Timecrimes is the type of film that relies purely on its concept, much in the same way as The Human Centipede. The problem with that is the concept becomes a crutch. This review will contain spoilers but unless you have seen the film, the spoilers will probably make little sense anyway.
The concept that I'm talking about is the idea of an illogical time travel paradox. To be more exact, a predestination paradox. A predestination paradox is when a time traveler is caught in a loop of events that "predestines" or "predates" them to travel back in time.
Hector 1 is caused to go back in time because of the actions of Hector 2. The only reason Hector 2 exists is because Hector 1 went back in time.
Similarly, Hector 3 exists only because of events Hector 3 puts in motion before Hector 2 even knows there is a Hector 3. It could be more accurate to say that Hector 2 decides to use the time machine to become Hector 3 once Hector 2 becomes aware that there is a Hector 3.
It's actually not as complicated as it sounds, and that is the entire plot of the movie summed up. Once the concept becomes apparent within the first 15 or 20 minutes of the film or so, the rest of the film plods along in a very predictable fashion. We know the destination of the character, because for him it has been predestined.
The problem is that watching Hector go through events, and then put events in motion again once he travels in time, becomes a bore. The film takes place across a day, the character only traveling back in time 90 minutes or so. Hector is an unlikeable character and his actions as the various versions of himself make no sense.
To be more clear, an example is when Hector 2 has wrapped bandages around his entire head making himself look like a maniac, who then stabs and chases Hector 1, and forces a woman to undress. The motivations are completely unclear. The only reason Hector 2 does these things is because it predestines Hector 1 to go to the time travel machine in the first place. Hector 3's actions are similar in their lack of clarity, and the only seeming motivation being to keep the predestination paradox intact. Maybe the writer/director is trying to make a point about lack of free will. Personally, I just think its lazy writing. You can't have a plot that revolves entirely around a predestination paradox, and have characters that behave outside of any idea of logic or common sense. Otherwise, what is the interest of the film? What is the draw? When the entire draw of a film is its concept, rather than story and characters, something was fundamentally wrong right from the script up to the filming.
The concept that I'm talking about is the idea of an illogical time travel paradox. To be more exact, a predestination paradox. A predestination paradox is when a time traveler is caught in a loop of events that "predestines" or "predates" them to travel back in time.
Hector 1 is caused to go back in time because of the actions of Hector 2. The only reason Hector 2 exists is because Hector 1 went back in time.
Similarly, Hector 3 exists only because of events Hector 3 puts in motion before Hector 2 even knows there is a Hector 3. It could be more accurate to say that Hector 2 decides to use the time machine to become Hector 3 once Hector 2 becomes aware that there is a Hector 3.
It's actually not as complicated as it sounds, and that is the entire plot of the movie summed up. Once the concept becomes apparent within the first 15 or 20 minutes of the film or so, the rest of the film plods along in a very predictable fashion. We know the destination of the character, because for him it has been predestined.
The problem is that watching Hector go through events, and then put events in motion again once he travels in time, becomes a bore. The film takes place across a day, the character only traveling back in time 90 minutes or so. Hector is an unlikeable character and his actions as the various versions of himself make no sense.
To be more clear, an example is when Hector 2 has wrapped bandages around his entire head making himself look like a maniac, who then stabs and chases Hector 1, and forces a woman to undress. The motivations are completely unclear. The only reason Hector 2 does these things is because it predestines Hector 1 to go to the time travel machine in the first place. Hector 3's actions are similar in their lack of clarity, and the only seeming motivation being to keep the predestination paradox intact. Maybe the writer/director is trying to make a point about lack of free will. Personally, I just think its lazy writing. You can't have a plot that revolves entirely around a predestination paradox, and have characters that behave outside of any idea of logic or common sense. Otherwise, what is the interest of the film? What is the draw? When the entire draw of a film is its concept, rather than story and characters, something was fundamentally wrong right from the script up to the filming.