Going Back to Re-Visit Primer (Archive)

Today I had a friend ask me, "Primer? What is Primer?" Its an opportunity such as this that I relish- being able to talk about something that I consider a "favorite", whether it is a game, movie, book, etc. As listed at the side of this blog, Primer is one of my Top 10 favorite films.

Let me start by answering the question. Primer is a sci-fi film, a perplexing piece of story-telling and a respectable film making achievement. It is the product of literally one man- director Shane Carruth, who not only directed the film, but wrote, produced, edited, scored and starred-in it! The end result is a very impressive feature that, on a budget of only $7000, garnered critical acclaim and won the Grand Jury Prize - Drama at the 2004 Sundance Festival. ($7000.... take THAT Blair Witch!)

Its an indie film, but it certainly doesn't present as such. The skill demonstrated in the shooting and editing of this picture is impressive, especially for a first effort; Carruth has no previous films to his name. True, the film does carry a gritty aspect to it, but works more as a style than a distraction and I never once was bothered by any of it because it was the story itself that drew me in, confused the hell out of me and then pulled me back for a second and finally third wholly satisfying viewing.

The story of Primer is that of two garage physicists and friends, Aaron and Abe, who tinker and experiment during their time spent away from their nine to five jobs as engineers. They are trying to start a business of their own with some other associates, but are finding little success. That is until the two men stumble upon unimaginable discovery! That's when the projects goes underground- Abe and Aaron cut the rest out, work behind their backs and keep it all to themselves. But what exactly did they create in the garage?

Without spoiling too much, the men created a time machine! But it isn't what you think. Believe me, it isn't what you think.... at all. And as it would happen, it isn't what they think either. The guts of this story isn't the invention but rather the inventors themselves as we are witness to a struggle and intellect and wills. The occupant of their machine is able to travel backwards in time a distance equal to the length of time they spend inside the machine, so its not as if they can travel untethered to the distant past or the far future, and there are risks involved.

Like I said, the machine isn't the story, but rather its creators and their intentions. What starts out as simple curiosity quickly becomes an increasingly tangled web of deceit and maneuvering. Things begin to happen, events begin to change and a friendship becomes a rivalry as we follow this intellectual thriller and it certainly isn't easy.

I took me three viewings to really understand what was happening. While some people just choose to dismiss Primer as a confused, mess of a film, I give kudos to Carruth for his attention to detail and his expert telling of the story, a story which by its very nature is confusing. The confusion of the main characters mirrors our own but as you watch, it all comes together and in the end it all does make perfect sense. It is an amazing science fiction story which, for me and the group I watched it with, sparked a very long and interesting conversation in its wake. Again, my hat is off to Carruth for his efforts.

This film is not for everyone, especially those who like their films straight forward. I don't mean that as a criticism, but simply as observation. Its a complicated story made all the better when suddenly it all finally clicks for you, which is why I love this film. Its high concept, heady but utterly entertaining , especially upon reflection.

I have to hand it Shane Carruth; I cannot give him enough credit. He had a story that he wanted to tell, originally about inventing, and he ended up with a fascinating tale of science, human ambitions and consequences. Whats more is that he did it all on his own- no studio, no huge amounts of cash and no high expectations. Now that's storytelling! 10/10