The “Jules Verne Train” from Back To The Future Part III. This is maybe not what Einstein had in mind when he formulated his relativistic thought experiments, but the science can be evaluated here. (R. ZEMECKIS / BACK TO THE FUTURE III)

Ask Ethan: Which Movies Get The Science Of Time Travel Right?

It’s one of the most common tropes in science fiction. But which movies actually get the science right?

The way we travel through time, at a speed of one second per second, is so boring that we take it for absolute granted. Yet according to Einstein’s theory of relativity, we can not only travel forward through time at different rates by accelerating close to the speed of light, we could potentially travel either forwards or backwards by constructing a bridge through two disconnected locations in spacetime. Time travel, either forwards or backwards, has long been a staple of our imaginations and our stories; who wouldn’t want to explore the unseeable future or go back in time to right a past wrong? But getting those stories to be scientifically accurate is another job entirely. Which movies do the best at that? That’s what Ernio Hernandez wants to know, as he asks:

I’m admittedly a fan of time-travel movies (however they explain it). What movie makes the best case for using this plot device accurately?

Let’s take a look at what makes a good time travel movie, and see how your favorites stack up.