Primer: Good Movie (I think?)
I was just reading the top 10 underrated scifi movies list that has been going around and noticed that their number one pick ‘Primer’ was available to view instantly on Netflix. It’s hard to beat instant and free so I thought I’d give it a shot.
It certainly was an interesting movie. The Maker-type atmosphere at the start got me interested and once their machine starts working it really gets catchy. Then things get a bit complex (to say the least). I’d like to say I figured the plot out with no problem but to tell the truth I got pretty lost by the end of the movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth just watching it without knowing anything else and see what you can make of it.
If you’ve already seen it, then you really need to see this cool (amazingly stuffed with spoilers) Primer timeline analysis.
I’m still debating if it’s cool or just crazy that you can make a diagram like that from this movie. I’m leaning towards cool since time-traveling paradoxes are pretty neat (as long as they’re not deleting my great-great-grandparents or creating sentient AIs with genocidal tendencies and Schwarzeneggerian physiques). Interestingly, the whole movie only cost $7,000 with Shane Carruth (the guy who played Aaron [the nonbearded guy if you’re as bad at names as me]) writing, directing, producing (and obviously starring).
So if you’re at all intrigued by the diagram above then I’d recommend Primer (and staying away from that diagram until later).