Movies Like Primer (2004)

Primer is a 2004 drama, science fiction, thriller film from Shane Carruth with a MovieMagicScore of 6.8/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Predestination and Twelve Monkeys.

Drama Science Fiction Thriller

Predestination

2014

Predestination chronicles the life of a Temporal Agent sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to prevent future killers from committing their crimes. Now, on his final assignment, the Agent must stop the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time and prevent a devastating attack in which thousands of lives will be lost.

7.4

MagicScore

Twelve Monkeys

1995

In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.

7.6

MagicScore

Stalled

2022

Late for the most important meeting of his life, a toxic executive finds himself trapped in a time paradox within a public restroom.

7.6

MagicScore

The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics

1965

Animated work detailing the unrequited love that a line has for a dot, and the heartbreak that results due to the dot's feelings for a lively squiggle.

7.3

MagicScore

Millennium

1989

An investigator seeking the cause of an airline disaster discovers the involvement of an organisation of time travellers from a future Earth irreparably polluted who seek to rejuvenate the human race from those about to die in the past. Based on a novel by John Varley.

5.3

MagicScore

Time After Time

1979

Writer H. G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to modern day San Francisco after the infamous serial killer steals his time machine to escape the 19th century.

6.8

MagicScore

Indru Netru Naalai

2015

Elango and his astrologer friend Pulivetti Arumugam come in possession of a time machine and start profiting from it. However, their meddling with time prevents the death of a gangster, who begins to wreck havoc in their lives.

7.7

MagicScore

The Time Machine

1960

A Victorian Englishman travels to the far future and finds that humanity has divided into two hostile species.

7.4

MagicScore

Doctor Who: The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

2011

It's Christmas Eve, 1938, when Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel as she cycles home. He promises to repay her kindness - all she has to do is make a wish.

7.1

MagicScore

#10

Project Almanac

2015

A group of teens discover secret plans of a time machine, and construct one. However, things start to get out of control.

6.8

MagicScore

#11

Je T'Aime, Je T'Aime

1968

Recovering from an attempted suicide, a man is selected to participate in a time travel experiment that has only been tested on mice. A malfunction in the experiment causes the man to experience moments from his past in a random order.

6.5

MagicScore

#12

Synchronicity

2015

A daring physicist travels into the past to stop a mysterious woman from stealing his invention. But once there, he uncovers a surprising truth about the machine, the woman, and his own fractured reality.

5.7

MagicScore

#13

Time Cut

2024

A teen in 2024 accidentally time-travels to 2003, days before a masked killer murders her sister. Can she change the past without destroying the future?

5.6

MagicScore

#14

See You Yesterday

2019

As two teen prodigies try to master the art of time travel, a tragic police shooting sends them on a series of dangerous trips to the past.

5.6

MagicScore

#15

Time Changer

2003

The year is 1890 and Bible professor Russell Carlisle has written a new manuscript entitled "The Changing Times". His colleague, Dr. Norris Anderson, believes that what Carlisle has written could greatly affect the future of coming generations and, using his secret time machine, Anderson sends Carlisle over 100 years into the future, offering him a glimpse of where his beliefs will lead.

5.5

MagicScore

#16

Timestalkers

1987

History professor Scott McKenzie makes an anachronistic discovery in a photograph from the Old West and he is soon joined by beautiful time-traveler Georgia in a time-skipping adventure to stop her colleague from the future from erasing her from existence.

5.3

MagicScore

#17

A Sound of Thunder

2005

When a hunter sent back to the prehistoric era runs off the path he must not leave, he causes a chain reaction that alters history in disastrous ways.

4.9

MagicScore

#18

Avengers: Endgame

2019

After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.

8.2

MagicScore

#19

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor

2013

In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London's National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor's own dangerous past comes back to haunt him.

8.2

MagicScore

#20

Doctor Who: Time Crash

2007

After Martha Jones parts company with the Doctor, his TARDIS collides with another, and he comes face to face with one of his previous incarnations.

7.7

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Primer?

The top films similar to Primer by MovieMagicScore are Predestination (7.4), Twelve Monkeys (7.6), Stalled (7.6). Each shares drama/science fiction/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Primer worth watching?

Primer holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.8/10 from 2,300 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Primer?

Primer (2004) is a drama, science fiction, thriller film directed by Shane Carruth, starring Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden.

Where can I find more recommendations like Primer?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Predestination Movies like Twelve Monkeys Movies like Stalled Movies like The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics Movies like Millennium Movies like Time After Time

About movies like Primer

This ranked list pairs Primer (2004), a drama and science fiction and thriller film from Shane Carruth, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Shane Carruth take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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