Timecrimes

It’s hard to discuss the inner workings of Nacho Vigalondo’s feature debut without ruining it. But here goes…

Although touted as a horror film, Timecimes is more a sci-fi suspense thriller than it is an out-and-out shocker. Filmed in Cantabria (not so far up the coast from Asturias where The Orphanage was filmed), it retains a thoroughly Spanish look. It begins with Hector (Karra Elejalde), a tired looking middle-aged man taking a break from moving in to a new house with his wife. He takes a seat in his new garden but while looking into the forest behind his house with binoculars, Hector spies a woman undressing. On investigating this phantom disrober, the unwitting Hector meets a not-so-friendly character in a pink-bandaged mask. As he tries to escape, Hector (with the help of ‘The Boy’ played by Vigalondo himself), hides in a mysterious machine only to find that it’s actually a time machine and he has travelled back to about an hour before he originally got in. This results in a chain of events whose outcome will keep you guessing until the very final shot.

The small cast are great; Vigalondo is excellent and Karra Elejalde gives Hector a convincing air of confusion. As with many, if not all, time travel movies, it’s best not to think about the ins and outs of the actual physics, lest you drive yourself into a state of near insanity.

Admittedly, about three quarters of the way through the film you might just find yourself hanging on to the plot by your fingernails. In one particular scene, even the characters seem to get confused as to what’s going on. But if anything, that sense of dislocation only adds to the enjoyment of the film

It’s the tricksy ‘Butterfly Effect’ notion that is at play here, and although it is not by any means an under-used theme, Vigalondo still manages to make it interesting and pleasingly vexing. Most admirably, the film keeps a sense of humour about the whole situation. How can you not when you can only tell who is who by the amount of bruises on their face? Adding to the interest is wondering what, exactly, David Cronenberg will do when he takes the reigns of the remake this year.

Rachael Lawrence

Anticipation:

Spanish horror is knocking ’em dead.

Enjoyment:

Beguiling, bamboozling, bewildering… but brilliant.

In Retrospect:

Like the best time travel films, will have you chewing over the details forever.