Timecrimes

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Los Cronocrímenes (Timecrimes)

June 5th 2008 08:55

Time travel is a fascinating thing. But it can also be a can of worms. In Spanish writer/director Nacho Vigalondo’s science-fiction giallo-esque horror thriller Timecrimes(2007) – screening at the 55th Sydney Film Festival - time travel is presented in the classic predestination paradox aka casuality loop. It’s very Twilight Zone, but highly entertaining, if you can get your head round the absurdity of it all.

Héctor (Karra Elejalde) is a mild-mannered, middle-aged man married to Clara (Candela Fernández). They’re moving into a big new home. Héctor gets a funny phone call, but there’s no one there. He thinks nothing of it. Out in the garden in his lounge chair with his binoculars he spots what he thinks is a pretty woman (Bárbara Goenaga) undressing in the woods beyond the property.

After Clara goes on her errands Héctor decides to investigate. He ventures into the woods to try and find the woman. Now curiosity may not kill this cat, but it will certainly lead him into a series of disasters; a paradoxical nightmare.

Timecrimes Karra Elejalde and Candela Fernandez

Hector (Karra Elejalde)'s seen something, but his wife Carla (Candela Fernandez) can't spot it

It is hard to describe Timecrimes without biting my own tail, or shooting myself in the foot, or becoming intellectually tongue-tied in the process of trying to describe the proceedings. But in a perpetually spinning nutshell; Héctor finds the woman naked and unconscious, but is stabbed in the arm by what appears to be a scissor-weilding psychopath, his head swathed in a pink bandage.

Héctor escapes and finds refuge in a building laboratory nearby. Upon the discovery of a walkie-talkie he finds himself communicating with a scientist (director Vigalondo) who instructs him to leave where he is and head up to the main building where the scientist is, especially since the scientist can apparently see the “pink mummy” fast approaching where Héctor is.

Just who is that man in the pink bandages armed with a pair of scissors?!

Héctor ends up in a conservatory-style building with the scientist who coaxes him to climb into a large round metallic pool. The scientist lies saying he’ll climb in with him to hide, but instead brings the lid down on top of Héctor. Only a few seconds pass. The scientist raises the lid and out splutters Héctor. The scientist then confesses that what Héctor just emerged from is a prototype time machine, and he is Héctor 2.

The woman (Barbara Goenaga) who seems to have started it all ...

And this is where the fun begins. Or the nightmare … depending on how much sympathy you feel for Héctor, who has to try and rectify the situation - er, predicament - that there are now two Héctors, and both are only an hour from each other. Héctor and the scientist head back to the house to try and find the other Héctor and the woman …

My head is already starting to hurt.

The curious scientist, played by director Nacho Vigalondo, illustrates the time-line to Hector

If you like films like Momento and Primer, you’ll love Timecrimes. The production values are top notch, the acting (there’s only four central characters) is solid, and the screenplay, well, its convoluted and at times far-fetched (there are definitely holes in the fabric of this space-time continuum),but for the most part rather cleverly constructed, if you like to suspend belief, and throw logic to the winds of chance.

From one disaster to another Hector tries in a desperate resignation to fix his problem

Essentially it’s an endless loop, a time-travel paradox. There is only one time-line, but seen from differing perspectives, but for cinematic purposes (and this is why it works so well) it appears more linear than it is. Timecrimes is one of those movies, like Momento, where repeat viewings would no doubt add further pleasure. I think I’ll be acquiring myself a copy when it comes out on DVD.

Timecrimes Karra Elejalde and Barbara Goenaga

Hector and the woman wander through the wilderness

Timecrimes is definitely one of those movies that is a joy to discover without knowing too much of the narrative. I’ve done my best to restrain myself from delving too deep into the Mobieus Strip whirlpool of the movie’s science fiction conceit. Like the best Twilight Zone episodes, Timecrimes does attempt to come full vicious circle, only to leave the viewer hanging … in the most satisfyingly precarious fashion.

Timecrimes screening times at 55th Sydney Film Festival:
Friday June 6th 8:30pm – Greater Union 8, George Street
Saturday June 7 6:30pm – Greater Union 9, George Street

Here's the teaser trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

7 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

June 6th 2008 03:47

Looks interesting....

Looks interesting...

Damn I am stuck in a time loop.

Seriously Bryn you should also let us know when they come on television.