Great time travel movies: 9 films that play with the past and the future
Nine great time travel movies, from The Time Machine, The Terminator and Back to the Future to Groundhog Day, 12 Monkeys, Primer, Midnight in Paris, Looper and Edge of Tomorrow.
Time travel gives cinema endless room to play. This list gathers nine great time travel movies, in release order, with posters, the directors and the main cast.
For each film we explain how time travel works in the story, what makes it special and what to watch for. Some are action films, others comedies or romances, and one is a puzzle so complex that many people rewatch it with notes.
The rules of time travel in movies
Every time travel film has to choose its rules. In some, the past can be changed and the future changes with it, as in Back to the Future. In others, everything that happens was always meant to happen, and trying to change the past only creates the future, as in 12 Monkeys.
There are also time loops, where the same day repeats until the character learns something or solves a problem. Groundhog Day made this idea famous, and Edge of Tomorrow turned it into an action film.
The genre began in literature, with The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, from 1895, and it remains popular because it lets cinema ask simple questions: what would you change if you could go back, and what would you do if you knew the future?
How we chose
We chose movies where time travel or a time loop drives the story, by critical reception, creativity and fan love. This is not a numbered ranking.
We looked for variety in how time travel works: machines, loops, paradoxes and even magic. The list includes science fiction, action, comedy and romance, so you can choose by the mood you are in.
The Time Machine (1960)
Directed by George Pal. Starring Rod Taylor.
Why it matters: The Time Machine adapts the novel by H. G. Wells: at the end of the nineteenth century, an English inventor played by Rod Taylor builds a machine and travels to the year 802,701, where he finds the peaceful Eloi and the Morlocks who hunt them underground.
Watch the sequence where the time traveler sees the world change around him, with buildings, fashion and seasons passing at high speed, an effect that impressed audiences in 1960. The film also talks about the fear of war of its own time.
It won the Oscar for Best Special Effects. Ideal for those who like classic science fiction and want to see where the genre's images come from.
The Terminator (1984)
Directed by James Cameron. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn.
Why it matters: James Cameron's The Terminator follows a cyborg sent from 2029, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, to kill Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton, before she gives birth to the leader of the human resistance. A soldier, Kyle Reese, is sent back to protect her.
The film has a famous paradox: the future that sends Reese to the past depends on what he does there. Watch how a small, low-budget film builds constant tension, and Schwarzenegger's few lines, including I'll be back.
It launched a franchise and made Cameron and Schwarzenegger stars. Ideal for those who like action and science fiction, but it is violent.
Back to the Future (1985)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd.
Why it matters: Robert Zemeckis' Back to the Future follows Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, who travels to 1955 in a DeLorean built by the scientist Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd. There, he accidentally prevents his parents from meeting and has to fix it before he disappears.
Michael J. Fox replaced the first lead actor, Eric Stoltz, after weeks of filming. Watch the details that connect 1955 and 1985, such as the clock tower, and the school dance scene, one of the most fun in eighties cinema.
It was the highest-grossing film of 1985 and won the Oscar for sound effects editing. Ideal for the whole family and the best starting point for the genre.
Groundhog Day (1993)
Directed by Harold Ramis. Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell.
Why it matters: Harold Ramis' Groundhog Day follows Phil Connors, played by Bill Murray, an arrogant weatherman who goes to the town of Punxsutawney to cover the Groundhog Day festival and starts living the same day over and over again.
The film never explains why the loop happens, and that is part of its charm. Watch how Phil goes from despair to a slow transformation, learning piano, ice sculpture and to care about others, and his relationship with Rita, played by Andie MacDowell.
The title became an expression for any situation that keeps repeating. Ideal for those who want a funny comedy with a deep message.
12 Monkeys (1995)
Directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt.
Why it matters: Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys follows James Cole, played by Bruce Willis, a prisoner sent from 2035 to the past to find the origin of a virus that wiped out most of humanity. Brad Pitt plays Jeffrey, a patient in a psychiatric hospital.
The film was inspired by La Jetée, a French short film from 1962 made almost entirely of still photographs. Watch how the story plays with the doubt about whether Cole is really a time traveler or mentally ill, and the final scene at the airport.
Brad Pitt was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Ideal for those who like dark, complex science fiction.
Primer (2004)
Directed by Shane Carruth. Starring Shane Carruth, David Sullivan.
Why it matters: Primer follows two engineers, Aaron and Abe, who build a machine in a garage and discover by accident that it lets them go back a few hours in time. They start using it to make money, and the timelines multiply.
The film was made by Shane Carruth, a former engineer who wrote, directed, starred and composed the music, with a budget of a few thousand dollars. The dialogue is technical and nothing is explained to the audience.
It won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Festival. Ideal for those who like puzzles, and many viewers watch it more than once, with timeline diagrams found online.
Midnight in Paris (2011)
Directed by Woody Allen. Starring Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard.
Why it matters: Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris follows Gil, a screenwriter played by Owen Wilson, who dreams of being a novelist. On a trip to Paris, every night at midnight he is taken to the 1920s, where he meets F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Salvador Dalí and Gertrude Stein.
Time travel here is pure magic, with no machine or explanation. Watch how the film talks about nostalgia and the idea that the past was always better, through Adriana, played by Marion Cotillard, who dreams of an even earlier era.
Allen won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Ideal for those who like light romances, literature and art.
Looper (2012)
Directed by Rian Johnson. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis.
Why it matters: Rian Johnson's Looper is set in 2044, when time travel exists in the future and is used by criminals to send victims to the past to be killed by hitmen called loopers. Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, discovers that his next target is his older self, played by Bruce Willis.
Gordon-Levitt wore makeup to look like a young Willis. Watch the diner scene, where the older Joe refuses to explain how time travel works, a joke about the genre itself.
It is one of the most original science fiction films of its decade. Ideal for adults who like action with ideas, as it is violent.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Directed by Doug Liman. Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt.
Why it matters: Doug Liman's Edge of Tomorrow, based on the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill, follows Cage, played by Tom Cruise, an officer with no combat experience who dies on the first day of a war against aliens and wakes up the day before, again and again.
With each loop he learns a little more, trained by the soldier Rita, played by Emily Blunt. Watch how the editing makes the repetitions funny, showing Cage dying in increasingly absurd ways.
It was later sold on home video with the slogan Live Die Repeat, which many fans use as a second title. Ideal for those who like action and Groundhog Day.
Where to start
Pick by the kind of time travel you like:
- Fun for everyone: Back to the Future.
- Time loops: Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow.
- Dark science fiction: The Terminator, 12 Monkeys or Looper.
- Romance and magic: Midnight in Paris.
- A real puzzle: Primer.
If you only watch one, choose Back to the Future. It explains its rules clearly, it is very funny and it is the reference for almost every time travel film that came after.
If you like a challenge, save Primer for last and watch it with someone, so you can discuss the timelines afterwards. Then rate everything on Rankiew.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best time travel movies?
Among the most loved are Back to the Future, The Terminator, Groundhog Day, 12 Monkeys and Edge of Tomorrow.
Which time travel movie is the most complex?
Primer is widely considered one of the most complex, and many viewers rewatch it with diagrams to follow the timelines.
What is the difference between time travel and a time loop?
In time travel, characters move through time. In a time loop, such as Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow, the same period repeats until something changes.
Which time travel movie is best for beginners?
Back to the Future, because it explains its rules simply and works for all ages.
Are any of these movies based on books?
Yes. The Time Machine adapts the novel by H. G. Wells, and Edge of Tomorrow adapts the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.
Rate these movies
Which one is your favorite? On Rankiew you can rate every film, write reviews and build your own lists.
Sources: official studio releases, filmographies and public records.
