Clockstoppers
Encyclopedia
Clockstoppers is a 2002 science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...

 released by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...

 and Nickelodeon Movies
Nickelodeon Movies
Nickelodeon Movies is the motion picture production arm of children's cable channel Nickelodeon, originally launched in 1995. Its first film was Harriet the Spy. It has produced films based on Nickelodeon programs, as well as other adaptations and original projects...

. It was directed by Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Frakes
Jonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, author and director best known for his role as Commander William T. Riker in the Star Trek franchise, as well as for his tenure as host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction ....

, produced by Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd is an American film producer and screenwriter.-Early life:Hurd was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Lolita and Frank E. Hurd, an investor. She grew up in Palm Springs, California and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A...

 and Julia Pistor and written by Rob Hedden, Andy Hedden, J. David Stem and David N. Weiss
David N. Weiss
David N. Weiss is an American writer and labor leader. He is a screenwriter of films, including All Dogs go to Heaven, The Rugrats Movie, Shrek 2, Clockstoppers, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie and The Smurfs and has also written for television shows such as Mission Hill...

.

Plot

The NSA
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...

-funded QT (Quantum Tech) Corporation has slated a project to develop Hypertime, a technology which allows the user's molecules to speed up to the point where the world appears to be standing still. After realizing that such technology, contained within a wristwatch frame, could also be used against the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, the NSA orders the project stopped. However, the research is farther along than the NSA expected and Henry Gates, the head of QT, plans on using the technology to usurp the leader of the NSA and dominate the world. He uses the prototype to stretch the weekend in order to give the brilliant lead scientist, Earl Dopler, time to fix the remaining glitch in the technology after his henchmen Richard and Jay prevent Earl's incognito departure at the airport. However, the disadvantage of Earl being in Hypertime for too long was him aging rapidly in real time, as his molecular age continued at the same rate despite time slowing down.

However, initially unknown to Gates, Dopler had sent a prototype to a former colleague of his named Dr. Gibbs. His son Zak discovers the watch accidentally and initially uses it for fun, much to Francesca's amusement. Once Gates finds out about the leaked prototype, he attempts to retrieve it. He sends his henchmen after Zak, who break into his house and search for evidence. Upon learning about the ulterior motive of QT Corporation, Zak sets out to warn his father of the danger he could be in.

A chase sequence ensues, with Zak crashing the car into the river and thus damaging the watch. He awakes in hospital with a broken watch, and only by a stroke of luck manages to avoid Jay and Richard again. He then goes in search of somewhere safe to hide in the meantime.

In a bid to retrieve the watch, QT Corporation enlists the help of national security agencies and portray Zak and his father as fugitives wanted by the law. Zak goes on the run with his girlfriend, locating the hotel that Dr. Gibbs was staying at in a bid to warn him. Dopler is also looking for Dr. Gibbs to ask for help and also to warn him. However, QT Corporation reaches Zak's father before him and kidnaps Dr. Gibbs.

Unable to reach his father in time, Zak and Francesca wander the streets aimlessly before being forcibly picked up by Earl Dopler, who wants the watch back. The teens take Dopler hostage and force him to do as they request. As Dopler feels that Dr. Gibbs has been kind to him, he agrees reluctantly to helping save Dr. Gibbs.

Dopler helps mend the broken watch as well as creating guns which can take someone out of Hypertime and back into normal time. The guns are loaded with paintballs filled with frozen nitrogen, and the low temperature 'freezes' a hit person back into normal time.

Dopler helps the kids break in but decides not to go as well. They get caught by Henry Gates, Richard, and Jay and are thrown in a cell with Zak's dad. Zak accelerates while in Hypertime and becomes "light" (Einstein's theory is seemingly correct, anything faster than "light", becomes "light"). They then manage to break out as the NSA Agents arrive and defeat Gates' goons. Gates is not defeated and knocks Francesca out of hypertime and prepares to do the same to Zak and his dad. Suddenly he's shot with a paintball by Dopler who returned to help and Dopler shoots Gates until he reverts to normal time, defeating him. Gates and his henchmen are arrested, and the watches are confiscated.

Following the arrest of Gates, Dopler uses the machine he was building to reverse the aging effects of hypertime that happened to him, but it inadvertently changes him back into a teenager, meaning he will have to live with the Gibbs for a few years. The movie ends with Zak and his family happily together, and with Zak finally getting the car he wanted. As Zak speeds off in his car with his girlfriend, sister and teenage Dopler, it is revealed that he has not returned the watch after all, as he goes into Hypertime to have some fun.

Cast

  • Jesse Bradford
    Jesse Bradford
    - Early life :Bradford was born Jesse Bradford Watrouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, the only child of actors Terry Porter and Curtis Watrouse, who appeared in commercials, soap operas, and industrial films. His mother also played his character's mother in Hackers...

     as Zak Gibbs
  • Paula Garcés
    Paula Garcés
    Paula Garcés is a Colombian American film and television actress, known for her appearance in films such as Clockstoppers and The Harold and Kumar Series, and on TV shows such as CSI: Miami, The Shield, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, The Sopranos, Oz and Warehouse 13.-Early life:Garcés was...

     as Francesca
  • French Stewart
    French Stewart
    Milton French Stewart , better known by his stage name French Stewart, is an American actor, best known for his role as Harry Solomon on the 1990s sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.-Early life:...

     as Earl Dopler
  • Michael Biehn
    Michael Biehn
    Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in James Cameron's science fiction action films The Terminator as Kyle Reese, Aliens as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks, and The Abyss as Lt. Coffey. He has also acted in such films as Tombstone, The Rock, and Planet Terror...

     as Henry Gates
  • Garikayi Mutambirwa as Meeker
  • Robin Thomas
    Robin Thomas
    Robin Thomas is an American film and television actor.He was born Robin Thomas Grossman in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. His best-known television roles are as Mark Singleton in the soap opera Another World , and as Geoffrey Wells on the 1980s series Who's the Boss?...

     as Dr. George Gibbs
  • Julia Sweeney
    Julia Sweeney
    Julia Anne Sweeney is an American actress, comedian and author best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for her autobiographical solo shows.-Personal life:...

     as Jenny Gibbs
  • Lindze Letherman
    Lindze Letherman
    Lindze Lanae Letherman is an American actress. She is known for her role as Georgie Jones Quartermaine on General Hospital.-Career:...

     as Kelly Gibbs
  • Jason Winston George
    Jason Winston George
    Jason Winston George is an American actor and model He is best known for his roles as Michael Bourne on the NBC daytime soap opera Sunset Beach, and as J.T. Hunter on the UPN television sitcom Eve...

     as Richard
  • Linda Kim as Jay
  • Ken Jenkins
    Ken Jenkins
    Ken Jenkins is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the Chief of Medicine on the American comedy Scrubs....

     as Agent Moore

Music

  • "All the Small Things
    All the Small Things
    "All the Small Things" is a song by American pop punk band Blink-182. It was the second single released from the band's third album Enema of the State...

    " by Blink-182
    Blink-182
    Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...

    .
  • "Holiday in my Head" by Smash Mouth
    Smash Mouth
    Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell, Greg Camp, Paul De Lisle and Kevin Coleman as lead vocals, guitar, bass and drums respectively...

    .
  • "First Date" by Blink-182
    Blink-182
    Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...

    .
  • "Time After Time" by Uncle Kracker
    Uncle Kracker
    Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...

    .
  • "The Worst Day Ever" by Simple Plan
    Simple Plan
    Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band from Montréal, Québec. The band has had no line up changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier , Jeff Stinco , Sébastien Lefebvre , David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau...

    .
  • "The Minute I Met You" by New Found Glory
    New Found Glory
    New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...

    .
  • "Breathe
    Breathe (Nickelback song)
    "Breathe" is the title of a song recorded by Canadian rock band Nickelback. It was released on October 21, 2000 as third single from the album The State. It was the second multi-format rock hit from The State album, peaking at number ten on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 21...

    " by Nickelback
    Nickelback
    Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....

    .
  • "Never Let You Go
    Never Let You Go (Third Eye Blind song)
    "Never Let You Go" is a song by American rock band Third Eye Blind, released as a single from their 1999 album, Blue. The song was very successful, peaking at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reaching #1 on Canada's Singles chart....

    " by Third Eye Blind
    Third Eye Blind
    Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...

    .
  • "Bohemian Like You" by The Dandy Warhols
    The Dandy Warhols
    The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1994. The band was founded by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström, with keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford later joining. Hedford left in 1998 and was replaced by...

    .
  • "Quicksand" by Lit.

Box office and reception

The film opened at #5 at the U.S. Box office raking in $10,108,333 USD in its first opening weekend, the following week it went down to #7 where it spent a week more. The film received negative reviews and has a rotten rating of 29% on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...

.
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