# This Sci-Fi Movie With 100% on Rotten Tomatoes Is a Perfect Time Loop From Start to Finish

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/this-sci-fi-movie-with-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-is-a-perfect-time-loop-from-start-to-finish/
- Published: 2026-09-05T03:55:11+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-05T04:16:32+00:00
- Original publisher: Collider
- Original article: https://collider.com/river-greatest-time-loop-sci-fi-movie-masterpiece/
- Topics: Art, Celebrity, Culture, Entertainment, Film, Software, Technology

## Key points

- *River* is a Japanese time-loop comedy praised for originality
- Unlike genre norms, its loop lasts just two minutes
- Holds a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, per the article

## Summary

The article highlights *River*, a 2023 Japanese sci-fi comedy directed by Junta Yamaguchi, which holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes for its inventive take on the time-loop genre. Rather than the usual day-long or hour-long loops seen in films like *Groundhog Day* or *Edge of Tomorrow*, *River* traps its entire ensemble cast in a mere two-minute cycle that everyone remembers, forcing the staff and guests of a small rural inn to repeatedly relive the same brief window of time.

Set in a picturesque Japanese village, the film uses its condensed loop to generate rapid-fire comedy and chaos, such as recurring mid-meal disruptions and a waiter forced to serve the same dish over and over. The article credits Yamaguchi with blending frantic slapstick with genuine emotional warmth, arguing the tight two-minute structure and Japanese setting give a well-worn sci-fi trope a fresh, original spin.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.