Primer - a movie review

Primer is the story of a group of engineer friends who tinker in their off hours. The primary members of the group, Abe and Aaron discover that their latest project has some very unexpected capabilities. I hesitate to describe the plot any further, as part of the joy of this film is watching the characters in the process of discovery.

Primer is an exceptional movie on a number of fronts.

This film is good, ol fashion speculative fiction like we haven't seen in the cinemas for some time. Brought me in mind of the short stories of Asimov, Bradbury and the like. There's no talking down to the audience. You either follow along or you're going to be scratching your head. And bravo for that. I'm tired of cinema for the lowest common denomenator.

Where the film stands above it's hollywood bretheren is that it doesn't take the subject matter as an excuse for a special effects tour de force, but rather an opportunity to explore the process of discovery, the ethics of the application of that discovery and the consequences it all has on Abe and Aaron's friendship.

The style is very realistic. You'd almost think you were watching a documentary of the events. The sound is a bit murky and some of the cuts are roughly edited, but I tell you not in a thousand years would you guess that the film's entire budget was $7000.

Let me repeat that. Seven thousand dollars was the entire budget for this film.

Jinkies, most films blow that much in a single day on bottled water for cast and crew, yet director Shane Carruth's pulled together what is easily one of my favourite films of the year. It's the sheer talent and drive of the director that and his crew that made this film come together. Shane's obviously a guy with a passion for storytelling - it comes across in the various interviews he's done and his posts to the movie's forum.

Primer is in extremely limited release - I believe there's only 35 prints of it floating around. If it's playing in a city near you, go - grab a bunch of friends - and see this film.