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Movies / On DVD / Primer
Primer

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Primer (2004)

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Reviews Counted:113

Fresh:81

Rotten:32

Average Rating:6.5/10

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

Runtime: 80 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Former engineer Shane Carruth announces himself as a force to watch with PRIMER, his first film. Carruth wrote, directed, edited, produced, photographed, scored, and stars in the film, which won... Former engineer Shane Carruth announces himself as a force to watch with PRIMER, his first film. Carruth wrote, directed, edited, produced, photographed, scored, and stars in the film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. He plays Aaron, who, with his business partner and best friend, Abe (David Sullivan), experiments with a device that seems to have more power than they could ever have imagined. Playing with batteries, refrigeration, and other techniques and materials in Aaron's garage, they discover that their machine just might have the ability to move back in time. Originally dealing with Weebles figures and wristwatches, Aaron and Abe are soon considering making a box large enough to transport a human being--with remarkable results. An indie hit, PRIMER was made for about $7,000. Carruth shot the film with a purposefully grainy look, as if it were made in the 1970s. The retro feel works well with the futuristic elements of the story, which lead Abe and Aaron to question reality, truth, and their own physical and mental being. Because he learned about film on his own without going to film school or making any previous shorts, Carruth brings a freshness to the genre that is invigorating, with unexpected plot twists and complex narratives that invite multiple viewings. PRIMER is an unusual, unique, challenging, and thoroughly entertaining movie. [More]

Starring: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Anand Upadbyaya, Casey Gooden

Starring: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Anand Upadbyaya, Casey Gooden, Carrie Crawford, Jay Butler, John Carruth, Samantha Thomson

Director: Shane Carruth

Director: Shane Carruth
Screenwriter: Shane Carruth
Producer: Shane Carruth
Composer: Shane Carruth
Studio: ThinkFilm

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Primer

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

Jessica Winter

This film imagines its viewers to be smart, possessed of a decent attention span and game for a challenge. It doesn’t happen all that often.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 09 2006 03:16 AM

Time Out

tomato
4/5

Joe Utichi

Confident and well-woven.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 25 2005 03:15 AM

FilmFocus

tomato
4/5

Matthew Turner

One of the most original and intriguing film debuts of the last few years.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 20 2005 03:39 AM

ViewLondon

tomato
3/5

Not recommended for entry-level time-travel theorists, but experienced ‘chrononauts’ will meet themselves scratching their heads in amused puzzlement as they emerge from an earlier screening.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 19 2005 03:15 AM

Empire Magazine

splat
2/5

Matthew Leyland

One of the most wilfully obscure sci-fi movies ever made, Primer will either blow your mind or drive you out of it.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 09 2005 03:36 AM

BBC

tomato
3.5/5

Rich Cline

If he could've made some sense of it in the end, Carruth'd have a masterpiece on his hands.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 28 2005 11:41 PM

Shadows on the Wall

tomato
88/100

Dan Jardine

Discombobulating and mind-bending sci fi thriller. I think.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 22 2009 07:06 AM

Cinemania

N/R

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2009 03:15 AM

Cinema Crazed

N/R

Devin Faraci

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 27 2009 03:15 AM

CHUD

tomato

Michael Booth

Mind-bending thrillers like Primer are terrific viewing with your teenagers. Maybe if you're nice, they'll explain the ending to you.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 08 2008 12:23 PM

Denver Post

tomato
3/4

Joe Lozito

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 27 2007 03:15 AM

Big Picture Big Sound

tomato

J. R. Jones

Scary, puzzling, and different.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 04 2007 07:25 PM

Chicago Reader

splat
1.5/4

Jay Antani

ridiculous, confusing, vaguely noir-ish nonsense

Full Review Source: | comment 2 Comments | Sep., 11 2006 12:15 PM

Perihelion Journal

tomato
3/4

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Shane Carruth's ultra-low budget, 78-minute sci-fi film could almost be a 'B' movie from the past if not for its icy intelligence.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 26 2006 03:16 AM

Combustible Celluloid

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jan., 17 2006 03:15 AM

Sydney Morning Herald

tomato

Urban Cinefile Critics

Shane Carruth's Primer is a science fiction movie like no other, pushing its experimental tendencies as far as they can go without betraying the genre

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 30 2005 10:26 PM

Urban Cinefile

splat
2/5

Brian Mckay

Even at a short 77 minutes, Primer is bloated, draggy, cumbersome, confusing, and almost entirely unengaging

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 20 2005 09:22 AM

eFilmCritic.com

tomato
4/5

Alex Ramirez

Una joya de ritmo y de temática.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 13 2005 04:45 AM

Cinenganos

splat

Martin Scribbs

I didn't understand Primer; worse yet, I didn't care.

comment Comment | Jun., 01 2005 07:05 PM

Low IQ Canadian

tomato
B

Louis-Jérôme Cloutier

Primer est un film difficile à détester, mais encore plus difficile à pleinement apprécier.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 25 2005 06:15 PM

Panorama

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Primer

March 16, 2005: Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival 2005
A 70-mm French comedy by Jacques Tati will open my 7th annual Overlooked Film Festival this April, and a Bollywood musical starring "the most beautiful woman in the... More...

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