For nearly two decades, Spanish filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo has worked at the edges of horror and science fiction. His 2007 feature debut—an independent film that laid the groundwork for all his later projects—was Timecrimes. Now newly re-released in a 4K UHD restoration by —, this low-budget movie explores an extremely bizarre time loop problem. Using practically no visual effects, it tells a progressively complex tale of a man trapped in a who keeps creating new versions of himself.
Karra Elejalde stars as Hector, whose — begins when he spots a partially naked woman in the woods behind his home. When Hector goes to investigate, he’s attacked and stabbed by a man with bloody bandages covering his face. The confusing plot escalates from there: Hector stumbles onto a building housing a time machine, and at the request of a scientist (played by Vigalondo himself), he travels one hour into the past. This triggers a chain of events that soon leaves at least three versions of Hector struggling to halt the causal spiral they’re trapped in.
How Was Timecrimes Received Upon Release?
Timecrimes earned positive feedback when it premiered at Austin’s Fantastic Fest in September 2007, followed by a limited theatrical run. The film won two awards at Fantastic Fest, while Vigalondo took home Best New Director at Spain’s 23rd annual Goya Awards. It holds a 90% “fresh” critic rating on — and a solid 79% audience score.
— noted that Vigalondo had “audacity to spare” in crafting his film with virtually no special effects, while — called it “heavy on fiendish cross-currents of temporal interaction.” Many reviews praised Vigalondo for relying more on ideas and resourceful filmmaking than flashy visual razzle-dazzle.
Why Is Timecrimes Important to See Now?
Set mostly in the backyard and surrounding woods of a Spanish country house, Timecrimes was produced on a — budget. That’s not a small sum for an indie feature, but it’s nothing compared to the cost of a Hollywood time-travel spectacle. The movie was part of a wave of low-budget sci-fi films released over roughly a decade, including Primer (2004), Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010), Monsters (2010), Another Earth (2011), and Coherence (2013)—all projects that used limited resources to explore deep, thought-provoking ideas.
In a retrospective for —, critic A.A. Dowd suggested that Timecrimes is actually an allegory about “the sheer difficulty of carrying on an affair.” He noted that Hector’s “wandering eye” triggers the cascading events, and that—like an unfaithful spouse—he keeps building more elaborate lies, excuses, and cover-ups (filtered through time travel) to hide his indiscretions. By the time three Hectors are running through the woods, the protagonist(s)—like an adulterer—struggle to keep their story straight, even with themselves.
Another interpretation from the director himself argues that Hector isn’t truly in control of surrounding events. “The film’s theory is that you only have free will within the limits of your perception,” Vigalondo told — in 2009. “If you haven’t seen what happens inside a room, you can change it—but if you have seen inside, you can’t change anything.”
The fact that all these concepts are explored in a film using just five actors and three locations is a testament to Vigalondo’s clever script and direction, as well as sci-fi’s flexibility and filmmaking’s endless possibilities. For anyone frustrated by major studios and streamers spending hundreds of millions on empty time-wasters, this movie offers encouragement to viewers and aspiring filmmakers alike.
What New Features Does the Timecrimes 4K Blu-Ray Have?
Boutique genre label Vinegar Syndrome’s — is available in both a standard edition and a limited-edition slipcase. Both include a freshly rescanned and restored 4K presentation of the film, plus two commentary tracks from Vigalondo (one new, one archival), a new commentary from writer Alexandra West, a recent interview with Vigalondo, and a new video essay.
Also included are additional archival features from past home video releases, such as a 44-minute making-of documentary and various cast/crew interviews. But the most intriguing “new” item (a version of which was previously on the Spanish DVD) is an alternate 69-minute cut that tells the film’s story in chronological order. It offers a fascinating perspective on a movie that already packs depth into its modest scope.