ARQ (2016)

Trapped in a lab and stuck in a time loop, a disoriented couple fends off masked raiders while harboring a new energy source that could save humanity.

Director:

Tony Elliott

Writer:

Tony Elliott

Stars:

Robbie Amell, Rachael Taylor, Shaun Benson

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robbie Amell	...	Renton
Rachael Taylor	...	Hannah
Shaun Benson	...	Sonny
Gray Powell	...	Father
Jacob Neayem	...	Brother
Adam Butcher	...	Cuz
Tantoo Cardinal	...	The Pope
Nicolas Van Burek	...	News Anchor (voice)
Jamie Spilchuk	...	Mobius Common (voice)

Storyline

Trapped in a lab and stuck in a time loop, a disoriented couple fends off masked raiders while harboring a new energy source that could save humanity.

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Plot Keywords:

time loop | trapped in a time loop | face spattered with blood | faked death | cyanide gas | 

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ), also known as Automatic Repeat Query, is an error-control method for data transmission that uses acknowledgements (messages sent by the receiver indicating that it has correctly received a data frame or packet) and timeouts (specified periods of time allowed to elapse before an acknowledgment is to be received) to achieve reliable data transmission over an unreliable service. If the sender does not receive an acknowledgment before the timeout, it usually re-transmits the frame/packet until the sender receives an acknowledgment or exceeds a predefined number of re-transmissions .

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Goofs

First she says she was in interrogation 6 months, later she says 5 months.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Renton: You okay?
[flex-cuffs zipping]
Father: That guy you fried with your clever little trap? That was our cousin.
Brother: Cuz.
Father: That's Brother. Sonny. You can call me Father. And you two? You two are the kids.

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Connections

Referenced in The Chronic Rift: Time Loop-de-Loops (2018)

User Reviews

Gripping, interesting, refreshing - had me hooked till the last minute.

I'm starting to really like Netflix. Everything I've watched from them turns out to be very good, which is amazing because I was beginning to believe that the era of movies is over. It seems that nobody wants to make good movies anymore, CGI is king, and viewers are expected to like whatever is released by the greedy studios. Then Netflix happens and suddenly you can watch movies like ARQ.

To the point, though: I've just finished watching ARQ, literally one minute ago, and I didn't even wait for the credits to run, I was already on IMDb signing in to write a review. I've never done it before, but this time I had to. This movie deserves a lot of praise. Of course, it is a 'Groundhog day' type of movie that has been done before, but I've never seen it done so well. That's why I usually hate this type of movie: because they don't get the science right, they don't have a suspenseful story and they do a lot of illogical stuff just so they could wrap things up nicely. This isn't a mess of a movie like that. That's the main thing I liked about it, that they keep me waiting to see how the next loop is going to change. The story is really gripping, and I liked the actors a lot, they really make it look realistic and believable. And I love that someone finally came up with a story like that, in which you can see what might happen if you were stuck in a loop. Remember the movie 'Looper'? In the end, if you analyzed it, it didn't make sense. ARQ does, and it keeps you guessing, it's unpredictable. It was such a pleasure to watch, particularly because it's full of twists and turns and I challenge you to guess how it ends. Each loop is a surprise, I can't even say how refreshing it is to have watched something like that. I hope more people come to review ARQ and that they recognize what a little gem this movie is. It's not a great movie, I'm not saying it is, but it is a solid 8 out of 10 as someone already noticed. It really is. I like clever movies, and this was certainly clever. I liked 'Edge of tomorrow' with Tom Cruise for the same reason - because finally the scriptwriter got time travel right, or at least they make it look like that's the way it would work. It's an achievement. A big thumb up to Netflix.

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 September 2016 (Canada)

Also Known As:

ARQ

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Netflix, Lost City, XYZ Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1