As one who grew up on the Back to the Future films, I have always been a fan of time travel films in general, particularly those that weave multiple time lines together. With Timecrimes, writer and director Nacho Vigalondo takes what seems to be a simple premise and creates a unique film that not only disguises its low-budget roots, but seems to derive some of the best tricks from the lack of effects.

Timecrimes begins with Hector (Karra Elejalde) and his wife in repose, away from the things of man in the remote Spanish countryside. While Clara (Candela Fernandez) putters away assembling tables, Hector tries to get some rest, but he is preoccupied with taking in the world beyond their fence with a pair of binoculars. Soon, mysterious events begin to occur, including a phone call from an unusual number and Hector's discovery of a beautiful nude girl in a clearing in the woods, also spied with his binoculars. When Clara heads for the store, Hector investigates.

Hector soon finds himself in the same clearing as the nude girl, who is now unconscious. There's little time to investigate as he is assaulted by a strange figure wearing a mask made of pink bandages, who welcomes Hector to his adventure by planting a pair of scissors in his arm. Hector, of course, flees, pursued by the bandaged man to a house where music blares and a walkie-talkie is the only contact with the outside world. On the other end of the walkie is an unknown man, who tells Hector the bandaged man is coming for him and he must escape the house and make the short journey to a nearby silo where the stranger is observing.

Once there, Hector is lured inside a machine filled with opaque fluid and sealed inside, ostensibly for protection against the bandaged man. One flash of light later and Hector emerges from the tank, only an hour and a half earlier. Where night had fallen, the world has become day, and Hector must explain to the stranger, Chico (director Vigalondo), how he has come to be in his tank. Chico explains to Hector, "the first vertebrate to travel through time", that he must allow his other self (who can be seen through the binoculars relaxing with his wife, prior to the beginning of Hector 2's adventure) to catch up to Hector 2 in this timeline, otherwise things could become... complicated. Hector, of course, makes a phone call to himself and leaves the facility, thereby setting a chain of events in motion that will leave someone dead.

No spoilers here, gang, as it steals the fun of Vigalondo's twisting, mind-bending movie. Despite the lack of effects, or maybe because of it, this movie doesn't deal with the sci-fi elements of time travel, the hows and whys of the machine, but rather places an ordinary man in an extraordinary circumstance and forces him to untangle time and multiple identities to return to some sort of normal life. There are twists, for sure, and just when you think you have the film figured out, it is almost guaranteed to turn on you, throwing you down another time traveling rabbit hole where no conclusion is certain.

The best thing about the film, though, is Elejalde. As Hector, Elejalde manages to create an emotional arc for his character that is incredibly satisfying, transitioning from a naieve accidental time traveller into a savvy lead, determined to set things right, or as right as they can be set. Timecrimes is a challenging, satisfying puzzle of a movie that has enough new moves to make it worth any film fan's time. Light on dazzle and heavy on smarts, Timecrimes is currently playing in limited release. Check the papers for showings at local art houses, and see this one while you can. Fantastic fun that I can't wait to see again.

that he must allow his other self (who can be seen through the binoculars relaxing with his wife, prior to the beginning of Hector 2's adventure) to catch up to Hector 2 in this timeline, otherwise things could become... complicated. Hector, of course, makes a phone call to himself and leaves the facility, thereby setting a chain of events in motion that will leave someone dead.

accidental time traveller into a savvy lead, determined to set things right, or as right as they can be set. Timecrimes is a challenging, satisfying puzzle of a movie that has enough new moves to make it worth any film fan's time. Light on dazzle and heavy on smarts, Timecrimes is currently playing in limited release. Check the papers for showings at local art houses, and see this one while you can. Fantastic fun that I can't wait to see again.