10 Sci-Fi Movie Concepts That Shouldn't Work But Do

10. Primer

Primer is a 2004 time travel flick with a twist.

And the twist is that it’s boring - but not in a bad way!

People have started talking about it again recently because of the release of Tenet, the new Nolan film which shares much of its high concept with Primer.

The difference between the two though, is that whilst both are known for their incredibly complex plots (which over the years have led people to create flow-charts just to even attempt to understand), Tenet is backed by a huge budget and big names, whereas Primer intentionally creates a down-to-earth presentation of scientific discovery.

The understated visuals and performances in the film help bolster its charm, which is a direct product of its low budget and director’s vision. For explosions and action and excitement audiences go to Tenet, but Primer is its quieter, smarter cousin.

Director Shane Carruth himself plays one of the two central roles after claiming he couldn’t find a single actor that wouldn’t deliver lines with ‘too much drama’. He insisted instead that he wanted the film to portray scientific discovery realistically.

Now this may not be for everyone: it’s more slow-burning and introspective than others like it. But nonetheless, Carruth proved to audiences that you don’t need big names and bigger budgets to bring an incredible, complex sci-fi idea to life.