emlogomain.jpg

Main
Facebook
Tumblr
News/ Updates
DVD Reviews
Blu-ray Reviews
Movie Reviews
TV
Interviews
TV show review: CONTINUUM season 4
PHOTOGRAPHY

IN TIME (2011)
Movie review by David Blackwell
 
109 minutes, rated PG-13
ASPECT RATIO:  2.35:1
STUDIO:  20th Century Fox/ New Regency Pictures/ Strike Entertainment
Theatrical RELEASE DATE:  10-28-2011
 
STARRING Justin Timberlake (Will Salas), Amanda Seyfried (Sylvia Weis), Cillian Murphy (Raymond Leon), Olivia Wilde, Vincent Kartheiser
WRITTEN and DIRECTED by Andrew Niccol

In an alternate future, humans have been genetically engineered to stop aging at 25.  Then their clock starts.  they have a year to live unless they can buy, beg, borrow, steal, or even kill for more time.   Humans live in different time zones where the rich live for centuries in Greenwich,.  Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) lives day by day with his mother Rachel (Olivia Wilde) who is celebrating her 50th year in two days.    Will saves a rich man named Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer) who ends up giving his century left of life to Will before committing suicide.   Soon Will is unable to save his mom Rachel as she times out before his eyes.  Soon he wants to make the rich pay and finds himself the target of Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy), a Timekeeper (a cop of time), and the Minutemen (those who steal time away from people).  He takes a rich man's daughter, Sylvia (Seyfried) hostage.   Her father controls the minutes the people have in the districts.

IN TIME is beautifully sterile.  It has an interesting concept while only the action scenes brings the film to life.  When it becomes a chase movie, IN TIME seems more alive for the runtime of the film.   The chemistry between Timberlake and Seyfried isn't there.  Cillian Murphy is more interesting as Raymond Leon, but the script doesn't give him enough to do.   Andrew Niccol had a much better film with GATTACA.   Here, IN TIME is sterile and almost lifeless except for the chase scenes.  It doesn't have the emotional connection of films like GATTACA and THE TURMAN SHOW.  The social commentary doesn't reach out enough and I wish IN TIME gave us a chance to know these characters (and why time is precious to their lives and feel Sylvia's discovery of living in the moment).  The film does remind me a little of LOGAN'S RUN.  

One other thing that bugged me is none of the characters appeared to be ugly (only on the inside).  It was hard to spot even one ugly extra.  IN TIME is like a movie full of beautiful people.  It is like Andrew Nicole was trying too hard and decided not to focus enough on making a good movie like GATTACA.   IN TIME is an empty shell of a chase movie that is beautifully sterile and emotionally empty.

this movie review is (c)11-4-2011 David Blackwell and cannot be fully reprinted without permission.  send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com