30 Time Travel Movies That Will Blow Your Mind And Expand Your Horizons

Vidushi Gupta

Entertainment

Time travel has long been a fascination for audiences, offering a gateway to explore the complexities of the past, present, and future. From mind-bending paradoxes to heartwarming tales of redemption, time travel movies have enthralled audiences with their imaginative narratives and thought-provoking themes.

In this article, we’ve curated a list of the 30 best time travel movies that are sure to entertain and captivate, inviting you to embark on a journey through the annals of time and space from the comfort of your own home. So, prepare to suspend disbelief and delve into a world where the past, present, and future collide in unexpected and extraordinary ways.

Time Travel Movies List

Sr. No. Movie Name & YearIMDb Rating
1.The Time Machine (1960)7.5
2.The Terminator (1984)8.1
3.The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)7.7
4.Frequency (2000)7.4
5.Timecrimes (2007)7.1
6.X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)7.9
7.Edge of Tomorrow (2014)7.9
8.About Time (I) (2013)7.8
9.The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)7.1
10.Somewhere in Time (1980)7.2
11.Happy Accidents (2000)7.2
12.Time Bandits (1981)6.9
13.Lucy (I) (2014)6.4
14.Midnight in Paris (2011)7.6
15.13 Going on 30 (2004)6.3
16.Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)6.4
17.Next (2007)6.2
18.The Lake House (2006)6.8
19.Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)6.9
20.The Jacket (2005)7.1
21.The Final Countdown (1980)6.7
22.Freejack (1992)5.4
23.The Butterfly Effect (2004)7.6
24.Idiocracy (2006)6.5
25.Army of Darkness (1992)7.4
26.Timecop (1994)5.9
27.Looper (2012)7.4
28.Sleeper (1973)7.1
29.The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)6.1
30. Pleasantville (1998)7.5

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1. The Time Machine (1960)

It follows the story of a Victorian-era inventor who builds a time machine and embarks on a journey to the distant future. There, he encounters a world divided into two species: the peaceful Eloi and the monstrous Morlocks. As he navigates this dystopian future, he discovers the dark truth behind humanity’s evolution and confronts the consequences of tampering with time.

2. The Terminator (1984)

The story revolves around a cyborg assassin, the Terminator, sent back in time from 2029 to 1984. Its mission is to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son will lead the human resistance against the machines. In a desperate attempt to survive, Sarah is aided by Kyle Reese, a soldier sent back in time to protect her. This is one of the best time travel films.

3. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

Makoto Konno, a high school girl discovers that she can leap through time. Initially using her newfound power for trivial purposes, she soon realizes the consequences of her actions and the impact they have on those around her. As she grapples with the complexities of time travel, including love, friendship, and loss, Makoto learns valuable lessons about responsibility and the importance of cherishing the present moment.

4. Frequency (2000)

John Sullivan, a New York City firefighter discovers a mysterious ham radio that allows him to communicate with his deceased father, Frank, 30 years in the past. Through this unexpected connection, they work together to prevent a series of tragic events, including the death of Frank’s wife and John’s mother. However, their actions have unintended consequences, leading to a dangerous chain of events that threatens to unravel the fabric of time itself.

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5. Timecrimes (2007)

The film follows the story of Hector, who, while relaxing at his new countryside home with his wife, stumbles upon a mysterious scientific facility. After investigating further, he finds himself inadvertently transported back in time one hour. Desperate to undo the events leading to his temporal displacement, Hector becomes embroiled in a series of increasingly complex and morally compromising situations.

6. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

The movie revolves around a dystopian future where mutants are hunted by Sentinels, advanced robots programmed to eradicate them. To prevent this apocalyptic future, Wolverine’s consciousness is sent back in time to 1973 to unite the younger versions of Professor Xavier and Magneto. This is one of the best time travel movies.

7. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

The story is set in a future where Earth is invaded by alien creatures called Mimics. Major William Cage, finds himself caught in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over after being killed in battle. With the help of Sergeant Rita Vrataski, who once experienced a similar time loop, Cage seeks to use his repetitive experiences to become a better soldier and find a way to defeat the Mimics.

8. About Time (I) (2013)

The film follows the story of Tim Lake, who learns from his father, portrayed by Bill Nighy, that the men in their family can travel back in time. Tim decides to use this power to improve his life, particularly in matters of love. However, he soon realizes that changing the past has its consequences and that true happiness lies in cherishing the present moment.

9. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)

The film tells the story of Henry DeTamble, a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. Rachel McAdams, Henry’s wife, must cope with the challenges of loving a man whose presence is unpredictable due to his time-traveling condition. This is one of the best time travel movies.

10. Somewhere in Time (1980)

Richard Collier, a playwright becomes obsessed with a portrait of a beautiful actress named Elise McKenna. Through self-hypnosis, he transports himself back in time to the year 1912, where he meets Elise and they fall deeply in love. However, their romance is challenged by the barriers of time and the secrets surrounding Elise’s life.

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11. Happy Accidents (2000)

Ruby Weaver, a New York City woman struggles with relationships due to her history of dating unreliable men. Everything changes when she meets Sam Deed, who claims to be a time traveler from the year 2470. Despite her initial skepticism, Ruby falls for Sam and his quirky charm.

12. Time Bandits (1981)

Kevin, a young boy, joins a group of time-traveling dwarves as they embark on a series of adventures through various historical periods. Led by the eccentric and bumbling Randall, the Time Bandits are on a quest to steal treasure from different points in time. However, their journey takes a dark turn when they encounter the malevolent Supreme Being and his evil henchman, Evil. This is one of the best hollywood time travel movies.

13. Lucy (I) (2014)

The story revolves around Lucy, a young woman who inadvertently gains extraordinary abilities after a drug implanted in her body leaks into her system. As Lucy’s cognitive powers expand beyond human comprehension, she sets out on a mission to unlock the full potential of her mind while being pursued by ruthless criminals and the authorities.

14. Midnight in Paris (2011)

Gil Pender, a nostalgic screenwriter, finds himself magically transported to 1920s Paris every night at midnight. As Gil explores the vibrant nightlife and encounters iconic figures from the past, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Salvador Dalí, he becomes enamored with the romance and artistic vitality of the era.

15. 13 Going on 30 (2004)

Jenna Rink, a 13-year-old girl after making a wish on her birthday, wakes up the next morning in the body of her 30-year-old self. As Jenna navigates her new life as a successful magazine editor in New York City, she must come to terms with the consequences of her childhood wishes and the person she has become.

16. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

Peggy Sue Bodell, a middle-aged woman finds herself transported back in time to her high school days in the 1960s after fainting at her high school reunion. As she navigates her teenage years once again, she must confront unresolved issues from her past, including her relationship with her high school sweetheart, Charlie.

17. Next (2007)

Cris Johnson is a Las Vegas magician with the ability to see two minutes into his future. When government agents discover his unique talent, they enlist Cris to help them prevent a terrorist attack. However, he soon finds himself pursued by both the authorities and a dangerous group of terrorists who want to exploit his abilities for their nefarious purposes.

18. The Lake House (2006)

This time machine movie stars Sandra Bullock as Kate Forster and Keanu Reeves as Alex Wyler, two people who begin exchanging letters through a magical mailbox despite living in different years. Kate resides in 2006, while Alex is living in 2004. As they continue to correspond, they realize that they are living in the same lake house, but their encounters are separated by a two-year time difference.

19. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

The film follows the comedic exploits of two high school slackers, Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan, who are on the brink of failing their history class. However, their fortunes change when a time-traveling figure from the future, Rufus, provides them with a phone booth that allows them to journey through time to collect historical figures for their history presentation.

20. The Jacket (2005)

Jack Starks, a Gulf War veteran is wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to a mental institution. While at the institution, he is subjected to experimental treatments, including being placed in a straitjacket and confined to a morgue drawer. During these sessions, Jack experiences vivid flashbacks and travels through time to the future, where he meets a woman named Jackie.

21. The Final Countdown (1980)

The story follows the crew of the USS Nimitz, a modern-day aircraft carrier, as it is mysteriously transported back in time to the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. As the crew grapples with the implications of their presence in the past, they must decide whether to intervene and alter the course of history or adhere to the principle of non-interference.

22. Freejack (1992)

The story is set in a dystopian future where the wealthy elite have found a way to achieve immortality by kidnapping individuals from the past and transplanting their consciousness into their younger bodies. Emilio Estevez, a race car driver becomes a target for these “freejack” operations. After narrowly escaping a fatal car accident, he finds himself transported to the future where he becomes the prey in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

23. The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Evan Treborn discovers that he can travel back in time to moments in his past. As Evan revisits pivotal events in his life, he attempts to alter the course of history to prevent tragic outcomes for himself and those around him. However, his actions have unintended consequences that ripple through time, leading to unforeseen and often devastating changes in the present.

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24. Idiocracy (2006)

The story follows Joe Bauers, a dim-witted but average man who is selected for a top-secret military hibernation experiment. However, the experiment goes awry, and Joe awakens 500 years later to find himself in a world where intellectual and cultural standards have plummeted.

25. Army of Darkness (1992)

The story follows Ash Williams, who finds himself transported back in time to the medieval era after being sucked through a time portal. Armed with his chainsaw hand and his trusty shotgun, Ash must battle an army of the undead and the evil sorcerer, Lord Arthur.

26. Timecop (1994)

The story is set in a future where time travel has been invented and subsequently regulated by a government agency. Jean-Claude Van Damme, a Time Enforcement Commission agent tasked with policing time travel violations. When Walker discovers a conspiracy involving a corrupt politician’s plans to alter the past for personal gain, he must race against time to stop them and preserve the integrity of the timeline.

27. Looper (2012)

The film is set in a dystopian future where time travel exists but is outlawed and only available on the black market. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a “looper,” is a hired assassin who kills targets sent back in time by criminal organizations. However, Joe’s life turns when his future self, is sent back in time for assassination.

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28. Sleeper (1973)

Miles Monroe, a health food store owner is cryogenically frozen and wakes up 200 years later in a radically transformed society. Mistaken for a rebel leader, he becomes embroiled in a resistance movement against the oppressive government, led by the dictatorial Leader, in disguise.

29. The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

The film follows two sailors, who find themselves transported to the future along with the ship. As they struggle to adapt to their new reality and unravel the experiment’s mysteries, they must confront the government agents who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.

30. Pleasantville (1998)

The film follows the story of siblings David and Jennifer, who are magically transported into the fictional world of a black-and-white 1950s sitcom called “Pleasantville.” In this idyllic world, everything is perfect and orderly, but as they introduce modern ideas and concepts, such as color and individuality, the once-static town begins to undergo profound changes.

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These time travel films offer a diverse range of storytelling approaches.

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