The Time Travel Film subgenre often acts as an umbrella for other similar subgenres and microgenres including Time Loop Films, Alternate History Films and even some Contemporary and Urban Fantasy Films. However, for our list here we’re going with the tried-and-true mechanism that dictates time travel – a person traveling forward or back in time.
The Time Travel Film subgenre got off to a bang in the 1960’s with 3 classic films of the subgenre – The Time Machine (1960), La Jetée (1962) and Planet of the Apes (1968). While most people might not be familiar with the French film La Jetée, it’s an experimental film that’s shown in most Film Schools and served as the basis for another Time Travel Film classic 12 Monkeys (1995).
In the 1970’s, there was a continuation of the Planet of the Apes franchise with Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) and Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) both of which featured time travel. Slaughterhouse-Five (1972) and Genesis II (1973) were other early 70’s efforts until the end of the decade that featured two additional classics of the Time Travel Film subgenre – Superman (1978) and Time After Time (1979). While there are arguments that Superman isn’t a true Time Travel Film, at the end of the film, he’s actually traveling back in time (which is shown as the Earth changing direction to visually represent Time Travel). In our book, it counts and is a classic movie moment of Time Travel within the subgenre.
The 1980’s are considered the Golden Age of Time Travel Films primarily due to two classic subgenre franchises – The Terminator (1984) and Back to the Future (1985). The decade also produced other classic films of the Time Travel subgenre with The Final Countdown (1980), Somewhere in Time (1980), Time Bandits (1981), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989). Notable films of the decade also include Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), Trancers (1984), My Science Project (1985), and Millennium (1989).
While the 1990’s saw the continuation of the Terminator franchise with the subgenre classic Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), the decade couldn’t compare to the 1980’s volume and quality of Time Travel Films. However, there were still a few notable efforts from the 1990’s including Freejack (1992), Army of Darkness (1992), Timecop (1994), 12 Monkeys (1995) and Twice Upon a Yesterday (1998).
The 2000’s saw a resurgence of the Time Travel Film subgenre with some classic Time Travel Film remakes and reboots: Planet of the Apes (2001), The Time Machine (2002) and Star Trek (2009). Unique to this decade were the number of Time Travel Films that were based on novels or short stories. Timeline (2003) was based on the 1999 novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. A Sound of Thunder (2005) was based on a 1952 short story by Ray Bradbury. And The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009) was based on a 2003 novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger. This decade also had some notable Time Travel Films including Happy Accidents (2000), Kate & Leopold (2001), Primer (2004), Click (2006), Idiocracy (2006), Timecrimes (2007), and Triangle (2009). This decade also had The Butterfly Effect (2004) and subsequent sequels, but they are technically not Time Travel Films and are included in our Alternate History list.
Romantic Comedy-based Time Travel Films were some of the more prominent efforts released in the 2010’s with Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), The Man from the Future (2011), Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), About Time (2013), and Time Freak (2018). Other notable films from this decade include Time Lapse (2014), Predestination (2014), Interstellar (2014), Time Trap (2017), The Endless (2018), Mirage (2018), Don’t Let Go (2019), and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
The 2020’s already look to be a second Golden Age of Time Travel Films with four subgenre classics that all released in 2020 and 2021: Tenet (2020), Synchronic (2020), The Tomorrow War (2021) and Last Night in Soho (2021). We wanted to mention Tenet specifically as it will likely become one of the classic films of the Time Travel Film subgenre. While it can be confusing at first, after multiple viewings the film not only starts to make sense but redefines how we think of Time Travel both in film and real life. There are numerous explanations of Tenet that are worth watching or reading before watching the film again, but the best site that explains everything in the simplest terms is here.
Our list of Time Travel Films includes over 169+ movies from 1960 – 2021. As we mentioned previously, if you don’t see a film on our list that you’re sure is Time Travel or related to the subgenre, it is likely in our lists of Time Loop Films, Alternate History Films and Contemporary and Urban Fantasy Films. There are so many great Time Travel films that we will likely have to produce a second list to cover even more unseen gems, but the following films received honorable mention for our Top Time Travel Films You Haven’t Seen List: The Girl, The Gold Watch, & Everything (1980), Trancers (1984), Timescape (1992), Predestination (2014), The Endless (2018) and The Man from the Future (2011).
We have embedded a compilation video of our Top Time Travel Films You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Plot: Man wills himself back in time to be with a woman who he sees in a portrait.
KBZ’s Take: Written by Richard Matheson (and based on his 1975 novel, Bid Time Return), this film uses an unusual method of Time Travel – hypnosis. Though it’s more of a Period Piece Romance than Sci-fi, it’s an engaging film on its own merits. It’s a great story, it has an amazing score by John Barry (that you won’t be able to get out of your head), and it stars three great leads – Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and the always amazing Christopher Plummer. A forgotten gem of the early 80’s that shouldn’t be missed by fans of the subgenre. All we can say is that you’ll never look at a penny the same way again…
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3FfUyUu
#9
Time Trap
Plot: Students get trapped inside a cave where time passes differently on the surface.
KBZ’s Take: This is a low budget, B-Movie effort that is more ambitious and original than its budget allows for. We don’t want to say too much about the plot to ruin it but will say you’ll see many different time periods in this film which is a great thing considering the budget. Don’t think too hard about this film when you watch it, and you’ll enjoy it like most paradoxical movies of the Time Travel subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3uzr51X
#8
Timecrimes
Plot: A man accidentally travels back in time finding he has to stop a previous version of himself.
KBZ’s Take: This Spanish film is a perfect example of when the Time Loop microgenre integrates into a Time Travel film. Without saying too much about that (as it would ruin the film), Timecrimes is an amazing film done on the cheap and without big budget special effects.
Additional Lists: Top Time Loop Films You Haven’t Seen #8
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3ES9WoU
Plot: H.G. Wells travels forward in time to 1970’s San Francisco in pursuit of Jack The Ripper.
KBZ’s Take: This film has a ridiculous plot but somehow makes it work. The screenplay is near perfect in how it foreshadows plot devices that help drive the narrative throughout the film. Back to The Future (1985) is a similar film and screenplay that uses these same time travel plot devices to great effect. Though the film is a bit dated, it’s a good time capsule look at late 70’s San Francisco. Malcom McDowell, Mary Steenburgen and David Warner round out a cast that proves love can endure both the oceans of time and a Victorian-era serial killer.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3B1kQYl
Plot: An out-of-work actor stumbles upon a way to go back in time to try to win back his ex-girlfriend.
KBZ’s Take: A hidden gem of a romantic comedy that utilizes Time Travel as a mechanism to not tempt fate. This isn’t a typical Hollywood romantic comedy as you’ll be rooting for different characters throughout the film. This film has a great story with excellent acting by Lena Headey, Penélope Cruz, Mark Strong and Douglas Henshall. A great compromise movie for a date night if you’re a Sci-fi / Time Travel fan but your significant other wants to watch a Romance.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3VGdyB8
#5
Mirage
Plot: During a mysterious thunderstorm, a time warp changes a woman’s life.
KBZ’s Take: This Spanish Sci-fi Thriller film merges Time Travel with Alternate History. A very original story with many twists and turns that plays out like a Sci-fi Murder Mystery. Another movie where the less you know about it going in, the better. A great film to watch that’s been lost in the shuffle between other Time Travel subgenre films.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://www.netflix.com/title/80991158
#4
Synchronic
Plot: Two paramedics encounter a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug.
KBZ’s Take: This is another film from Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead who gave us one of the best Time Loop films with The Endless (2017) and one of the weirdest Romantic Thriller’s you’ll ever see with Spring (2014). Synchronic is a drug that allows its users to travel back in time and that’s about all you need to know before going into this amazing film. This is a ‘new wave’ type of Time Travel film that helps redefine the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3XRaxQ4
Plot: A fashion design student is mysteriously able to enter the 1960’s.
KBZ’s Take: We really wanted to put this at #1 on this list due to recency bias but we’ll leave it at #3 for now. This is a Time Travel Film, Slasher Film, Mystery Thriller and Musical all rolled into one. What Edgar Wright did for the Zombie subgenre with Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Action Chase subgenre with Baby Driver (2017), he has done again with this amazing film that breathes new life into the Time Travel subgenre. It’s flown a bit under the radar due to Covid-19, but this should be moved to the top of your streaming queue right away. Highly Recommended!!
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3XLbOIy
#2
Primer
Plot: 2 friends discover time travel in their garage.
KBZ’s Take: Primer is a cerebral challenge with intricate details of physics as it relates to Time Travel and the unwavering attention to keep track of the plot (and multiple versions of each person). Like Timecrimes (2007), this film is about Time Travel (with Time Loop elements within) and is not only one of the best Time Travel films there is, but also one of the best Hard Sci-Fi films as well. Shot for only $7,000 USD, it’s another example of how smart Time Travel films don’t need excessive budget and special effects to be effective.
Additional Lists: Top Time Loop Films You Haven’t Seen #4
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3gRqp4x
Plot: Three magazine employees try to interview a man who is looking for a companion for time travel.
KBZ’s Take: This film is a low budget affair but hits much higher above its weight. Unlike most larger budget studio offerings about Time Travel, this film delves more into the psychological aspect of a supposed ‘inventor’ of Time Travel and if he’s crazy or somehow figured out something deemed impossible. It’s also a very original Romantic Comedy with stellar performances from Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson and Karan Soni. We want to say so much more about this film but see it as soon as you can as it’s one of the best of the Time Travel subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3VK3CX6
