I’m a nut for Wesley Crusher.  OK, that’s really not true at all.  The character of Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation annoyed the hell out of me, always the little snot-nosed kid who had to save the day and know it all.  I despised Paramount for that.

But Wil Wheaton, the actor who played Wesley Crusher, is a different story.  I read WWdN: In Exile, his blog, both regularly and with great delight.  He’s intelligent and witty, and he’s a great writer.  Admiration notwithstanding, in late December he mentioned a movie worth seeing called Primer.

All I can say about this film is that it’s on par with Donnie Darko so far as being a compelling and intelligent story.  While Primer is very low budget (made for about $7,000), this adds to its mystique.  Keep in mind that it’s a tad rough around the edges.

It’s about two friends who are engineers working diligently (and unsuccessfully) to come up with “the big idea” that will get them published.  They also have hopes of financial success.  In their ongoing struggle fought in a garage lab, they accidentally create a working time machine.  Its function is original in how time travel works, and the story unfolds around the consequences of its use.

If you’re looking for a smart thriller that drags you in and entertains you as much as it makes you think, this is definitely the movie to see.  There’s nothing formulaic about it: it’s a robust, fresh idea told with sharp intelligence.  You really don’t want to miss this one.