Timecrimes 2008

In the serene Spanish countryside, a middle-aged couple, Héctor and his wife Clara, are in the midst of renovating their home. During one of his exploratory moments, Héctor uses binoculars to scan the forest behind their property, where he unexpectedly witnesses a young woman removing her T-shirt, unaware of the peril that awaits him.

While his wife is out shopping, curiosity drives him to investigate further, leading him to a shocking scene: the woman lies on the ground, naked and unconscious. Suddenly, the tranquil atmosphere is shattered when a mysterious man, covered in bloody bandages, stabs Héctor in the arm. In a desperate escape, Héctor finds refuge in an enigmatic nearby building and contacts a scientist via walkie-talkie. The scientist warns him of the bandaged man and assures him of safety if he follows his instructions.

As panic rises, Héctor is coaxed to conceal himself within a remarkable mechanical contraption. Upon emerging from this device, he is stunned to discover that he has been thrust back in time by nearly an hour. The scientist, referring to him as “Héctor 2,” informs him that they must remain inactive and allow events to unfold naturally. Ignoring this advice, Héctor 2 seizes the opportunity and takes to the road, only to spot the cyclist he previously saw in the forest—the same woman. In a reckless pursuit, he finds himself run off the road by a van, suffering a head injury that he bandages with his own blood-stained wrap.

In a chain of events destined to repeat, Héctor 2 orchestrates a scenario where the woman undresses, mirroring the actions of his earlier self, Héctor 1. Chaos ensues when, in a momentary scuffle, he inadvertently knocks her out, laying her bare on the ground before confronting Héctor 1, whom he stabs in the arm as the woman escapes.

Returning home, Héctor 2 hears a scream and chases a woman through the house, only to witness her tragic fall from the roof. He’s confronted with horror, believing he has caused his wife’s demise. In a twist of fate, he communicates with the scientist, manipulating the situation to lure Héctor 1 to the lab with false warnings of danger lurking close by.

Héctor 2 pleads to go back one more time, even as the scientist unveils the existence of Héctor 3, whose mission is to avert Héctor 2’s designated path. After shedding his bandages, Héctor 2 is sent back to an earlier moment, inadvertently transforming into Héctor 3. In his new role, he attempts to intervene but fails, resulting in a collision that renders him unconscious.

Upon regaining consciousness, Héctor 3 finds himself in a surreal repetition of events. He encounters the woman once more, eliciting a scream from her, although she remains oblivious to their past. As Héctor 2’s recollection of her scream echoes in the narrative, Héctor 3 and the woman seek shelter in their home but soon become separated. In a moment of clarity, Héctor 3 realizes the intricacies of their fateful loop: he must ensure the woman’s survival.

In a gripping final act, he instructs her to disguise herself with his wife’s coat while he strategically cuts her ponytail, sending her to hide upstairs. The tension escalates when Héctor 2 pursues her to the roof, leading to the tragic climax where, in a tragic accident, he inadvertently ends her life. With sirens blaring in the distance, Héctor 3 watches helplessly as events cascade toward their inevitable conclusion.