In Time (2011) is a movie depicting life in an future where money as we know it no longer exists, and the currency is instead time. Humans are genetically engineered to live until 25 and on their 25th birthday, a 1 year timer starts to tick down. When each person clock reaches zero they instantly die, or as the movie calls it -- "time out". People can acquire more time through work, gifts, or through stealing. Time can be transfered mechanically with arm scanners or between people by holding arms and initiating a time transfer. This can be done voluntarily or through the use of force. The world is split up in to different "Time Zones", which are divided by wealth. There are toll booths at the borders between time zones that people have to pay to enter the next zone restricting people from leaving impoverished zones.
This movie follows the main character, Will Salas and his hardships. He is "25 for three years" , or 27 years old, and lives with his mother where they are always on the brink of running out of time. Early into the film,will meets a man who has over a century of time. This man, Henry Hamilton, is sick of living and after Will saved his life, ends up giving Will the rest of his time. Will is assumed to have stolen the time from Hamilton and becomes a fugitive. He escapes to Zone 1, home of the elite and gambles his time, barely avoiding death and winning himself over 1000 years. His impressive win gets invited to the Weis's mansion and meets Slyvia Weis, his love interest. The time keepers, the law enforcement, barge in and attempt to arrest Will. He takes Slyvia hostage and they escape traveling to Dayton, his home zone.
While on the run, she admits to him, she has felt like she has never truly lived since her life is so secure. As she experiences the horrible inequality for the first time and they live day to day, she begins to feel like the socioeconomic status of the world is not right. They begin to rob banks and redistribute the money. They demand to her father, the owner of the largest bank in the worlds, to redistribute 1,000,000 years amongst all of the time zones so people do not have to live day to day.
They go about the rest of their lives attempting to create equality by redistributing the time so that people can live without worrying about not living past the week.
This movie critical analysis of the current state of society and an exageration of our current issues projected into the future to emphasis the need for change. In Time comments on inequality and the things that allow it to gain power: discriminatory practices, passive citizens, massive corporations and a lack of information privacy.
Discriminatory practices in the movie relate to our own issues, especially in the United States. We see gaps between the rich and the poor widening every day with little to no support of the homeless or impoverished citizens. Additionally, the United States has issues with racial discrimination. The combination of these results in people being judged at a glance and disqualified from receiving lifechanging oportunities.
Similarly to In Time, we don't see people standing up for these causes as often as they should. Black Lives Matter is a political Activism group supporting the rights, protection and support of Black Americans, but this group has seen a lot of hate through the years. Further, little has been done systematically to change society after protesting and demanding change. We do not see the same support or activism for poor individuals. There are local community organizations that aim to help families in need, but there is not often larger governmental fronts aiming to help this group.
Massive Corporations, in the movie it was large banks, have a significant amount of control over the government and politics. Many of the senators and governors in office are endorsed by the largest corporations in america so their vote goes to benefit the companies. One of few individuals get a pay out in return for saving the company millions and the harm and exploitation of every day citizens and our natural resources. In the movie, Will and Sylvia do not stand for allowing these comapanies and minorities to flourish while thousands suffer, but that occurs every day.
The lack of information privacy is the most prominant theme of the movie. People can not hide their sensitive information and pay the price for this. There is extreme violence and discrimination.