Primer

Play trailer

Primer

PG-13

Released Jan 16, 2004

1h 18m

Drama

Sci-Fi

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

130 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Intellectual engineers Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) build and sell error-checking technology with the help of their friends Robert (Casey Gooden) and Phillip (Anand Upadhyaya). But when Aaron and Abe accidentally invent what they think is a time machine, Abe builds a version capable of transporting a human and puts the device to the test. As the two friends obsess over their creation, they discover the dark consequences of their actions.

Critics Consensus

Dense, obtuse, but stimulating, Primer is a film for viewers ready for a cerebral challenge.

Read Critics Reviews

Scott Tobias

AV Club

Primer gains its seductive power by leaving the solution tantalizingly out of reach.

Jun 16, 2017

Full Review

Andrew Pulver

Guardian

Primer is off-putting: in trying to be elusive it's simply obstructive.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 16, 2017

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

An exhilarating, disturbing and funny experience.

Jun 16, 2017

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The storytelling is so confusing and the multiple timelines are so numerous that sorting out what exactly unfolds saps all the entertainment value.

Rated: 5/10

Nov 9, 2020

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Certainly there are many flaws with this project, most from a technical standpoint and obviously due to the budget, but despite those shortcomings, Primer still stands out as the most intellectually stimulating film of the year.

Nov 14, 2019

Full Review

Paul Dale

The List

Carruth's downbeat and unique debut feature is something of an anomaly in the low budget U.S. indie filmmaking scene: Played out like a deadpan, almost naturalistic political thriller...

Rated: 4/5

Apr 26, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Frans B

You want to challenge your intellectual self a little?, watch this. The subject has been jaw-boned to death, but this one offers an unique angle of approach. Refreshing to say the least. You will have to watch it more than once, believe me ... Stunning movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/08/25

Full Review

Joshua H

I don't think I really understood the movie I just watched. I just found it weird and confusing as to what's going on especially near the end. Yeah I feel like this movie that probably better then this rating I just couldn't get it but it was interesting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/25

Full Review

Emma T

This is a time travel story that hasn't been done before which is saying a lot because that convention has been done to death

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/13/25

Full Review

Logan D

Two scientists accidentally discover the secret to time travel. They wanna make money. I've been looking forward to this film for years. I just kept putting it off. After viewing, I wish I'd put it off forever. I've heard many say this is the best time travel movie ever. If they mean it makes more of an attempt at scientific explanation than most, maybe. But I found it boring. It features obfuscation instead of mystery. The viewer is left attempting to fill in the gaps instead of being provided with intriguing clues. Being a low budget, there are sound and lighting issues that interfere in the experience. There are some shots that seem more at home in a found footage film. Here are my favorite timey wimey movies I think are vastly superior to Primer. Aporia Lola (2022)(and low budget but vastly superior to Primer) The Infinite Man (ditto about low budget) About Time The Navigator (1988) Slaughterhouse Five Timecrimes Time Lapse Coherence

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

Full Review

Tomaz B

Not for me unfortunately. After 30 minutes, I decided I had enough of this movie. There's absolutely no emotions, nothing that would make me like any of the characters and the whole story is just too complicated and moving too quickly. The movie itself feels like a high school project, probably because of the budget. If you're smart and understand time travel and mechanical engineering, give it a try, otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/11/25

Full Review

Gabriel W

This is the most intricate and mind-bending time travel movie I’ve ever encountered. It demands your full attention, and you’ll likely find yourself eager to watch it again—or at least dive into a YouTube explanation—to fully grasp its complexity.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Shane Carruth

Director

Shane Carruth

Aaron

David Sullivan

Abe

Casey Gooden

Robert

Anand Upadhyaya

Phillip

Carrie Crawford

Kara

The X-Files

66%

72%

The X-Files

Watchlist

Eva

50%

65%

Eva

Watchlist

Fire in the Sky

50%

57%

Fire in the Sky

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Fire in the Sky

Another Earth

66%

66%

Another Earth

Watchlist

The Final Cut

37%

45%

The Final Cut

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Intellectual engineers Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) build and sell error-checking technology with the help of their friends Robert (Casey Gooden) and Phillip (Anand Upadhyaya). But when Aaron and Abe accidentally invent what they think is a time machine, Abe builds a version capable of transporting a human and puts the device to the test. As the two friends obsess over their creation, they discover the dark consequences of their actions.

Director: Shane Carruth
Producer: Shane Carruth
Screenwriter: Shane Carruth
Distributor: ThinkFilm
Production Co: ERBP
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Language)
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $424.8K
Runtime: 1h 18m

Most Popular at Home Now