In Time (2011)

When Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is falsely accused of murder, he must figure out a way to bring down a system where time is money - literally - enabling the wealthy to live forever while the poor, like Will, have to beg, borrow, and steal enough minutes to make it through another day.

With such an intriguing universe, In Time set itself up to open a completely new world to its audience. Money has become useless and actual time has become the only form of currency available. At the start, this bizarre new world that is thrown at us becomes overwhelming with information about how this world operates and the inhabitants that function within the society. It keeps it fresh and appealing, showing off a new perspective on things we do every day and how much they have changed now that the population has become ticking time bombs that can die if their time runs out. But considering just how many possibilities they could have went, part of me feels like the appeal wore off faster than it should have. If the world of the film was the sole reason you walk into the film, you’ll most likely walk away with disappointment.

On the other hand, most of the characters are entertaining, albeit a little underdeveloped.  Justin Timberlake in the lead role in an action film may not feel right on paper, but the guy is just fun to watch. He won’t blow you away here, buts he’s completely solid. His chemistry between Amanda Seyfried (who is looking far hotter than I am accustomed to) allows to the film to work past some of its weaker elements like the films antagonist Raymond, played by Cillian Murphy. The character feels far less potent then he should be and he spends too much time making mistakes that allow the leads to get away just in the nick of time. He also seems to bicker to the protagonist about this universe past but always stops right before he actually gives you a full answer. It’s very frustrating.

If you’re in the mood to watch a purely entertaining film, In Time will be just enough.  If you’re feeling for something that will challenge your mind, give it a pass. Outside a few creative and heart pounding scenes, this feels a little better than generic. It’s a film that is easy to recommend to the average moviegoer, but I feel hesitant with everybody else. If you don’t watch a lot of movies, why waste your time with something above average when you can watch something great.

Overall Score: 6.5/10