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Last updated: 19 Jul 2026 at 04:03 UTC

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Review of by Gwen W — 29 Oct 2015

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The #1 best movie of all time. ALL TIME. Director/ Actor Shane Carruth is a genius in the literal sense. As stated elsewhere, "Primer makes 'Inception' look like a McDonalds commercial." If one has the time and intellect to re-watch and parse the scenes, they will be rewarded endlessly by the complexity.

Some reviewers seem skeptical- afraid that this is yet another pretentious 'Emperors New Clothes,' type film, that substitutes obfuscation for plot, and with the volume of crap films being churned out these days, I can understand their skepticism.

But if anyone on the fence is reading this, please trust that the logic of the film is algorithmic and precise. The right viewer will be floored by the complexity achieved on such a limited budget. I have read that Carruth himself does not enjoy re-watching this film, because all he can see are the production flaws.

But I say, like the rough-hewn time machine(s) at the center of the plot, this scrappy film is (by monetary necessity) more function than form, demonstrating that brilliant ideas most often come in un-glamorous packaging.

This review of Primer (2004) was written by on 29 Oct 2015.

Primer has generally received positive reviews.

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