Support NeoGAF

[SwiftDeath]

I liked it albeit the ending kind of opens up some weird questions

Spoiler

Sonny calls Taurus for backup and seemingly they oblige.

However from Taurus's perspective wouldn't it be really weird? Every 3 hours Sonny makes the same call since the time loop only expands outwards slightly over the house? Wouldn't big baddy robot things just constantly be trying to get into the house? If an outside entity like the robot thing enters the time loop but then it resets, are they gone for good (i.e. reset out of existence)? Can they just like keep doing loops until Taurus runs out of big angry metal robot things?

Further thousands of iterations could start adding up to a lot of time passing in the outside world, assuming every loop is seen as 3 hours by the outside world than 10000 loops would be over a year in outside time.

 

[Jisgsaw]

People are being too hard on this. It's not that bad and while it isn't new ground, it's not a bad little movie.

Pretty much my thoughts. There are better time traveling films, but it's not that bad.

 

[Broken Joystick]

People are being too hard on this. It's not that bad and while it isn't new ground, it's not a bad little movie.

Yeah I feel the same. An okay 80 minutes. Interesting to watch and follow.

 

[jack_package_200]

Pretty much my thoughts. There are better time traveling films, but it's not that bad.

This.

I didn't go into this expecting Primer. I kept my expectations in check. It kept me interested through its run time.

ARQ is okay. I don't think it deserves hate. I have seen so much worse this year.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

Pretty much my thoughts. There are better time traveling films, but it's not that bad.

I humbly disagree. There really isn't anything here. It's just a collection of cheap sci-fi clichés from other films, like the holographic display television that we've seen 10,000 times before. The world building is sloppy and yet it doesn't give us anything to work with developing the characters. I would love to hear what people actually liked about this. Not trying to shit on anyone's parade but I just didn't get anything from this movie. No clever dialogue, no interesting moments, no memorable characters, not even a good use of the premise.

I just feel like if you're going to do a super cheap sci-fi movie like this, it should at least be interesting in one regard. We're stuck in the same locale with these bland characters. It honestly just made me tired. There are more interesting episodes of Black Mirror or The Outer Limits that are shorter and probably done cheaper than this. Even if I pretended this was a quick extended sci anthology show episode... it's still pretty bad.

Just one guy's opinion though.

 

[SwiftDeath]

I just feel like if you're going to do a super cheap sci-fi movie like this, it should at least be interesting in one regard.

Are there other time loop movies wherein which

Spoiler

various characters start seeing through the time loop at different times so that in the end you have a more even playing field and people competing to use the time loop in the best way possible versus their adversary

?

 

[Beefy]

I humbly disagree. There really isn't anything here. It's just a collection of cheap sci-fi clichés from other films, like the holographic display television that we've seen 10,000 times before. The world building is sloppy and yet it doesn't give us anything to work with developing the characters. I would love to hear what people actually liked about this. Not trying to shit on anyone's parade but I just didn't get anything from this movie. No clever dialogue, no interesting moments, no memorable characters, not even a good use of the premise.

I just feel like if you're going to do a super cheap sci-fi movie like this, it should at least be interesting in one regard. We're stuck in the same locale with these bland characters. It honestly just made me tired. There are more interesting episodes of Black Mirror or The Outer Limits that are shorter and probably done cheaper than this. Even if I pretended this was a quick extended sci anthology show episode... it's still pretty bad.

Just one guy's opinion though.

.

This.

I didn't go into this expecting Primer. I kept my expectations in check. It kept me interested through its run time.

ARQ is okay. I don't think it deserves hate. I have seen so much worse this year.

Where's the hate? All I see is people either saying it is shit or saying it is ok.

 

[LogicStep]

Will check this out tonight. Know nothing besides the little I read here. Will come back with an opinion.

 

[ClosingADoor]

Fun watch if you are bored for a bit. But don't try to find much logic in how the time traveling works, it makes little sense.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

I thought it was clever enough in its writing, even if it took a bit longer than usual to get to the hook. I am also okay with it clearly being a much cheaper Australian production with a very limited set. What bothered me was that I never got a good idea of what the layout of the place was. If you're going to a stage thing (one location), gimme geography. It tried to do it with not repeating established stuff and so on in the writing, but the direction didn't follow through on getting the viewer there, in my opinion.

As for the story (full ending spoiler):

Spoiler

unfortunately you could also tell from the start that something was up with the ways things played out- guy wakes up, gets whacked, resets without having caused a loop of some kind, so the loop must be outside of his influence- , and when the 'alternate video' emerges that is the "ah, dammit" prompt for a rather unsatisfying ending. You don't end on 'it's all dream', and you don't end on 'it's an infinite regression', because then nothing happened. Just because it's emotional doesn't mean it's good story. The elements are all there, but it doesn't really work out. Kind of felt like a writing exercise that got into production one pass too soon, and I had hoped the video was just a loop they missed.

I enjoyed it for what it is on a small budget though. Forgettable, but inoffensive. Not sure if I would recommend it, but we're talking Netflix here. You know there's worse out there.

 

[neojubei]

Good premise that was done much better in Source Code.

I agree. ARQ feels and looks like a syfy movie.

 

[killer rin]

So I just watched it and all I have to say is that was really good. I would love if this was somehow continued, just because they managed to hook me into the overall world they had going on.

 

[Oni Jazar]

I liked it and enjoyed it. If you like science fiction then I say it's worth the low commitment.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

I loved it. Less of a movie for me and more like what you'd see output from the old Hammer Horror Tv shows. I'd recommend it.

 

[Apollo]

was a great movie to me and my family. Actually would watch it again. Netflix be bringing the goods.

 

[OdysseusVA]

Decent, but that ending...

C'mon

 

[Messofanego]

Is there any sex in this? Just seeing if it's okay for my teenager

If he/she is 14 and above, I bet your teenager has already done it.

 

[Xenex]

Decent, but that ending...

C'mon

Exactly how I feel.

 

[Enco]

Really good film.

Don't watch the trailer though. It's more interesting that way.

edit: spoilers!!!

Spoiler

Don't really get how only the area around the place was in the loop. Doesn't seem to make sense.

 

[tearsintherain]

Enjoyable 80 minute movie, while it retreads the exact same plots as every classic TV scifi show - Trek, Stargate, Farscape, etc - in their time travel episodes, it was still executed well and decent enough to watch. Not great or one to ever rewatch, but not Sharknado levels of bad either.

If the subject matter interests you I'd highly, highly recommend 12 Monkeys. All about time travel and season 1 is absolutely stellar in its construction. Season 2 is good, just not as good as season 1. And of course if you haven't yet watched Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, you should go correct that mistake NOW, its like a 10000% souped up ARQ with Emily Blunt kicking ass.

ARQ cost apparently under $2m to make which is pretty impressive, need more movies like this.

 

[Kitschkraft]

Watched it last night. Wasn't bad, wasn't great. I appreciate the effort, but I've seen quite a few time travel stories over the past couple of years that pull it off better. People have already brought up Source Code, but I'd also recommend Time Lapse (2014) (Also on netflix) over this. It's a very different story (No post-apocalyptic setting) but it actually hits some similar beats in regards to the relationships between the characters and has a tighter script. I actually tend to like ambiguous endings but here it just felt like they ran out of ideas...or maybe budget.

Triangle (2009, leans a bit towards horror but has similar elements to ARQ) is another one I'd check out if you were really into this.

Are there other time loop movies wherein which

Spoiler

various characters start seeing through the time loop at different times so that in the end you have a more even playing field and people competing to use the time loop in the best way possible versus their adversary

?

Yeah I felt like this was a decent hook. Ultimately though, I think they wasted too much time on trying to explain the world that didn't really lead to anything. The Bloc/Taurus storyline didn't add up to much, After Sonny became aware I was hoping for a true cat and mouse with all of these various scenarios playing out but they kind of just let it sputter out because they always died so quickly. I suppose it's a little unfair to say "this should have been more like Edge Of Tomorrow" but I think that a few more short scenes of them attempting to best Sonny would have helped.

Regardless, I'm ALL FOR Netflix giving films like this a chance.

 

[SliceSabre]

This movie is a mindfuck for me considering I just finished watching the anime series Re: Zero.


I enjoyed it overall. I did not like the ending because its like these fuckers learned liked absolutely nothing from this whole experience.

 

[RickD]

Watched it last night. It was OK. Wouldn't want to watch it again.

One of those films i'll forget i've seen in a week.

 

[cyberheater]

I watched it and it surprised me. I wasn't expecting too much and was pleasantly surprised.
A good lowish budget sci fi movie with a good cast.

 

[mrhyderager]

I think casting was everything for the movie. I watched it because I was bored the day it came out and didn't realize it was brand new.

Prompted me to go back and watch The Tomorrow People, though. Wish that show stayed on through a few seasons.

 

[Palmer_v1]

Oops, double post.

 

[Palmer_v1]

It was definitely interesting.

Spoiler

I thought they were going to find out that while they were stuck in far more loops than they were aware, and that it was only looping for them, while the rest of the world had continued, meaning none of it mattered anymore because the outside world had long ago crumbled.

Enjoyable 80 minute movie, while it retreads the exact same plots as every classic TV scifi show - Trek, Stargate, Farscape, etc - in their time travel episodes, it was still executed well and decent enough to watch. Not great or one to ever rewatch, but not Sharknado levels of bad either.

If the subject matter interests you I'd highly, highly recommend 12 Monkeys. All about time travel and season 1 is absolutely stellar in its construction. Season 2 is good, just not as good as season 1. And of course if you haven't yet watched Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, you should go correct that mistake NOW, its like a 10000% souped up ARQ with Emily Blunt kicking ass.

ARQ cost apparently under $2m to make which is pretty impressive, need more movies like this.

I could totally see the 2 million cost. Very little special effects needed, basically just one small set, and a few outside shots, very small cast. B list actors at best, they were all solid.

 

[BuckRobotron]

Decent little flick with a capable cast. Production being obviously low cost given the minimal set changes and static cast. Actually watched it first day and then ran it again later while doing other things. It isn't a captivating classic but is a decent sci-fi background viewing.

 

[maxcriden]

Enjoyable flick. Reminded me of Tom Cruise movie

Spoiler

Edge of Tomorrow

Lite.

 

[Slacker]

Solid 7.5 out of 10 for me. I wasn't blown away but certain worth 80 minutes of your time and no additional money.

 

[phaonaut]

I liked it. I did think it was a new show at first and was wondering why the first episode was so long.

 

[Ghost_Messiah]

I thought it was okay. Decent enough. I'm a pretty hardcore sci-fi fan so this was right up my street - the low production values and limited budget hurt this though. And that ending. Not really a satisfying conclusion. An interesting conclusion but not really a pay-off. I'd say the film is worth the 80-minute commitment but don't go in expecting miracles.

Genuinely did feel like something from a decade ago. I'd still say it's worth the watch however.

 

[Cryxo93]

Having gone in with little expectation I enjoyed it a lot. A lot of reviews take issue with the lack of originality and the jargon all throughout but I thought it was intelligent and easy to make sense considering the lack of context.

I wish there was more but the ending was satisfactory. It indicated as to what was to come and that is enough as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Furio53]

Having gone in with little expectation I enjoyed it a lot. A lot of reviews take issue with the lack of originality and the jargon all throughout but I thought it was intelligent and easy to make sense considering the lack of context.

I wish there was more but the ending was satisfactory. It indicated as to what was to come and that is enough as far as I'm concerned.

I felt the same, I thought it was an enjoyable movie.

 

[IISANDERII]

Just finished it. For some reason I thought this was a series. And the opener was extra long. I was thinking each episode would be a different loop.
Anyway so it's a little indie scifi film so it's not bad for what it is.

 

[Realeza]

Thought this was great. Really cool atmosphere.

 

[Listonosh]

I liked it albeit the ending kind of opens up some weird questions

Spoiler

Sonny calls Taurus for backup and seemingly they oblige.

However from Taurus's perspective wouldn't it be really weird? Every 3 hours Sonny makes the same call since the time loop only expands outwards slightly over the house? Wouldn't big baddy robot things just constantly be trying to get into the house? If an outside entity like the robot thing enters the time loop but then it resets, are they gone for good (i.e. reset out of existence)? Can they just like keep doing loops until Taurus runs out of big angry metal robot things?

Further thousands of iterations could start adding up to a lot of time passing in the outside world, assuming every loop is seen as 3 hours by the outside world than 10000 loops would be over a year in outside time.

So this was kind of my issue as well. I actually really enjoyed the movie, but this detail sort of confused me.

If the time loop

Spoiler

was only happening in that small diameter, then A. How could Sonny keep making those calls to Taurus with the coordinates, since it would be happening every three hours or so and B. If the time loop was indeed happening 1000s of times, then at best they were at it 125 days, but in reality probably a lot longer. Why would Taurus be sending units to the same location over that long period of time.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Felt more like a pilot for a TV series than a standalone movie, especially with that ending.

 

[nvrndr]

So I just watched it and all I have to say is that was really good. I would love if this was somehow continued, just because they managed to hook me into the overall world they had going on.

Same.

 

[mocolostrocolos]

Watched yesterday and I liked it. Didn't expect too much and the end was better than I had hoped.

 

[gatti-man]

I'm only 20 minutes in but

Spoiler

Rachael Taylor's character is absolutely insufferable so far. I hope she gets a power up or something later in the movie cause I can't keep going if her role in the film is just to fuck stuff up. I really liked her in Jessica Jones too.

EDIT: Yeah, this was just exhausting to watch. It doesn't do anything creative or interesting with the premise.

Spoiler

Watching the characters make the same dumb mistakes even though they know that time is repeating literally had me checking my watch constantly. Amell's character trusts Taylor's character, Taylor's character does something that fucks it up. Lather, rinse, repeat. They even have the same arguments with each other even though they're no longer mindlessly playing through the loop.

Even for a 90 minute movie this felt too long and almost put me to sleep.

For me this is 90% of netflix's original content so far. It's almost always trash.

 

[mr jones]

For me this is 90% of netflix's original content so far. It's almost always trash.

You know, I was going to disagree with you. I think it's because you say their content is "trash." Strong word for stuff you don't like.

The thing is, is that I'm kind of in the same boat. I love Daredevil, Can't wait for Luke Cage and Punisher, enjoyed Orange is the New Black, and Making a Murderer is must see TV.

However, most of Netflix original programming kind of falls flat for me. Going by seasons, House of Cards went from ok, to yeah this is great, to so bad I'm not interested anymore. Lilyhammer didn't make a whole season. Jenny Jones started out interesting, but fell apart the last couple episodes of the first season. Arrested Development was legit disappointing. And some of their original comedy standup are offensively bad. And Real Rob? Seriously???

However, I like that they are taking chances on interesting programming. You'd never see a show like ARQ on AMC. You probably wouldn't see a show like Master of None on HBO.

Speaking of which, you probably would say the same thing about the original content on heavy hitters like AMC, and NBC. Think about it. Outside of The Walking Dead and it's spinoff, Breaking Bad and its spinoff, and Mad Men, what original content can you think of on AMC? I can't think of anything outside of Superstore and Jimmy Fallon that I'd bother turning to NBC for. This goes for most programming on other TV choices. Lots of meh content. Some really awesome content. Some really crappy content.

 

[Jotaka]

I stooped after 30min... I want that 30min back

 

[Fluffhead14]

What a chore this was to get through.

 

[Fuu]

I wasn't expecting much from this but it still disappointed me. It's not trash, but it really is mediocre on all accounts. And there's this huge problem with the plot:

I liked it albeit the ending kind of opens up some weird questions

Spoiler

Sonny calls Taurus for backup and seemingly they oblige.

However from Taurus's perspective wouldn't it be really weird? Every 3 hours Sonny makes the same call since the time loop only expands outwards slightly over the house? Wouldn't big baddy robot things just constantly be trying to get into the house? If an outside entity like the robot thing enters the time loop but then it resets, are they gone for good (i.e. reset out of existence)? Can they just like keep doing loops until Taurus runs out of big angry metal robot things?

Further thousands of iterations could start adding up to a lot of time passing in the outside world, assuming every loop is seen as 3 hours by the outside world than 10000 loops would be over a year in outside time.

I love me some expertly executed low budget sci-fi, but unfortunately ARQ was not that. I don't regret having watched it, but heh.

Spoiling the name of this other movie because the fact it involves time loops is a twist:

Spoiler

Triangle (2009)

is a better flawed romp if you're into the concept they used here.

 

[adamsappel]

Spoiling the name of this other movie because the fact it involves time loops is a twist:

Spoiler

Triangle (2009)

is a better flawed romp if you're into the concept they used here.

This might be the most egregious use of a spoiler ever. I am trying to figure out who this spoiler is for. If I click the box, I'm spoiled about what happens in the film, but I can't find out what movie it even is without being spoiled.

 

[Fuu]

This might be the most egregious use of a spoiler ever. I am trying to figure out who this spoiler is for. If I click the box, I'm spoiled about what happens in the film, but I can't find out what movie it even is without being spoiled.

lol I honestly don't know any other way of mentioning that movie in this thread without spoiling, but I really wanted to. Sorry!