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Suggest pagesLos Cronocrímenes
| Los Cronocrímenes | |
|---|---|
 Timecrimes movie poster Design by Barfutura |
|
| Directed by | Nacho Vigalondo |
| Produced by | Eduardo Carneros Jorge Gómez |
| Written by | Nacho Vigalondo |
| Starring | Karra Elejalde Nacho Vigalondo Candela Fernández Bárbara Goenaga |
| Music by | Eugenio Mira |
| Cinematography | Flavio Martinez Labiano |
| Editing by | Jose Luis Romeu |
| Distributed by | Karbo Vantas Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | September 20, 2007 (USA, Fantastic Fest) October 11, 2007 (Spain) |
| Running time | 88 min. |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
Timecrimes (Spanish: Los Cronocrímenes) is a 2007 science fiction film with a time loop plot device written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo.
An English-language remake of the film is planned for 2012.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
In the Spanish countryside, a middle-aged man named Héctor (Karra Elejalde) and his wife (Candela Fernández) live in a home that they are renovating. Héctor looks at the forest behind their house with binoculars, when he sees someone who turns out to be a young woman undressing. His wife leaves to go shopping so he investigates, only to be stabbed and chased by a mysterious man wearing pink bandages on his face. After fleeing and breaking into a mysterious building, Héctor is contacted by a scientist (Nacho Vigalondo), who warns him of the bandaged man and guides him to his location, promising safety. Upon reaching the scientist, Héctor is convinced to hide in a large mechanical device from the assailant; upon exiting the machine, however, he discovers that he has traveled several hours back in time.
After discussing the machine, the scientist, after being told of what later happens, dubs Héctor "Héctor 2" and explains that they need to stay where they are and let the events unfold as normal. Despite the scientist's objections, Héctor 2 eventually flees in the scientist's car, only to run off the road by a truck, cutting his head which he wraps in the bandage from his arm wound. After being rescued by the young girl that he earlier viewed in the forest, he proceeds to try to replicate the events he previously witnessed as Héctor 1. The girl escapes, and Héctor 2 returns to his home where he hears a scream, ending up chasing a woman through his house and onto the roof. When he attempts to grab her, she slips and falls to her death. Upon examining the body, Héctor believes it was his wife that he accidentally killed.
Héctor then contacts the scientist over a walkie-talkie and, remembering Héctor 1, convinces the scientist to lure his past self to the lab with warnings that he is being pursued. After driving to the lab, Héctor 2 insists that he must travel one more time, much to the objections of the scientist, who reveals that Héctor 3 not only dictated the events of the film but also stated that he must stop Héctor 2.
After removing his bandages, Héctor 3 convinces the scientist to send him back several seconds before Héctor 2 appears and, upon arriving, follows Héctor 2. After causing Héctor 2 to crash, Héctor 3 is knocked unconscious after crashing his own vehicle; waking several hours later, after telling the scientist to stop Héctor 2 over a walkie-talkie, Héctor 3 accidentally scares the girl, causing her to scream. Since Héctor 2 is following the noise, Héctor 3 and the young girl take refuge in Héctor's house. Upon finding his wife, who is startled by Héctor 2 approaching the house, Héctor 3 hides his wife in his shed before setting up the events that lead to the roof accident; most notably, he finds the young girl, cuts her ponytail off and gives her his wife's coat, and tells her to run upstairs.
Whilst the events on the roof unfold, Héctor 3 sits on his lawn with his wife; while Héctor 2 accidentally kills the young girl and drives off in the wife's car, Héctor 3 prevents his wife from interfering as emergency vehicles are heard approaching in the distance.
[edit] Cast
- Karra Elejalde as Héctor
- Candela Fernandez as Clara
- Barbara Goenaga as the girl in the forest
- Nacho Vigalondo as the scientist
- Juan Inciarte as Occasional Héctor
[edit] Reception
[edit] Critical response
Los Cronocrímenes holds a rating of 88% (Certified "Fresh") on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 68 reviews, as of June 2011.
Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times noted the role of female frontal nudity and fast-paced action in disguising the film's most conspicuous flaws. She praised writer/director Nacho Vigalondo's "audacity" in being able to create "urgency and disorientation from the thinnest of air" despite the film's low budget and lack of special effects.[2]
Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe doubted whether Los Cronocrimenes actually makes sense, but credited Vigalondo with making clever use of the time machine in order to allay the viewer's skepticism. Referring to the planned remake by director David Cronenberg, and alluding to Héctor's "human sequels," Morris concluded that Los Cronocrimenes "deserves a doppelganger."[3]
[edit] Accolades
- Best Picture at 2007 Fantastic Fest (USA)
- Gold Medal of Jury Award Competition in 2007 Fantastic Fest (USA)
- Silver Medal of Audience Award Competition in 2007 Fantastic Fest (USA)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
 |
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2010) |
- ^ Timecrimes remake at the Internet Movie Database. accessed 13 May 2011.
- ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (12 December 2008). "Time Marches Backward, Determination Forward". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/movies/12time.html?partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes&ei=5083. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
- ^ Morris, Wesley (23 January 2009). "Time is of the essence in metaphysical thriller". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/movies/display?display=movie&id=12606. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
