50 Essential Sci-Fi Films of the 21st Century (So Far)

Nacho Vigalondo’s low-budget, Spanish-language sci-fi horror may not have made a big splash at the time of its release (taking only around a fifth of its budget at the box office), but in the years since it has earned its status as a modern cult classic.

The indie time travel flick follows Héctor (Karra Elejalde), a man who just wants to live a quiet life with his wife in their home in the Spanish countryside. However, when he spots a woman stripping off in the woods, he can’t help but investigate, and is drawn into a fatal game of cat and mouse with a bandaged man, whom he tries to combat - repeatedly - using a time machine.

Like Predestination, Timecrimes deals in the consequences of a single, fixed timeline that can’t be changed, no matter how many times you go back - because everything that you’re going to do, you have already done. So Héctor finds out, as he makes error after error, spurred on by the blunders of his future selves.

Despite the lofty context of time travel, Vigalondo uses a cold, realist palette and keeps his action grounded - no space lasers, no neons, no explosive setpieces; just a man, his mistakes, and his conscience.