Watch How to Build a Time Machine

How to Build a Time Machine is a 2016 documentary that explores the minds of two men who are obsessed with time travel. Directed by Jay Cheel, the film features Bob Burns, a retired airline pilot with a passion for building replicas of the time machine from the 1960 movie The Time Machine, and Ronald Mallett, a theoretical physicist who has been working on a time travel theory for decades.

The documentary starts by showing the viewer the fascination that Burns had with The Time Machine since he was a child. He would spend hours analyzing the movie and drawing sketches of the intricate details of the machine. Later in life, Burns decided he wanted to build a replica of the time machine from the movie. He began by finding the original blueprints for the machine, which were hidden away in the archives of the film studio. Burns then spent years building an exact replica of the machine, down to the tiniest details.

On the other hand, Ronald Mallett, who was also fascinated with time travel since childhood, worked on creating a theory on how to build a time machine. Mallett's fascination with time travel began when his father died of a heart attack when he was only 10 years old. He began to read science fiction novels about time travel and became convinced that if he could go back in time, he could save his father's life.

Over the course of the documentary, we watch as Burns and Mallett delve further into their obsessions with time travel. We see Burns accompanying his replica time machine to various events, where he discusses the details of the machine with other enthusiasts. Mallett, meanwhile, delves deeper and deeper into his research, eventually publishing a book on his theory of time travel.

Throughout the film, we get glimpses into their personal lives and the struggles they face in pursuing their passions. Burns' wife, for instance, is not particularly interested in his obsession with the time machine and worries that he spends too much time on it. Mallett, meanwhile, faces the challenges of being a physicist who is not taken seriously by some of his peers, who consider his time travel research to be too far-fetched and unrealistic.

Despite these challenges, both men continue to pursue their passions. Burns spends his retirement years showing off his time machine and enjoying the responses he gets from fans, while Mallett continues to refine his time travel theory and work towards making it a reality.

The documentary is an interesting exploration of the human desire to explore and understand the mysteries of time. It offers a fascinating look into the minds of two individuals who are consumed by their obsessions and are willing to dedicate their lives to achieving their dreams. Through their stories, we see the dedication, perseverance, and creativity that drive people to explore the unknown and do things that others may consider impossible.

In conclusion, How to Build a Time Machine is an engrossing and thought-provoking documentary that showcases the human spirit of exploration and the drive to understand the mysteries of the universe. It offers a unique glimpse into the world of time travel enthusiasts and the fascinating individuals who devote their lives to exploring this intriguing field.

How to Build a Time Machine is a 2016 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7.