In Time

Why are all films about the future based in grim, sad, troubling, and unfulfilled premises? Maybe they make for more interesting films, or maybe the writers want to see what we have now as something to cherish, so they make the future uncertain at best. As with the case of "In Time", this premise seems to follow suit.

In the not-too-distant future people have been engineered to stop aging at 25 years. And also being engineered to live only one more year, money no longer becomes the currency. In its place time becomes the commodity which people would kill and die for to obtain, so it's possible for their lives to last longer. The rich, with all their time, can theoretically live forever, whereas the rest, who don't have as much time, try to negotiate for their immortality.

A poor, young man, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) comes into a fortune of time through a man, Henry Hamilton (Matthew Bomer), who's tired of living so long, but isn't able to save his mom, Rachel (Olivia Wilde) from her imminent fate. Because of surveillance cameras, the police, known as timekeepers headed up by Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy), is on Salas' tail for suspicion of murder. So Salas grabs a hostage, Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried) who is the daughter of Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser), a rich corporate man which becomes a connection that becomes an important part of the way against the system.

Others to round out the cast are Johnny Galecki as Borel, a co-worker/buddy of Salas', Alex Pettyfer as Fortis, a gang leader who steals time from people, Collins Pennie as Timekeeper Jaeger, and Bella Heathcote as Michele Weis, Philippe's wife.

This was cleverly written and directed by Andrew Niccol ("Gattaca" '97, "S1mOne" '02, "Lord of War" '05). It is an interesting premise in that instead of there being some sort of monetary currency, there is time, but considering the fact that most people are engineered to last about 26 years, one can see how time would become extremely valuble. There were a few inconsistencies in the script, but all in all a very interesting plot. Before I saw this, I thought this might be similar to 1976's "Logan's Run" where one's life ends at age 31. When one becomes 31, a group comes looking for you to 'terminate' you. In this film, when you run out of time, which is indicative by electronic numbers on your forearm, you immediately drop dead where you stand.
If you like sci-fi, especially a film with an original premise, literally a race against time itself, you will love this film. It's kind of like a dream where you wake up and say, oh it was just a dream. Don't worry, with all the grimness, you can say after the film, oh it was just a movie.

Out of 4 stars: 3                    Rated: PG-13                      109min.