Hollywood has brought us some of the most amazing stories over the years, but few are quite as mind-bending and exhilarating as those involving time travel. Filmmakers have tried their hand in literally everything the concept has to offer – from moving forward and backward in time to crossing over into alternate realities. And while some movies just make sense, many others drop the ball by never addressing the basic rules and paradoxes associated with messing with the space-time continuum. Resulting in utter confusion and bewilderment.
While time travel movies aim to entertain audiences, they sometimes end up being hard to follow. And that’s mainly because time travel itself is very hard to properly put into practice in a cinematic environment. From harmless choices to greater disasters, many movies leave massive plot holes unaddressed, while many others take a casual approach to the science behind the premise.
Regardless of the method, the result is some of the greatest films about time travel that offer baffling experiences. After all, the thrill of watching characters traverse through eons and eras is unrivaled. Even if we are left scratching our heads and grasping out straws to make sense of all the plot twists and gaps in logic. So, without further ado, here is a list of some of the most confusing yet highly watchable movies involving time travel.
20 Mirage (2018)
One of the most unique murder mysteries ever made, Mirage is a Spanish-language film that combines the elements of a crime thriller with time travel, and it does so impeccably. The movie follows Vera, a mother who ends up saving the life of a child in a storm that occurred 25 years ago. But her tempering causes a glitch in the space-time continuum, which takes her daughter from her, and now she must solve the case and reverse the event. The movie uses props like a TV acting as a portal between the past and the present, facts and clues from two decades ago that act as clues to uncover a larger, more sinister detail. Director Oriol Paulo has a seasoned hand in creating movies with altered realities and shifting timelines, and his 2018 project only cements his talent in the genre. Plus, we have Álvaro Morte, whom fans know from the renowned Netflix series Money Heist.
19 The Infinite Man (2014)
This complicated time loop movie centers around a man’s desire to recreate special moments with his girlfriend. Being a scientist, Dean has all the means to make this anniversary weekend similar to the last and equally memorable. But what he does not expect is that his little fiddling would lead Lana into an infinite time loop, and the two would come face to face with multiple versions of themselves from the past. Wicked and charming, this Australian low-budget science fiction movie is not only high in its concept but also delivers crazy humor with its disorienting premise. The Infinite Man achieves a lot with just three actors – Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall, and Alex Dimitriades – and almost no special effects or over-the-top performances, making it one of the more underrated comedies in the genre.
18 Primer (2004)
Primer is an extraordinarily cerebral independent time-travel film written and directed by Shane Carruth. Produced with a shoestring budget of $7k, it follows a group of engineers, Aaron, Abe, Phillip, and Robert, working on creating an error-checking machine but accidentally inventing a device that allows them to travel back in time. Obsessed with this new origination, they use it to get advanced knowledge on the stock market and make inadvertent changes to alter the present and the future. What follows is a spiral of paradoxes and alternate timelines. The movie relies heavily on technical jargon to explain the plot, which may leave the audience dazed. But due to its many artistic merits, Primer succeeds in creating a truly original take on the time travel genre.
17 Summer Time Machine Blues (2005)
A rather unknown entry on the list, Summer Time Machine Blues is a Japanese indie time travel comedy that follows four college students who use a time travel machine to retrieve a remote control after the air conditioner in the present breaks down and the summer heat gets unbearable. The movie is filled with amusing shock gags which appeal not only to fans of science fiction but also to people who simply enjoy nonsensical humor. As the students confront technology and travel back and forth, things get way too complicated. However, the movie focuses more on the comedic scenarios than crafting a coherent of logical time travel storyline, which seems to work well because the audience is left feeling exhilarant and nostalgic as they long for a carefree summer break.
16 X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
The X-Men franchise is widespread, and the movies range from dull to spectacular. X-Men: Days of Future Past falls on the better side of this spectrum as the superhero time travel adventure follows Wolverine’s consciousness sent back to the 1970s by the X-Men. The mission? To stop Mystique from killing Bolivar Trask, as it would lead to the destruction of mutants. While the time travel itself feels pretty straightforward, it’s Wolverine’es functioning as a surrogate for the audience that truly elevates the experience. There are also notions of free will and fate involved, as Logan’s actions sharply alter the events of history. It seems like the story plays it safe rather than diving into the conceptual details, which also results in some loose threads. But overall, the movie is an enjoyable flick that relies on visual thrills and character drama.
15 12 Monkeys (1995)
Director Terry Gilliam draws inspiration from the 1962 short film by Chris Marker to create this imaginative time travel tale. In 12 Monkeys, Bruce Willis stars as a time traveler sent back from a dystopian future to gather information about a virus that wipes out most of mankind. The twisted narrative revolves around an animal rights group called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys and Willis’ increasingly confused journey as he struggles to differentiate between what is real and what isn’t. While the movie is overly imbued with separate incidents about predestination and fate that later turn into a surprisingly poetic vision of time as the pieces fall into place. With strong performances and Gilliam’s visually striking direction, the movie slowly narrows down the confusion.
14 Timecrimes (2007)
Nacho Vigalondo’s excellently clever Spanish thriller follows a single timeline, with events that occur during one day. Timecrimes follows the protagonist, Héctor snooping on a woman on his property, shortly after which he discovers that she has been assaulted. The same bandage-faced man then targets Héctor, who hides in a time machine, which sends him a few hours in the past to observe himself throughout the day. The simple yet effective premise allows the filmmakers to explore the mind-bending concept of time as well as the idea of a person interacting with their past self. The confusion comes from Héctor’s character, who never intended to travel back. Told in a gripping pace of twisted reveals, Timescrimes leaves the audience in a constant state of awe but still keeps them invested throughout.
13 The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Ashton Kutcher stars in The Butterfly Effect as Evan, who is perturbed by constant headaches and often blacks out. But when he’s unconscious, he develops the ability to travel back into his own memories and alter the events of the past. The movie examines how even the tiniest chances in the past can affect the present in unexpected, monumental ways. The premise of the story actually explores the chaos theory, which suggests that order often moves to disorder and vice versa. As for the story, it quickly devolves into an increasingly illogical series of events as Kutcher’s protagonist, Evan, tries to mend his personal and professional relationships. While the movie did receive a lot of appreciation, many believe that the mind-bender had more potential for success had it delivered better psychological thrills.
12 Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is a wacky comedy that follows two rock-and-roll slackers who travel through time to assemble historical figures like Socrates, Billy the Kid, and Joan of Arc for their school project. At the same time, they also save the world. The movie is very, very light-hearted in its approach toward time travel, focusing more on the silly hijinks and vintage gags rather than explaining how a phone booth sent for the future acts as a device that sends them cruising around centuries. Rufus, the guy who acts as an anchor for Bill and Ted, has a confusing arc because he reveres their music in the future, but they only end up making the music after he steps into the past. As such, the movie serves more as a fun diversion than food for thought.
11 Planet of the Apes (2001)
The 1968 classic sci-fi directed by Franklin J. Schaffner gave the audience a first glimpse of time travel and its effect, but we’re talking about 2001’s Planet of the Apes reboot by Tim Burton, which took the original movie’s basic storyline and went crazy with it. Starring Mark Wahlberg as Leo, an astronaut who lands on a planet where apes rule the humans, the movie switches directions from the original as soon as he provokes the humans to take a stand against the intelligent apes. When matters get out of hand, he returns to the present and discovers that his Earth is now occupied by apes too. Which just complicates things further. Because the story relies heavily on spectacle over science, it fails to craft a genuine portrait of evolution, intelligence, and the dangers posed by the same.
10 Looper (2012)
Looper charts the story of an assassin who works for organized crime, and his job as a ‘looper’ is to kill targets set back in time from the future. Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt both play the protagonist, Joe, in this neo-noir thriller. The unforeseen complication in Joe’s profession arises when his younger and aged version comes face to face to close the loop, which means killing themselves. The film showcases a vivid vision of a dystopian future while also exploring how the same future can create greater dents in society. Director Rian Johnson uses artistic visuals to help distract the audience from narrative confusion, making the movie ultimately enjoyable – if not entirely sensible.
9 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Directed by Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is as adventurous and entertaining as it is bizarre. Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise travel back to 1980s Earth to retrieve humpback whales whose sounds can save the planet from a dangerous probe in the future. The movie is quite laid-back for time travel, and it serves primarily as comedic fodder for the franchise. First of all, the crew sling-shots itself around the sun to reach Earth and back, even though their ship is fast. Second, they bring the whales with them instead of just making sure their species does not go extinct. So, while there is a lack of any substantive exploration, the movie seems rather frivolous and confusing from the time travel aspect. However, for undemanding fans who only want to see their beloved characters shine in a new setting, the movie delivers plenty of that good old Trek fun.
8 Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Far better than Terminator: Genisys, this latest entry in the Terminator franchise sees a new and advanced Terminator sent from the future to kill a young woman who holds the key to humanity’s survival. The original move was already complicated with the whole deal of Connor and Reese chasing their own tail. But this one takes the familiar action thrills and time travel tropes to up the ante, and without breaking much new ground narratively, create a maze around Schwarzenegger’s terminator and a new cyborg sent by Legion. With dazzling special effects that are entertaining but never enlightening, Terminator: Dark Fate makes you think out loud because of its straining credulity. While it may not have rivaled the game-changing impact by others, it delivers enough pulpy thrills to keep fans satisfied.
7 Predestination (2014)
Based on the short story All You Zombies, Predestination is a complex time travel that follows a Temporal Agent sent on a mission to stop a terrorist from destroying the entirety of New York City in 1975. On one hand, the movie is emotionally gripping and on the other, it features numerous twists that arrest the viewers and offers them an understanding of the characters’ pasts, presents, and futures. The intricately layered narrative gives rise to more logical and confusing leaps in time and we find ourselves struggling to follow the story’s progression. Still, Michael and Peter Spierig’s clever writing as sharp performances from Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, and Noah Taylor help sustain interest as every element of this abundantly convoluted film comes together into the most satisfying ending.
6 Déjà Vu (2006)
Denzel Washington stars as Doug, an ATF agent who travels back four days in time to solve a terrorist attack that led to a ferry explosion and save a woman’s life. Simple and interesting, right? Well, the reason Doug is able to achieve this is by following the life of a victim and getting close to the person responsible. However, when the FBI warns Doug of the end result remaining the same regardless of whether or not he finds the bomber, he’s left with no choice but to alter history itself. The flashy action thriller relies heavily on spectacle and drama while glossing over the conceptual difficulties of its premise. However, it does assimilate all the timeless into one fine ending and wraps things up pretty neatly, ensuring Déjà Vu a place in the growing pantheon of unforgettable time travel movies.
5 Source Code (2011)
From the very start of Source Code, the audience is sucked into a black hole of repetitive circumstances and narrative convolution. The compelling thriller follows Colter Stevens, an army pilot who is given charge of a top-secret mission where he has to repeatedly travel back in time for 8 minutes to uncover details about a train bombing. Played by Jake Gyllenhaal, Stevens is as confused by the mysterious trail as the audience. The puzzling, science-based approach tries to elevate the intrigue created by its Hitchcockian opening sequence, and it also manages to achieve part of it. But seeing Stevens pop in and out and train and comprehend gets straining. Still, with a taut mystery and great premise, the film launches important questions about fate.
4 Back To The Future: Part 2 (1989)
After the stunning success of the franchise’s 1985 debut, Robert Zemeckis returns with another incredible story with Back To The Future: Part 2. The sequel sees Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel to 2015, where they must repair the damage caused by Biff’s alterations to history. As light-hearted as the adventure may seem, it does treat its time travel in a silly manner because most of the events in the second movie take place on the same date as the first. There are also instances where Doc references the first movie. With little concern for logical consistency (except for that one blackboard explanation), the movie delivers plenty of laughs and nostalgic entertainment. It proves to be a classic 80s teen adventure gone futuristic with a narrative that is fun by ultimately zany.
3 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Disney
Avengers: Endgame carried on after the jarring yet entertaining events of Avengers: Infinity War and graced the big screen with another phenomenal spectacle of a film where the remaining Avengers travel back in time to reverse Thanos’ actions and save half the universe. The time travel concept used here presents complications that challenge even the great minds of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner.
Even though their rules are coherent – that altering any event in the past will not affect the original timeline but instead form a different fracture of a timeline where the altered event remains thorough – the narrative still isn’t able to create a multiverse that does not collapse under its own paradoxical weight. However, the massive set pieces, emotional character dynamics, and mind-blowing action scenes help distract from any conceptual shortcomings, and of course, Endgame remains a rousing end to over a decade’s worth of Marvel storytelling.
2 Donnie Darko (2001)
A movie that may have been a box office failure upon release, Donnie Darko has now earned the status of a cult classic because of its presentation of traumatized teens in a way that is neither patronizing nor stereotypical. Following Jake Gyllenhaal’s titular character, a troubled high-schooler who begins seeing visions of a man in a sinister bunny costume, the movie circles around how he ends up committing various destructive acts after telling him that the world will end in 28 days. The psychological thriller is brimming with inexplicable and growingly complex time travel elements that are hard to follow. Plus, there is this whole dreamlike quality in every frame of the nonlinear storyline that leaves many mysteries unsolved. Despite never fully providing an explanation, Donnie Darko succeeds as a haunting movie that explores mental illness and adolescence.
1 Interstellar (2014)
In Interstellar, Matthew McConaughey stars as an ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, who travels through a wormhole in search of a plate to sustain humanity after Earth becomes uninhabitable. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the movie takes a grounded approach and scientific rigor to help make the time travel feel genuine and emotionally resonant. His meticulous attention to detail and accurate application of scientific concepts, as well as the portrayal of time on a planet where one hour equals seven years on Earth, may bewilder fans. But to help, the movie tackles themes of love across time and space and uses character depth and visually striking storytelling that keeps the audience engaged.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
