Timecrimes (5 Stars)

Have you ever seen a film that's so different that it just amazes and entrances you? A film that you can't get out of your head for hours after watching it? "Timecrimes" is such a film. It was made in Spain in 2007, and is due to be remade in America next year. Let's hope it won't be butchered.

Hector and Clara are a middle-aged couple who have just moved into a new house by the woods. One day Hector sees a young woman getting undressed in the woods. When he goes to investigate he finds her lying unconscious. While looking at her he's attacked by a man whose head is covered with bandages. Hector flees to a scientific facility with his attacker in pursuit. A scientist tells him to hide in a vat of liquid. When he emerges he's gone back a few hours in time. The scientist doesn't recognise Hector because they haven't yet met, but tells him that as long as he makes sure the events he's already experienced are allowed to happen without being changed he's safe.

Hector refuses to stay where he is and decides to drive home. On the way he's rammed by another car and injures his head. He bandages his head, then realises that he's the man who attacked him. He has to mimic all the things that have already happened. He sees the young woman cycling, so he kidnaps her and forces her to take her clothes off in the woods in view of his house. He knocks the woman unconscious, then attacks his other self when he comes to investigate. After making sure that his original self goes to the facility and hides in the vat he returns home to his wife. She doesn't recognise him in his bandages, and in the following struggle he accidentally kills her.

So Hector returns to the scientist and tells him he wants to go back in time again to prevent himself killing his wife. The problem is that the scientist has already met Hector after being sent back a second time, and Hector begged him not to send him back because everything had gone badly wrong. But Hector insists. And.....

That's more of a spoiler than I usually write. This film is a mindbender. However you try to explain it there are temporal paradoxes. This is a brilliant film, and I implore my readers to check it out. You won't regret it.

Click here to view the trailer.