" style. When you see this scene you will know why Jason Lee was picked to play Bruce in "The Dragon",..., and why the director (and likely the actor) must accept & work with the inevitable references. For martial arts fans there are some fairly good (albeit short)examples of "Jeet Kune Do" style hand-work,trapping, and a couple of Jeet Kune Do style limb traps / breaks. The martial arts kicks are all "movie" style & less than crisp.

Thomas Ian Griffith is quite good in the supporting role (even in the fight scenes); however the movie watcher doesn't really see his character's motivation until the end of the movie. The movie's script is what you would expect given the "Timecop" movie history & story genre (somewhat in the "comic-book" style); although I have the impression that Lee did quite a good job fleshing out his lines. Overall, the movie gets a bit muddled because of all the different time periods involved (the "period" costumes are made necessary, however, to separate and enforce the different time lines)and it is possible that the editing contributes to the confusion. Many of the fight scenes appear to be chopped or cut short (while the special effects scenes, although not over-done, are a tad long). I imagine the editor of this movie had a hard time keeping a cohesive story line and "flow" given the topic(s). There are a lot of things going on in this movie all at once; the good guy "chasing" the bad guy through different time periods, shifting realities due to the changing of past events, and even characters changing or existing / not existing depending on which "reality" you are watching. Not only does the bad guy want to kill Lee's character, he also has the option of going back to almost any time period and kill his parents, thus ending the Hero's family line. If that is possible then, can the Timecop kill the bad guy given what has already happened? You'll have to watch! In a similar movie's plot line, "Jet Li's - The One" (2001 - one of my favorite time-travel movies) these issues and paradox' are better addressed (however I had to watch that movie 4 or 5 times to understand all the nuances).

Although you probably won't want to watch "Timecop: The Berlin Decision" again and again; if you liked "Jet Li's - The One" you will probably enjoy this movie as well.

I thought that this Movie was very entertaining it kind of reminds you of a Back to the Future with the parents and the son.

Jason Scott Lee brought more than an action element to the movie he brought a personal touch and edge to it that most action films do not display.

The only thing is a lot of people still see him as the Bruce Lee character that he did on the movie "Dragon the Bruce Lee Story" and that is because he did so well in it.

If people can look past that and just watch the movie for what it is an action adventure you will definitely enjoy this movie.

And look forward to the next.

I'm shocked. Until Timecop 2, I don't think I had ever seen a cheap, direct-to-video sequel that was actually good and possibly even better than its theatrical predecessor! And it's not just because of the action either - the best thing about the film is its story. It's handled with EXQUISITE pacing. On the one hand, the hero played by Jason Scott Lee is constantly jumping from time period to time period, so there's always some action or intrigue going on. But amazingly, at the same time, the filmmakers manage to acknowledge all of the great moral or ethical dilemmas that a time altering premise provides. It's thought-provoking and even a little emotional. Basically, the film is stuffed with great ideas, good acting, and decent action scenes.

The only way Timecop 2 suffers in comparison to the first is in the cinematography. Whereas the first film had fantastically moody photography, the sequel looks like an above average television film. It has a too "clean" look to it. It isn't horrible, but it's not very cinematic either. In terms of action, the film is exceptional at demonstrating fast, brutal Jeet Kune Do moves. I guess Jason Scott Lee has still been practicing since he did Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story all of those years ago.

Bottom-line, give Timecop 2 a try. It's far better than it has any right to be.

All I can say is that I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Wonder how many they'll have time to churn out before Van Damme gets desperate enough to want to do one himself, gleefully shoving aside everything that came before and thus ruining the continuity of the series? (Not many, judging by Derailed.)

Hang on, though - continuity? Not one of Timecop 2's strong points, and at the end of the day the only reason Timecop 1 didn't contradict itself at every turn was because it kept the actual time travelling at a modest level. Timecop 2 ventures into Nazi Germany, the Wild West and various other places, ultimately making only the most halfhearted attempt to imagine (let alone visualise) the consequences of changes made to the timeflow. One of the characters mentions a mysterious war a couple of times. Someone else gets an eyepatch, then loses it again. Oooo! Change my pants.

Worse: it's boring. While small mercies are appreciated - such as Jason Scott Lee being given a new character rather than trying to be passed off in Van Damme's role (which wouldn't have surprised me) and being marginally more charismatic than the total nobody who starred in the TV series - they're not enough to save the film from inconsequentiality. Neither is Lee's hair, which remains rooted in the late 70s. You'd think he'd be able to do something about that at least, being a Timecop and everything.

Queuing up behind the leading man is the usual racially diverse but underused and pointless supporting cast, including a limp Thomas Ian Griffith as the baddie. Any and all attempts to make us sympathetic to Griffith's cause fail because of his fundamental Hollywood Baddieness compounding the gaping holes in the plot and reasoning: on one hand I suppose we should be grateful that the writers tried to ask 'meaningful' questions and stray from the standard good/evil action film templates, but on the other hand, if you can't do it properly then don't bother, because you'll end up with nowt but plot holes, mixed messages and viewers trying to stay awake just for the big fight at the end. Which isn't that good anyway, apart from the bit with the shirt. Tsk.

I caught this film on SciFi Channel at midnight one evening. After a good meal, sitting in a relaxing chair, you're liable to watch just about anything. Which is why I didn't immediately turn it off once I spotted the incredibly horrible visual effects at the beginning which just smacked of god-awful Direct-to-Video cinema. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the film.

The key to enjoying this film is to suspend disbelief. Pretend that you're looking at the German countryside, not some foothills in the LA area shot through a Sepia filter. Pretend that a Chinese man dressed in a business suit in the 1800s wouldn't arouse a lot of suspicion. Above all, pretend some of the more horrible special effects don't look as bad as they do. Once you've done that, you'll enjoy the film a lot more.

The performances by most of the cast are neither outstanding nor bad, save for Thomas Ian Griffith, who makes an incredibly good villain in this film. The plot of the film is almost secondary and unnecessary, chock full of plot holes and serving only as a backdrop against which to set fight scenes and excuses to change the era. But if you went into this movie expecting something scientifically sound, just stop; remember that this is the sequel to a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie.

Were a few things changed in this movie, specifically some of the horrid "special" effects, two or three of the more illogical and confusing points of the plot, the cheesy Direct-to-Video style overlays for the credits, and most importantly the unbearably long final 10 minutes of the film, it could have been worthy of a cinema release.

Final verdict: 5/10. It's worth watching if it happens to be on, or worth buying if you spy the DVD for cheap. Really cheap.