IN TIME DVD (2011)

SYNOPSIS: In a world where time has replaced money as the only currency, you can either live forever or die trying . Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried star in this action-packed race against the clock where one man finds himself falsely accused of murder and tries to bring down a corrupt system fighting to stay alive when every second counts.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Acknowledged by many as one of the best sci-fi classics in contemporary cinema, director Andrew Niccol’s debut feature, “Gattaca” was very much a thinking man’s movie carrying a relevant message. 14 years later, the less than prolific writer and director returns to the genre with “In Time” pairing up Justin Timberlake with Amanda Seyfried, two of Hollywood’s current hottest young properties.

Set in the not-so-distance future, time has replaced money as a form of currency. Humans have been genetically modified not to age beyond 25 and they are given one more year to live unless they work for ‘time’ or else death will strike anyone, anytime if the time implant on their lower arms dropped to zero. Timberlake plays Will Salas, a blue-collar factory worker who happens to inherit 116 years worth of time from a 105-year-old man, Henry Hamilton after saving him from an assault in a bar. The morning after, Hamilton decides to end his life and Salas is being suspect of murder by the Timekeepers (aka the Police) led by Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy). With Leon in hot pursuit and the daughter of a rich corporate bigwig in tow, Sylvia (Seyfried), Salas decides to bring down the current system with Sylvia that is to rob the rich and distribute them to the poor.

The time concept by Niccol is intriguing and thought provoking no less and I must say the first half of the story is pretty engaging. The premise is a reflection of the current state of economy where the rich will be richer whereas the poor can only get poorer. It’s chilly to see a man dropped dead in broad daylight onscreen though we all know in actual fact there are thousands of homeless being found dead in developed countries yearly. The movie stands out as a social statement especially with the increasingly disparity of our income level. The people in the ghetto is shown living day to day in hurried paces, with rents and bills to pay while the wealthy might pay up to 80 years of their time for a fancy sports car in the New Greenwich.

Unfortunately, Niccol fails to live up to the rich premise he concocts earlier and the pacing and plotting stumbles clumsily by the second half with pointless running around and the haphazard romance angle between Salas and Sylvia don’t help either. Timekeeper Leon seems to have a bad brush with Salas’ late dad that is never quite explained and it’s hardly logical for timekeepers to be paid by the day. A mobster dubbed minutemen led by Fortis (Alex Pettyfer from “Beastly”) is simply a tool to prolong the running time and deviate from the actual core of the story. There are other essential questions that needs to be answered liked how Salas is going to cripple the system besides being a modern day Robin Hood. Crucial yet dumbed down in the end.

Beautifully shot by renowned cinematography Roger Deakins (No Country for Old Men) and wrapped in a cool sci-fi noir mood, “In Time” is a wasted opportunity for Niccol to remind the world that he once gave them “Gattaca”. The cast on the whole is generally capable enough to pull off their characters but when time is money, you deserved a better-accomplished movie. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There are 6 short, unnecessary Deleted/Extended Scenes, one has both of the main characters dancing. Give me a break.

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The sound transfer is not exactly bombastic just serviceable enough for all the running and music mix heard onscreen. The images are sharp and colours are natural for the video presentation.  

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee