Customer Reviews:

• An ingenius and suspenseful parable
  Although it is oddly classified under the horror genre, Timecrimes is definitely more fitting under the sci-fi/thriller categories, as this Spanish treat certainly delivers more on those merits than anything truly horrific. Karra Elejalde stars as Hector, a man whose tranquil life takes a different turn when he spots a naked woman (Barbara Goenaga). After he goes to investigate, he is stabbed by a man with a bandaged head, and that's only the beginning of Hector's troubles. His search for refuge leads him to a close-by science center and its technician (writer/director Nacho Vigalondo), and is only followed by a whole series of time-bending consequences. Yes, Timecrimes is one of those films that paying careful attention to helps, and while some of the developments may seem a bit predictable, the film manages to rack up the suspense factor, while also maintaining an intelligent and thought-provoking story. The minimal budget is meaningless, as Vigalondo manages to keep you enthralled throughout. With an American-ized remake on the way (of course), here's hoping that it manages to do Timecrimes the justice it deserves. ...more info
• Not "one of the best", but THE best time travel movie!
  Do you like movies that shows the fact, very clearly, and then the character looks to you and explains it? If you said yes, this movie is not for you! But the story is by no means hard to get. It is simple, but at the same time clever and intriguing. You will not take your eyes off the screen until the movie is over, I assure you.
  The cover of the DVD says: "One of the best time travel movies of all time". Well, I think it's wrong, because it's THE best time travel movie of all time....more info
• Like a Spanish MEMENTO?
  TimeCrimes
  
  Interesting but bizarre film on time paradox, a Spanish film with English subtitles.
  
  Despite this, it is not hard to follow.
  
  We start off with a 1st person view of a total klutz; a guy who leaves his car trunk open and stuff falls out, etc.
  
  Somehow or other, he ends up on his bedroom (the first person view stops for some reason, and the audience again has a third person view. Huh?) The phone rings. Heavy breathing. Nothing.
  
  He finds this weird, then goes outside to relax, and raises his binoculars and sees a girl taking off her T-shirt. (Yes, full frontal, one star).
  
  His wife goes to the store and he then decides to investigate. He finds an unconscious or dead nude woman. A guy with bandages sneaks up on him and stabs him and he runs away.
  
  After some time, he stumbles into a lab with lots of radiation warning signs. A guy there coaxes him into a vat. This vat and machine turn out to be a time machine, run by a geek on the weekends who wanted to see what would happen.
  
  The guy on the phone was actually Hector number 2, who was rear-ended by Hector number 3 in order to prevent the death of Hector number 1's wife. But if that happens, then Hector 1, well.... you get the idea. Time paradox.
  
  The film starts off very slow but then picks up the pace and gives a rather roundabout premise. What is important to a man? Can he change his destiny or is the fact that he had to make sure destiny happened as the way it should happen cause a disaster?
  
  The ending is a bit unsatisfying but at least (spoiler) Hector is himself again, though a bit cut up and bruised by the experience.
  
  You really have to see this several times to really get the pacing and the suspense of this thinking man's thriller.
  
  Recommended if you're a student of foreign films and want a different take on the old Time Travel paradox story.
  
  Amazon says there's supposed to be an English version remake. Oh no!
  
  Director Nacho Vigalondo:
  Timecrimes ( Los Cronocr¨ªmenes ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ]
  
  
  ...more info
• Excellent time travel movie
  I agree with the previous postings here, so I too will not re-hash the plot. While watching it the first time, I unfortunately had to turn it off in the middle, which only served to confuse me because I was trying to piece everything together. It definitely had me wondering WHY? I was able to watch the rest, but was still confused. So I watched the alternate cut (exclusively to Blockbuster I believe) that shows the story in true chronological order, as opposed to Hector's point of view. While this cut (a mere 68 minutes long and only in Spanish with subtitles) would be even more confusing had I seen it first, it was definitely helpful in understanding the theatrical cut; not only in regards to Hector, but also the scientist (as a previous reviewer mentioned; the scientist seems to know what's going on completely.) Both cuts are expertly edited and the pacing is wonderful. If you get the opportunity, try to see the alternate cut; you won't regret it....more info
• Good fun...but don't think too hard.
  I felt a need to provide a counterbalance to the previous (2 star) review. If you recognize the limited resources used in this movie (five actors...total!....and what had to be a VERY low budget) I think you can appreciate how much they accomplished in spite of their limits. Very few movies involving time travel ever make sense when viewed en toto, but that doesn't stop them from being an enjoyable ride (Donny Darko, anyone?). Reminiscent of the books "The Man Who Folded Himself" by David Gerrold or "Croyd" by Ian Wallace, the movie "Timecrimes" repeatedly folds back on itself until the viewer is lost in an Escheresque mobius strip of events. But in this case think too hard and you kill the goose. I enjoyed it very much...but don't ask me to explain it!...more info
• Probably the best movie in the best decade...
  What can I say about Timecrimes? This film is beyond incredible. It is amazing. All I have to say is buy it, rent it, experience it. I'd say this is in my Top 10 movies of all time. That's all I'm saying. Truely superb. 256 stars....more info
• An enjoyable and rare escape with a time travel film
  What a fun ride. And I say that once I found myself laughing when the credits rolled (and not in a bad way).
  
  A plot description is almost pointless, but we will stick with it being a time travel film involving and affecting only four characters. Our lead stumbles upon a time machine near his country home and unfortunately sets into motion a series of interconnected time lines, that in the end only affect the few characters we have come to see over and over again. When the credits role, I hope you find yourself snickering at the irony.
  
  The picture is grainy and there is often some artifact here and there, but I feel it ads an element to the obscure premise of the film. The 5.1 sound is adequate for the realm this covers, but the English 2.0 was atrocious, I only lasted a few minutes. The special features almost outweigh the film and garner an additional star on their own. Plenty of production background and behind the scenes for those interested.
  
  As I have read in other reviews, this is a film to watch more than once. I think if you do, it will allow you to get past the picking out of inconsistencies (hard not to do when there soooo many) and to just have fun. For those that disagree, I think that last line and scene sum up the premise. This will continue to be an overlooked little gem until the remake comes out (I think Cronenberg is doing it)....more info
• Are you a fan of bandages?
  The most thrilling part of this very low budget, poorly acted, poorly directed, poorly edited and poor screen writing is the very cool bandage wrapping on the poor guy's head. That is the only intellectually stimulating and thrilling part to the entire movie. The time scenarios are non-sensical and illogical at best and would fail any high school level understanding of time-space physics. Best illustrated by no explanation as to why climbing into a vat of milk takes you a few hours into the past. On top of that we have a lone individual (no security) playing around on the weekend with, would probably be the only time travel device on Earth, that so happens to be in a suburban neighborhood with no security and with energy demands that would drain a city. It turns out to be his personal play toy which he operates with a Nintendo game pad. There is meant to be paradox within the storyline but in this case it's a rationalization for confusion i.e. a movie with no thoughtfulness or direction....more info
• Time Will Tell
  I rented this with high expectations and was at least a bit befuddled when it was over. I think I know what happened but it will take repeated viewings before I'm certain.
  
  Let me say up front that I love these kinds of movies. I like having to wrap my head around plots. It makes the viewing all the more interesting. A couple of my favorites are "12 Monkeys" and "Deja Vu." The difference between those and "Timecrimes" is that they are "2 Loop" storylines, whereas Timecrimes" is a "3 loop" which really makes your head spin.
  
  I won't recap the plot as that has been done here a few times. I will say that I was intrigued for much of the viewing. The viewer is given various clues as to what's going on and the clues are revisited in a way as to reveal things that have happened or will happen. It's when we hit the 3rd loop that I found myself almost entirely lost. Again, I think I know what happened, but as I was not entirely certain I felt frustrated at the end.
  
  On the good side this is a plot driven movie whereby even the relatively low budget doesn't hurt things. The viewer is (or should be) so wrapped up in the plot as to not be distracred. It's shot and edited well enough where you don't notice the bones. Also, things move at a brisk pace. I never found myself looking at my watch.
  
  On the bad side, these kinds of movies have inherent difficulties in the plotting. Some of these difficulties scream in this one. Seems to me the main character could have made a key choice early on to deal with the circumstance and chose not to. Of course it would have made for a lousy movie but there you have it.
  
  All in all this is well worth watching. Very few movies display this kind of inventiveness and that alone qualifies it as a should see. As for the twists and turns in the plot, I know it would take me at least one more viewing to see if the pieces of the puzzle fit. So, as of now, it gets 3 stars. That might change in the future....more info
• This flick is just too cool for school
  I would have never heard about Timecrimes if not for seeing it's trailer on the Let the Right One In DVD (another foreign film worth your time). Both are going to be remade here in the US, but I doubt they will come close to the originals. This is hands down one of the best time travel movies I have ever seen. You can tell that the budget wasn't much and the film only has a total of four cast members, but with good writing and acting you don't need million dollar SFX shots. There were many moments that caught me by surprise and the farther along the movie goes the more it draws you in. I'm not sure I got everything figured out after watching it the first time, but that's what makes these kind of films so great. You can tell the writer and director, Nacho Vigalondo, put a lot of time and effort in crafting such a masterful work of Sci-Fi/Suspense. Make sure you watch this film with subtitles and not dubbed because it makes a huge difference in tone. Take it from me, this is a must see. Add it to your rental queue and prepare to have 90 minutes of thought and wonder....more info
• Wit Makes All the Difference
  Hector comes home to his posh suburban sanctuary. His wife greets him. They work on various projects around the house and yard. His wife decides to go to the store, while Hector does a little "bird-watching" with binoculars. When he sets off to investigate what he sees, he has no idea how complicated his life is about to become.
  
  Los cronocr¨ªmenes (Timecrimes) is a cleverly written and directed, expertly acted Spanish film about time travel. Not time travel as it is usually imagined and romanticized, but as a new product that accidentally falls into the hands of people like you and me. This movie is so crisp and so witty, I'm convinced watching it makes people smarter. So watch it as many times as you can....more info
• TIME LOOPS PLUS
  This is one of the neatest time loop stories ever. You keep trying to figure out how the three Hector's won't ruin the time line and they accomplish it, finally. Then after the movie has been seen, you have to sit in a chair (like Hector 3) and figure how the line moved along....more info