March 2: In Time

"In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Here, Will Salas finds himself accused of murder and on the run with a hostage - a connection that becomes an important part of the way against the system."

  In Time, or as I would have called it, Beautiful People Running A Lot, is a very hit and miss movie. The premise is insanely original and very cool, but it's execution is really bad. The dialogue in In Time is so cheesy, so poorly written, and so daft you just sit there in frustration thinking how could such an original idea be utterly wasted with such a terrible script. The acting is sub-par and you can't really tell if its at the fault of the actors or the script. Justin Timberlake headlines his first major movie with a good chunk of charisma and likability, but is still very rough around the edges. He does, however, have a couple of moments that are downright awesome, and shows signs we may one day have a bonafide badass in him. 

Never mind. 

  In Time is directed by Andrew Niccol, who made one of my favorite movies, Gattaca. The themes between it and In Time are, in a way, similar, and I may have over-hyped myself. Visually, In Time is beautiful, and is shot very well. Some of the action sequences could have used a little work but, as a whole, the camera work, sets, and environment capture the dystopian future quite well. The rich parts of the city are colorful and vibrant and contrast well with the grey, boring colors of the poorer areas. Of course, the film has a good looking cast of thirty somethings playing eternal 25 year old's, and does get rather distracting. It's hard to believe that Cillian Murphy is a 75 year old 25 year old cop. He really stands out in crowded scenes and clearly is older than everyone else. 

He's like the kid in high school you thought was a teacher.  

   Overall, In Time could have been something exceptional, but really missed the mark. With an engaging, original concept, and successful visual execution, In Time was only a few steps away from being great. The film suffers from a terrible script, an annoyingly massive amount of extras, and sub-par acting. There are plenty of action scenes, but for the most part, the film is us being the audience to a marathon of good looking people getting chased from point A to point B in hopes of gaining more time on their little green clocks ticking away on their arms. 

The Good:

an incredible idea that is not only original, but very unique and smart

The Bad:

that same idea is held in no respect, as it's brutally murdered with awful dialogue and weak pacing

The Ugly:

realizing what could have been if every gear and wheel were spinning in beautiful unison

Overall: 6.6/10

Best Quote:

Henry Hamilton: "For a few to be immortal, many must die."

What to Look For:

an arm wrestling scene showcasing Timberlake's fleeting ability to be a badass