Second Opinion: Primer (2004)

Occasionally you'll see a movie and have mixed opinions of it. Such was the case of the chaotic sci-fi indie "Primer". Filmed by an ex-engineer with no prior film experience, his directorial decisions and framing irked me. The score seemed to be hitting the wrong tone. The story was beyond my grasp, though I was well-aware of the story's intentional experimental structure. The physics and the science turned me off and left me baffled. I loved the concept but something about the film irked me. However, my curiosity got the better of me and I gave the film another try. Not only did I appreciate it more, I'll even venture to say I loved it for two simple reasons:

1. The film is technically 78 minutes long but it should be advertised as 156 minutes long. The first viewing will be frustrating because you're trying to keep up with all the characters and sometimes we are bombarded with events without knowing the context or the implications. In other words, for a film less than an hour and a half, it crams in more information than most two or three hour films. The first time through you might grasp 50% at most. And with each subsequent viewing, you gradually learn more and more.

2. Turn on subtitles. It'll make your life easier. Each line of dialogue is so exact that it takes awhile to wrap our heads around it. Each line of dialogue has implications and nothing is outrightly said. The beauty of "Primer" comes from how it requires participation. It doesn't treat the audience as stupid; it invites you to piece the puzzle. The subtitles are also helpful for people like me who are science-stupid. When the characters start spouting physics lingo, it's easy to get lost and pinpoint what's important.

One thing still confuses me: Why is this movie rated PG-13 or R? Not only does the DVD case say PG-13 and the movie say R, but both claim the rating is due to "Brief Language." What brief language?! The second time through, I was searching desperately for curse words but I came up with nothing. Mind you, that doesn't mean it should at least be PG. Though the violence is mostly brief and off-screen, the themes are morally complex and the atmosphere dark. The complicated ethics of "Primer" is definitely for more mature audiences but still. C'mon!