Poor-quality live-action adaptations seem to be a thing of the past, asNetflix’sRe/Memberjoins the ranks of other success stories such asAlita: Battle Angel,Kingdom,andAlice in Borderland,among others. Japanese-inspired “ghost stories” have become international sensations since Samara Morgan graced viewers with her creepy presence withThe Ring.Now, inRe/Member,the authentic, spine-chilling tale of Asuka’s escape from a fatal time-loop is well presented, exceptionally gory, with an underlying, heartwarming element.
Meddling with time is not as lighthearted as Marty and Dr. Emmett Brown make it out to be. Twist this stereotypical tale ever so slightly, and nightmarish results might just ensue. When breaking the cycle becomes a matter of life or death, things start to get a little more serious. The time loop is a classic film trope at this point, and for those who enjoyedRe/Member, check out these other films that also used the time loop to great effect.
7Happy Death Day (2017 and 2019)
Notmany teen-slasher filmsare lucky enough to receive a sequel. However, Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) evidently charmed the audiences, earning the back-handed reward of yet another death-defying birthday experience. InHappy Death Day, while navigating through the struggles of sorority life, Tree is brutally murdered on her birthday, only to wake up to do the walk of shame all over again; until something finally clicks.
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The typical, cloakedScream-inspired killer dons a cute and chubby baby face mask, haunting every moment of Tree’s waking hours, slowly driving her toward the edge of insanity. However, this serial killer death match takes a wholesome turn as Tree works on her personal flaws while fighting for her life, and facilitates a few comedic moments to lighten the mood from time to time.
6Donnie Darko (2001 and 2009)
This cult classic is certainly not the first time-loop to go awry. However, it is one of the most memorable and iconic horrors of its time; that distorted, disturbing bunny face is the stuff of nightmares! TheDarko family is plagued by melancholy, hitting young Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal) the hardest. When his emotional problems begin to take a physical form, things start to fall apart at the seams.
This tragic tale doesn’t follow the more obviousGroundhog Dayformula. It leaves hints and plot devices open for interpretation instead, without spoon-feeding the viewers the intricacies of time travel. To change things up a bit, the 2009 sequelS. Darko: A Donnie Darko Talefollows Donnie’s kid sister, Samantha (Daveigh Chase), as she suffers the trauma ofher own Frank the Rabbitexperience.
5Source Code (2011)
Source Codeis less horror and more action and intrigue,starring the talented Jake Gyllenhaalyet again, this time as U.S. Army Captain Colter Stevens, although, for no apparent reason, everyone suddenly begins calling him “Sean.” It turns out that the Captain has been working from inside the Source Code, where mind games are readily up for grabs. Colter can now assume another person’s identity, but only during the final moments of their life.
Specifically tasked with finding a mysterious bomber, Colter is sent to “his” death, repeatedly, until he can get his hands on the appropriate intel. However, after spending time with the lovely Christina Warren (Michelle Monaghan), the Captain changes his course to prioritize her rescue, which doesn’t go over well with the government officials in charge.
4In the Tall Grass (2019)
Siblings Becky and Carl Demuth are unceremoniously thrown intothe worst game of hide-and-seekin history, especially considering they have no idea they are playing until it was much too late. The foreboding field’s time-manipulating capabilities become apparent quite early on, when Becky’s friend goes in search of his missing friends… before they even get lost.
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The Demuths are far from the only ones trapped in this endless maze, as the Tall Grass has inspired others such as Tobin and Ross Humboldt (Patrick Wilson) to wander in circles within its depths, leading everyone to their doom. The concept of time loses all meaning as reality is warped past the point of no return, as they search for each other, along with freedom from these fatal reeds.
3Looper (2012)
Joe’s tale is not a particularly terrifying one; however, it does involve a ton of bloodshed, which is conveniently covered up amidst the folds of time. Loopers are the highly-trained assassins expected to rid the world of select targets, no questions asked. Too bad that Joe(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a curious guywith a newfound sense of justice.
Things start to get out of hand when the hitman gets confronted by his future self (Bruce Willis), each with the goal of taking out the other, in the most elaborate form of suicide known to mankind. Defying the system becomes complicated when time-traveling foes could pop up at any moment, especially if killing the target ultimately ends one’s own life.
2The Final Girls (2015)
This star-studded cast takes a morecomedic approach to horrorby breaking the fourth wall in quite a creative way: hurling a bunch of kids straight into the scary movie they were (re-)watching just moments before. Max Cartwright (Taissa Farmiga) gets to meet her younger mother, “Nancy” (Malin Akerman) in an all-new way, experiencing her final film unfurl before her eyes, quite literally, while trying to avoid getting murdered.
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Just when the kids think they can predict the “future” by simply remembering how the original “Camp Bloodbath” movie plays out, the script suddenly gets turned on its head, seemingly with a mind of its own. When the (assumedly) Final Girl meets an early demise, the group realize they have to take matters into their own hands if they wish to return to reality.
1Blood Punch (2013)
Blood Punchmight be a bit more low-budget,with just threePower Rangerstarshogging the spotlight. However, it is more thought-provoking than the average thriller, as killing without mercy becomes exceedingly easier as the day rolls over (on repeat). Skyler’sBreaking Badscheme goes off the rails when she and Milton mission off to a cabin in the woods, joined by her unhinged boyfriend (Ari Boyland, the Blue RPM Ranger), who happens to be a corrupt cop.
Milton (Milo Cawthorne, the Green RPM Ranger) gets stuck between a rock and a hard place as he gets manipulated into taking Skyler’s (Olivia Tennet) side in this deadly lovers' quarrel, slowly turning from an innocent, nerdy introvert into a coldhearted killing machine. This begs the question: are psychopaths born, or created?
