In Time

Fourteen years after his acclaimed sci-fi thriller Gattaca, director and screenwriter Andrew Niccol returns to the genre to once again present entertainment with a timely message. However, with the futuristic action thriller In Time, Niccol is also going much more mainstream than he did with Gattaca or his bitterly wicked satire Lord of War. And that leads to the film falling short of its potential, despite not exactly being low-brow entertainment.

In Time is set in a future where time literally means money. People only live to be 25, and every second from then on must be bought dearly. Those who are rich can thus live for several hundred years. The poorer class, on the other hand, has to live from minute to minute and work hard every day to continue living. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) also has to work hard to keep him and his mother (Olivia Wilde) alive. When he accidentally comes into possession of an incredible amount of time, Will tries to make a difference in his neighborhood. But after his mother's death, he realizes that he needs to get into the world of the rich to make a real difference. While timekeeper Leon (Cillian Murphy) nips at Will's heels, he finds an unexpected accomplice in the wealthy Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried).

The critique of the general obsession with youth and beauty and the exploitation of the middle and lower classes for the benefit of a wealthy few is not exactly subtly conveyed in In Time, but it's effective nonetheless. The idea of having to buy a lifetime is successful precisely because it is not completely absurd - even if important questions (why do people only live to be 25, are the expiring clocks genetically implanted, etc.) remain unexplained. But the film's message quickly fades into the background, as In Time is first and foremost a stylish thriller with some good action sequences and engaging visuals.

Justin Timberlake, who has most recently demonstrated his acting talent in more humorous films such as Bad Teacher and Friends with Certain Benefits, also cuts a surprisingly good figure as an action hero. Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!) make a very attractive couple that harmonizes so well that it is simply fun to watch them. The acting highlight, however, is delivered by Cillian Murphy, who makes a great counterpart to Will as the obsessed Timekeeper. Smaller supporting roles are also very well cast with Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory), Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men) and Olivia Wilde (Cowboys & Aliens). But still, quite great acting should not be expected here.

Because apart from the good and very interesting basic idea, In Time is pure popcorn cinema whose only true ambition is to entertain its target audience well. Judging from the films Niccol has worked on as director or screenwriter so far, this vision of the future may have turned out rather weak. Taken as pure entertainment, however, the fight for time can definitely please and entertain well despite minor lengths. Not quite a big hit, but a nice looking piece of fantasy action with a very interesting basic idea. For genre fans therefore well worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp