While the science fiction genre can often get lost in the latter part of that term than the former, sometimes you get some movies that really try to bring the science. It’s not really a dealbreaker for me either way, but I know certain fans want a little realism in their fiction rather than sci-fi that makes you question reality. This is part of why shows like The Expanse were so acclaimed; they tried to make living and traveling in space grounded in science as much as possible.
Sci-fi movies involving time travel can often get lost in paradoxes that do not really make a lot of sense, at least from a scientific standpoint. It’s understandable, because it’s such a difficult and complex topic to navigate, and, well, time travel isn’t a real thing. However, some movies try harder than others, and I do love a time-travel story that actually draws on science when possible.
Synchronic
Watch Synchronic on Tubi
This film sidesteps the paradoxes of time travel machines by linking the concept to a drug that allows people to visit the past and interact with it. So time travel happens through human beings rather than some unknowable piece of technology. Does it make complete sense? Not really, but Synchronic also establishes its own rules of time travel and then follows them without getting lost in ridiculous plot holes.
It also helps that Synchronic pulls a stellar performance out of stars Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan, who help sell the concept. At the end of the day, the science here probably doesn’t add up to anything, but I just find the concept of a drug to be more grounded than a time machine that relies on scientific principles that just plain do not exist.
Primer
Rent or buy Primer on Amazon Prime Video
I’m not entirely sure how scientifically accurate Primer is, because I barely understood what was happening in the movie half the time. However, it all sounded intelligent enough, so I assume some actual science was applied here. Created by mathematician and former engineer Shane Carruth, what I appreciated most about Primer is that the discovery of time travel is completely accidental. A lot of real-life scientific discoveries have been stumbled upon in similar ways.
However, despite my initial difficulty following Primer, I appreciated that Carruth refused to simplify things for the audience. He had a vision, and he followed through on that. Many have praised Primer for its realism, though, so I’ll just have to trust the words of those much smarter than me.
Interstellar
Watch Interstellar on Hoopla
Say what you will about Christopher Nolan, but the man knows how to at least follow the science he establishes in his own movie. However, what I appreciated most about Interstellar is how Nolan obtained input from renowned theoretical physicist Kip Thorne in constructing the film’s science. Admittedly, the concept of time travel using a black hole confused me at first, but Thorne’s book, The Science of Interstellar, really put a lot of things in perspective.
Now, I’m not saying that we should all just go out into space and jump into a black hole in an attempt to time-travel. That would be ludicrous. However, I appreciate the way Nolan presents the concept and actually follows his own rules. There’s not much in the way of paradoxes here, and that’s pretty good for a time travel story.
Planet of the Apes
Watch Planet of the Apes on Indieflix
Hey, you know, sometimes the older movies just get it right, and Planet of the Apes does it right by not trying to complicate its time travel. Obviously, you can’t say the same about the future installments, which get weird and muddy with the timeline, but the original film is deceptively intelligent in its simplicity. What I really appreciated was the film’s use of time dilation, because it was subtle and made the twist ending more impactful.
Again, we can’t be sure that time travel would work in this manner, but based on what I read in Thorne’s aforementioned book, time dilation plays a significant role in the science involved. Planet of the Apes remains a masterpiece of science fiction that emphasizes its scientific elements.
12 Monkeys
Watch 12 Monkeys on Fubo
What I really enjoy about 12 Monkeys is how it acknowledges early on that even though time travel exists, the past can’t actually be changed. And even when the protagonist, played by top-of-his-form Bruce Willis, tries to change things, it just doesn’t work. You can’t stop this virus from devastating the world, no matter what you do.
That’s an established rule that I appreciate, especially when 12 Monkeys doesn’t betray the story to try and change it. And while 12 Monkeys doesn’t get lost in a big scientific explanation for how time travel actually works, that matters less to me than contradictions in the narrative. The science used here is thin, but it’s consistent.
Time travel stories shouldn’t get bogged down in science
Now, I do love a good plausible scientific reason for why things work the way they do, and time travel stories are no different. However, I still believe that when it comes to fiction, the story is supreme. The movies on this list are great and worth a watch, but you can still make something fantastic with time travel that doesn’t ultimately hold up to scientific scrutiny.
And while a lot of the upcoming sci-fi movies in 2025 do not deal with time travel, I’m still always on the lookout for the next great one. But if you’re looking for something that won’t break your brain, check out these five comedies that never get old, available on Netflix. You’ll laugh until you cry.
