Timecrimes is the first film by Nacho Vigalondo. While no means perfect, it’s much more inventive and fun than his later films like Open Windows and Colossal. In some ways, it almost feels like a warm-up to his contribution to V/H/S: Viral, “Parallel Monsters” as both films feature a hero foolishly messing around with time and space.
Hector (Karra Elejalde) moves into a new house with his wife Clara (Candela Fernandez). While relaxing in his backyard, he thinks he sees a damsel in distress (Barbara Goenaga) in the woods. When Hector goes to investigate, he soon finds himself hunted by a menacing figure wrapped in bandages. Our hero is then pursued to a nearby laboratory where a lowly technician (played by Vigalondo) is working on a time machine.
Timecrimes is simultaneously complex and deceptively simple. There are no real surprises here, but that’s because if there were, the film’s painstaking timeline would be disrupted. While many viewers will be able to figure out how it all plays out, it’s still a lot of fun to watch Vigalondo slyly dropping all the pieces into place.
Nacho is also able to milk a surprising amount of suspense out of what is ostensibly a forgone conclusion, which is pretty admirable. While it often plays like an overlong short film, Vigalondo keeps things moving along at a steady clip. There is no fat on the movie as every scene needs to be there in order to keep the film’s tightly structured premise afloat.
The cloaked, bandaged killer casts a striking image. He’s definitely one of the most stylish looking killers in recent memory as he resembles a low budget ‘70s Italian version of Darkman. Even if you can easily guess his identity, the shadowy stalker will leave a memorable impression on you long after you see it.
AKA: Rewind.
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