8.03.2011

Review: Timecrimes

2007
Directed by: Nacho Vigalondo
Category: Sci-fi/Cult Classic

I know what you're thinking. Why list it under Cult Classic when it only came out 4 years ago? Because it's that good people. Much like how Donnie Darko was branded a Cult Classic almost immediately after it was released, limited in theaters, and then exploded on the home video market.
This one, from writer/director and star Nacho Vigalondo took me completely off guard. I think that I was expecting something else, and what I got was something so completely fresh, original and utterly gripping all at once that I found myself replaying the whole film over and over again in my head long after it was done.

That quote on the DVD box cover here, "One of the BEST time travel movies OF ALL TIME" ain't no lie. It absolutely positively without a doubt is one of, if not "the" best movies about time travel I've ever seen, and unlike any other time travel film I've ever seen too.
This is going to be a tough one to try and explain or review, because I can't say too much without giving away very important information that could very well ruin the experience for you if you haven't yet seen it. Whatever you do, do not watch the trailer as it is "spoiler heavy". That's how sensitive the story line is. The people who put the trailer together really screwed up because they gave away extremely vital information that kinda ruins it for you. When going into this, the less you know, the better. Just know that it's an awesome indipendent film from Spain about time travel.

I had heard about it when it debuted at Fantastic Fest in 2007 in Austin, Tx. I heard that it blew everyone away and was immediately picked up by Magnet Pictures. But I didn't know anything about the plot really, other than it somehow had to do with time travel. But with so much positive word of mouth, how could it be bad?

Here's the plot via IMDB:
A man accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time nearly an hour. Finding himself will be the first of a series of disasters of unforeseeable consequences.

So yea, that's the basic premise of the story. Hector, the main character, accidentally (manipulated is a better word) gets into a time machine. When he comes out of it, he soon realizes that he's gone back 1 hour into the past. What follows is a fascinating and incredibly intelligent study of what happens when you change even the tiniest thing. Some crazy shit happens here, but it's fascinating because you see how disastrous the effects of changing one simple thing can be. It's the whole "ripple effect" thing. The story is incredibly complex, but if you keep up you will be rewarded handsomely. Like I said, I can't really give anything else away because the less you know, the better the experience will be.

One of the best things I like about it is how confined it is. When you think "a movie about time travel", you immediately think of a certain kind of movie. But this is so different because instead of taking place like in a city or in some kind of future, it instead takes place in the country and the entire film unfolds in a series of maybe 3 locations. A house, the woods or the building that houses the time machine. That's it. And all these locations are within about a mile of each other. But even then, the intense psychological drama that unfolds is mesmerizing. I have to give it to Nacho Vigalondo, the guy has written a truly brilliant script. His direction is tight also, not going overly stylized or doing any kind of shaky cam crap.

One of the biggest problems with time travel movies is that there are so many plot holes that leave so many unanswered questions. Timecrimes is the complete opposite. They show everything that happens in detail replaying it over and over again and it realistically makes sense. The space/time continuum is not just a theory, but a mathematical reality here, which leaves you (the viewer) completely satisfied when it's all over. You're not left asking yourself questions that should easily have been answered in any other time travel film.

I said it before and i'll say it again. This is probably the best film about time travel I've ever seen. There's nothing in here to distract you like famous actors or stylish direction or editing. It's all about the script and story here and it's truly not to be missed. There's so many twists and turns that leave you on the edge of your seat throughout. Part sci-fi film, part psychological thriller, part horror and part suspense, Timecrimes will leave you talking about it for hours afterwards.

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