sci-fi

The Problem with Time Travel

I've recently been watching Heroes, which resulted in some poor sci-fi trivia, and something, actually many things, bother me about the series. One of the biggest issues is time travel. I feel like the ability to travel in time is too common, and that it is often very poorly explained because explaining it is too complex, but understanding the ramifications of allowing such a device to exist in film or television can be even more confusing.

Needless to say I'm fairly disappointed with Heroes' treatment of time travel. I wanted to know if anyone felt there were films in which time travel was used that didn't result in conflicts in the logic of events, etc. Preferably it would be used intelligently, unlike Hiro Nakamura's brainless journeys through the space/time continuum.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

hard to beat Primer for an exploration of time travel.

i heard somewhere that shane carruth is finally making another movie. he's been working on it for 2.5 years and is about to go into production.

there's an excellent Primer timeline. I printed it out in pieces, taped it together, and held it on my lap the last time i watched the movie.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

rjsprague:

I've recently been watching Heroes, which resulted in some poor sci-fi trivia, and something, actually many things, bother me about the series. One of the biggest issues is time travel. I feel like the ability to travel in time is too common, and that it is often very poorly explained because explaining it is too complex, but understanding the ramifications of allowing such a device to exist in film or television can be even more confusing.

Needless to say I'm fairly disappointed with Heroes' treatment of time travel. I wanted to know if anyone felt there were films in which time travel was used that didn't result in conflicts in the logic of events, etc. Preferably it would be used intelligently, unlike Hiro Nakamura's brainless journeys through the space/time continuum.

   Two words ...  Star Trek !

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

rjsprague:

Needless to say I'm fairly disappointed with Heroes' treatment of time travel. I wanted to know if anyone felt there were films in which time travel was used that didn't result in conflicts in the logic of events, etc.

I'll have to watch it again, but I always thought 12 Monkeys was one of the most interesting Time Travel movies.

I was always amused by the Back to the Future movies how they always tried to break down time travel and the ramifications and explain it to the audience, and then it would go right ahead and break all of the rules it set up.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

I liked Timecop, too. Van Damme goes back in time but each time that he returns to the present, it is more changed, due to the bad guy going back too, and altering the past. Don't remember the details, tho.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

Dr_Gor:

rjsprague:

I've recently been watching Heroes, which resulted in some poor sci-fi trivia, and something, actually many things, bother me about the series. One of the biggest issues is time travel. I feel like the ability to travel in time is too common, and that it is often very poorly explained because explaining it is too complex, but understanding the ramifications of allowing such a device to exist in film or television can be even more confusing.

Needless to say I'm fairly disappointed with Heroes' treatment of time travel. I wanted to know if anyone felt there were films in which time travel was used that didn't result in conflicts in the logic of events, etc. Preferably it would be used intelligently, unlike Hiro Nakamura's brainless journeys through the space/time continuum.

   Two words ...  Star Trek !

What the hell are you talking about Gor? The only time travel  can recall in Star Trek is First Contact, the next gen film where they go back in time to when that guy creates the first warp drive. I thought that was done fairly well, mainly because they only time-traveled once, but still there is an issue with all of this if you take the time to think about it.

For instance, if two guys from the future go back in time and cause some great event to take place then they've changed history right? Unless the future me exists already in the "space/time" continuum it couldn't have gone back in time to do something that would affect me right now. This is obviously a pretty ridiculous flaw.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

Risselada:

rjsprague:

Needless to say I'm fairly disappointed with Heroes' treatment of time travel. I wanted to know if anyone felt there were films in which time travel was used that didn't result in conflicts in the logic of events, etc.

I'll have to watch it again, but I always thought 12 Monkeys was one of the most interesting Time Travel movies.

I was always amused by the Back to the Future movies how they always tried to break down time travel and the ramifications and explain it to the audience, and then it would go right ahead and break all of the rules it set up.

Yeah 12 Monkeys definitely had a complexity with the whole time travel thing that made me think. I should also rewatch it to get a better idea of the consistency, or lackthereof, with their use of time travel.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

I'd also like to point out that in film it seems like the people who are able to utilize the power of time travel are SOOOO dumb it hurts.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

My favorite example of time travel (in addition to being one of my favorite films) would have to be from Donnie Darko.  Its not exactly a Sci-Fi film, but it sure borders on it.  I have the director's cut on DVD, which features the full text of "Roberta Sparrow's" treatise on the subject--a nun turned time travel expert theorist from the film.  The time travel premise is simple in theory: a wormhole opens, and any vessel capable of withstanding the rigors of time travel is able to pass through the space-time continuum and exit the wormhole at a different place in time.  Very creepy/fascinating film IMHO.

rjsprague:

I'd also like to point out that in film it seems like the people who are able to utilize the power of time travel are SOOOO dumb it hurts.

Re:The Problem with Time Travel

seely:

My favorite example of time travel (in addition to being one of my favorite films) would have to be from Donnie Darko.  Its not exactly a Sci-Fi film, but it sure borders on it.  I have the director's cut on DVD, which features the full text of "Roberta Sparrow's" treatise on the subject--a nun turned time travel expert theorist from the film.  The time travel premise is simple in theory: a wormhole opens, and any vessel capable of withstanding the rigors of time travel is able to pass through the space-time continuum and exit the wormhole at a different place in time.  Very creepy/fascinating film IMHO.

rjsprague:

I'd also like to point out that in film it seems like the people who are able to utilize the power of time travel are SOOOO dumb it hurts.

Yeah I saw Donnie Darko. It was good, and one of the few films where I don't remember blatantly ridiculous logical fallacies related to the time-travel.