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[starreview]
Classification: Personal Alternate Reality
I’ve heard a lot about Primer and was excited when I finally got the chance to see the film. Primer is very unusual, even for a Time Travel story. In Primer, four engineers attempt to create a machine in their garage in order to sell the technology. However, they get more than they’ve bargained for: a side effect of the machine means it can effectively be used as a time machine. At first the guys attempt to use it to make money using the stock market, but later on they begin using it for other purposes, like attempting to prevent a maniac from getting to a party.
All in all, the film was interesting but I can’t say I enjoyed it. First, the story is filled with technical jargon. In fact, the first 10 minutes are nothing but technical jargon. It’s not really hard to understand but it is as interesting as watching someone make a tax report. Furthermore, about halfway through the movie, the plot becomes so confusing that is practically impossible to understand what is going on.
One quote I saw in Wikipedia summarizes it very well: “anybody who claims [to] fully understand what’s going on in Primer after seeing it just once is either a savant or a liar.”
My summary: make your own decision. I don’t think this movie is worth it, but maybe I need to see it more than once to make a final decision. That being said, I have no plans whatsoever to watch it again.
Link to the movie’s DVD on Amazon.com
If you’ve seen the movie, please vote below:
I’ve watched this movie twice and got just as confused as the first time. Couldn’t agree with you more.
I agree completely. Very, very hard to sort out. Of course, I did doze a little during the movie, so that may have contributed to my confusion.
I think this movie is worth watching if you have a legitimate interest in the scientific concepts of time travel. I am a grad student in astrophysics and this is a staple of physics students everywhere as it depicts a much more realistic take on time travel than any other fictional film (though there are still some serious issues scientifically that I won’t bore you with). All in all, if you are just a sci-fi movie buff, this is probably a little dull for you. It is confusing because the plot revolves around the theoretical effects of time travel. On the other hand, if you are well versed in the science, you may enjoy it.