10 Movie Openings You're Not Supposed To Understand
3. Primer
On one hand Primer is an astonishingly audacious micro-budget sci-fi film, made by writer-director-star Shane Carruth for just $7,000, and on the other it's an absolute headache to get through if you've not got a degree in mathematics or engineering (like Carruth does).
As has made the film polarising since its 2004 release, Primer refuses to talk down to its audience from minute one, with Carruth using complex technical dialogue scientists working on time travel tech would actually use.
As such there aren't any expository hand-holds for audiences, and it's easy to become totally lost if you're not paying attention - and definitely if you're watching without subtitles.
And Carruth, to his credit, holds nothing back in this regard from the outset.
An ambiguous opening narration sets up that protagonists Aaron (Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) are experimenting with something unique, before we cut to them struggling to launch any of their in-progress tech projects during a tense meeting with their colleagues.
We're constantly held at arm's length by the opaque dialogue, such that anyone who hasn't seen the trailer would likely have zero idea they're actually watching a time travel movie.