In Netflix time travel movie The Adam Project, Ryan Reynolds plays a fighter pilot from the future, who crash lands in the present and meets his 12-year-old self. Together they must save the world in a journey that harkens back to Amblin classics from the 1980s while featuring some great needle drops.
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Time travel stories have always been a popular narrative choice, with the highest-grossing film of all time, Avengers: Endgame, fitting in the genre. Videogames such as Mortal Kombat 11 also use time travel to great effect. But with The Adam Project being a Netflix original, there are more time travel movies on Netflix to watch after seeing Reynolds quip his way through another memorable performance.
Updated on May 28, 2023, by Ty Weinert:
No matter the time period, time travel movies have always been popular. Whether it is the latest Ryan Reynolds and Netflix collaboration The Adam Project or the sci-fi action masterpiece The Terminator, time travel fans are spoiled for choice. Netflix in particular has plenty of great movies in the genre worth visiting, and some of the best time travel movies on Netflix will have you watching them over and over again.
10 'Naked' (2017)
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Rob (Marlon Wayans) is about to marry the girl of his dreams, Megan (Regina Hall). But after a night out with his best friend results in Rob waking up naked in an elevator, he must race to the altar to make it in time. Failing that, Rob wakes up again in the elevator, realizing he is trapped in a time loop and must relive the hour over and over again.
Working like a mix of The Hangover and Groundhog Day, Naked will appeal to anyone who enjoyed those screwball comedies. While it is not one of the best time loop movies, it still offers some laughs and is a good enough way to kill an afternoon on the couch.
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9 'Captain Nova' (2021)
Like The Adam Project, Captain Nova follows a fighter pilot who is sent back in time to stop a catastrophe. Nova (Kika Van De Vijver) finds herself transformed into her younger self due to her journey through time, however, making it hard for adults to take her seriously as she warns them of the dangers to come.
Hailing from the Netherlands, Captain Nova makes for a nice change from the American movies that dominate the time travel genre on Netflix. Due to its protagonist's youthful transformation, Captain Nova is a kid-friendly take on the formula and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
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8 'See You Yesterday' (2019)
Produced by legendary director Spike Lee, See You Yesterday follows two teenage scientists, who are attempting to create a time machine. After one of their older brothers is killed in a police shooting, the pair activate their machine to travel to the past and save him.
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While still following the conventions of time travel movies, See You Yesterday stands out with a plot that focuses on relevant social issues. By bringing light to matters that are still plaguing society four years after release, the film is a unique choice within the time travel Netflix catalog.
7 'In the Shadow of the Moon' (2019)
Beginning in 1988, In the Shadow of the Moon follows Thomas Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook), a police officer determined to become a detective. When his city is plagued by a serial killer, Lockhart begins investigating, eventually discovering the killer comes back every nine years. As the case deepens, time travel eventually becomes a factor.
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In the Shadow of the Moon feels like a callback to the detective thrillers of the '90s, like Se7en. While it does tend to lose focus as more outrageous plot points are introduced, In the Shadow of the Moon remains a solid choice for anyone looking to discover their next crime obsession.
6 'Synchronic' (2019)
Another quality entry in acclaimed duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson's trippy shared universe, Synchronic stars Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan as paramedics and lifelong friends. After a new drug sweeps their city, resulting in the deaths of its users, the pair investigates after Dornan's daughter goes missing.
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The film delves into time travel in ways that will not be spoiled here, but needless to say Synchronic is a trippy film with a central mystery that unravels over time. Both leads excel in their roles and share great chemistry, with Mackie, in particular, delivering a fantastic performance that shows what he can offer when given more meaty roles outside the MCU.
5 'ARQ' (2016)
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Waking up to intruders breaking into his home, an engineer (Robbie Amell) finds himself trapped within a time loop. With each death sending him back to the start of the invasion, he works to defeat his pursuers and escape with his lover (Rachael Taylor).
ARQ works as a sci-fi spin on films such as Happy Death Day, with the audience learning new information alongside the protagonist with each subsequent loop and eventual death. While not as charming as Happy Death Day, ARQ still offers an enjoyable take on the genre.
4 'When We First Met' (2018)
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When We First Met follows Adam DeVine, of Workaholics fame, as he repeatedly goes back in time to try and win over the girl of his dreams (Alexandra Daddario). Being a romantic comedy, the film stands apart from other time travel movies that focus on more serious consequences.
While We First Met does not offer much new to the genre, though DeVine gives an admirable performance to help carry the film. Fans of his stand-up or the aforementioned Workaholics should have a good time watching his numerous attempts to escape the hellish nightmare called "the friend zone."
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3 'Long Story Short' (2021)
Waking up the morning after his wedding to discover that his life is jumping forward in time every few minutes, Teddy (Rafe Spall) is forced to use his dwindling time to stay with the woman he loves. With every jump causing them to drift further apart, time is running out for the bumbling lead.
Like When We First Met, Long Story Short uses time travel in a romantic comedy, albeit in a more urgent way. The Australian film was directed by Josh Lawson, known to audiences as Kano, the best part of the recent Mortal Kombat film.
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2 'The Adam Project' (2022)
When fighter pilot Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds) travels from 2050 to 2012, he is forced to work together with his 12-year-old self in order to get back home and save his deceased wife Laura (Zoe Saldana). The two Adams end up going on a journey full of heart and humor as they travel through time.
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The latest in the long line of big-budget blockbusters on Netflix, The Adam Project is one of the best free movies you can access on the service. Reynolds is always a charming lead, and along with Saldana, they are supported by a winning cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, and Catherine Keener.
1 'Mirage' (2018)
When Vera (Adriana Ugarte) and her family move into a new home, they discover that a boy died there thirty years ago. Finding a way to communicate with the boy in the past, Vera warns him of his death and saves his life, only to change the flow of time in the process.
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As the best time travel movie Netflix has to offer, Mirage is a compelling mystery thriller from Spain. As more circumstances of the boy's death emerge, greater narrative threads are pulled into this time-bending journey, with Ugarte delivering a great performance as the central character.
NEXT: The Best Time Travel Movies Ever Made, Ranked