Review of Primer (2004) by Maksim B — 03 Oct 2013

Extremely challenging and thought provoking, Primer is a mind-bending low-budget sci-fi, which could not be limited by its beginning and ending. Its perplex and confusing noir story gets stuck in your mind and challenges you long after seeing the final credits and dares you to see the movie again. Without a specific direction, but more being an exploration, the story is demanding, extremely technical and probably impossible to be understood from the first time.

Four tech-nerds are working on error checking systems, when two of them Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) realize that they have built up a sort of "time machine" or a machine capable of bending and duplicating space and time. After this initial "exploration", the second part of the movie goes from a scientific to more thriller content with noir-ish moral elements.

This all is told with a depressing minimalism and at too many moments by incomprehensible tech-dialogues. In terms of reality and grip on the audience, Primer is an amazing success for Shane Carruth (who is director, lead actor, screenwriter and probably also investor of the $7 000 budget needed for the movie), yet the movie suffers from its technicality and lack of particular direction. It would have been much better if it had kept the scientific style of the first part, or if it had gone in depth in the moral part of the second part. But combining those two parts like Carruth has done only increases the confusion and pour some extra salt in the otherwise compelling food for the brains.

In conclusion, Primer is an extremely demanding movie, which gives no guarantees for rewarding its audience. If you are a sci-fi fan (but not of the action style of sci-fi), a noir thrillers fan or simply a nerdy, tech person, you would definitely enjoy it. If not, Primer is quite a challenge and you will either see it for second time to understand it, or just hate it.