▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁Australian ▁science ▁fiction ▁film ▁directed ▁by ▁Brian ▁Hann ant , ▁co - written ▁by ▁John ▁B ax ter ▁and ▁Hann ant , ▁and ▁st arring ▁Tom ▁Bur lin son , ▁Nik ki ▁C og hill , ▁Dean ▁Stock well , ▁and ▁Car rie ▁Fish er . ▁ ▁The ▁Time ▁Guardian ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁Australia ▁on ▁ 3 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁The ▁film ▁vast ly ▁under per formed ▁the ▁box ▁office ▁and ▁was ▁poor ly ▁received ▁by ▁critics . ▁ ▁Plot ▁In ▁ 4 0 3 9 , ▁a ▁city ▁of ▁surv iv ors ▁from ▁the ▁Ne ut ron ▁Wars ▁travel s ▁through ▁time ▁and ▁space ▁esc aping ▁the ▁Jen - D iki , ▁a ▁race ▁of ▁cy borg s ▁intent ▁on ▁w ip ing ▁out ▁human ity . ▁Two ▁soldiers ▁from ▁the ▁city , ▁cr ust y ▁Ball ard ▁and ▁historian ▁Pet ra , ▁are ▁transport ed ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Australian ▁out back ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁prepare ▁a ▁landing ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁city . ▁Pet ra ▁is ▁wounded ▁and ▁Ball ard ▁see ks ▁help ▁from ▁ge ologist ▁An nie ▁L ass ite . ▁ ▁Ball ard ▁is ▁dis may ed ▁when ▁An nie ' s ▁ancient ▁cave ▁paint ings ▁dep ict ▁Ball ard ' s ▁city . ▁After ▁a ▁police ▁officer , ▁Mac Car thy , ▁activ ated ▁Ball ard ' s ▁tracking ▁device ▁despite ▁his ▁protest s , ▁an ▁advance ▁party ▁of ▁Jen - D iki ▁arrive ▁in ▁Australia