Review of Primer (2004) by Leighton T — 30 Apr 2011

I have great respect for something like Primer. Shane Carruth wrote, produced, directed, starred and in and did the music for this complicated sci-fi technical film. That's so much required of one person on one project and the final achievement is a great piece of work that is challenging and intriguing even if it is a bit dense.

The acting doesn't quite draw me in here and I realize that's the point, but it still needs to be a bit more compelling to draw the audience in. As a philosophical and moral piece, ideas are its center, but even Kubrick's stuff had great performances (Douglas in Paths of Glory, Nicholson in The Shining, McDowell in A Clockwork Orange).

I don't think this required anything like those, but the actors just felt kind of dead-pan, fitting in with the scientific aspect (realism though can only go so far before the entertainment value is sacrificed completely).

It is something I would definitely need to watch again to completely understand and appreciate what's going on, even multiple viewings really, but I don't really feel the desire to watch it again.

It just doesn't have the same pull for me that other brainteasers like Donnie Darko do.