In Time 2011

In the not-too-distant future of 2169, humanity has successfully halted the aging process at 25 years old through genetic alteration. This remarkable achievement has led to the development of a novel currency system, where “living time” replaces traditional money as the medium of exchange. Time is displayed on an implantable clock embedded in the forearm, and when this clock reaches zero, instant death ensues. The stark reality of mortality drives societal division into distinct “Time Zones,” with the affluent residing in luxurious enclaves like New Greenwich, where the elderly appear youthful due to their arrested aging process.

Conversely, the impoverished are confined to the crowded ghettos of Dayton, where youth prevails and every day is a struggle to earn more hours of life. These precious moments must be used not only for sustenance but also to pay for basic necessities, as time has become the primary driver of commerce. Amidst this bleak backdrop, 28-year-old factory worker Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) shares a humble existence with his mother Rachel in Dayton’s unforgiving environment.

One fateful evening, Will intervenes on behalf of an elderly stranger, Henry Hamilton, who is brutally attacked by Fortis, the ruthless leader of the Minute Men, a gang comprising middle-aged individuals. As Will rescues Hamilton, the latter imparts a somber truth: “For few to be immortal, many must die.” This poignant revelation sparks outrage in Will, who challenges the notion that anyone should perish before their natural time has passed. Hamilton counters by sharing his own disillusionment with life, stating that even one’s mind can become exhausted, regardless of physical vitality.

Hamilton then transfers 116 years of his remaining time to a sleeping Will, retaining only five minutes for himself. As the clock strikes zero, Hamilton takes his final breaths and falls into an aqueduct below, leaving Will to arrive too late to save him. The ensuing investigation by the Timekeepers, a specialized police force, yields various theories about Hamilton’s demise. Young rookie Jaeger correctly concludes that Hamilton had “timed out,” or taken his own life, while seasoned veteran Raymond León (Cillian Murphy) suspects foul play at the hands of a Dayton resident.

As Will arrives at the doorstep of his friend Borel, he presents him with a poignant gift - 10 years of time, a tangible representation of their decade-long bond. Meanwhile, Will’s mother is faced with an unexpected challenge as she waits for her bus ride, only to discover that the price has skyrocketed, leaving her with no choice but to embark on a desperate 2-hour journey to find someone willing to lend her the precious minutes ticking away. As she frantically scours the streets, her panic grows, and her life begins to unravel, culminating in a heart-wrenching conclusion as she expires, surrounded by the relentless passage of time.

With this bitter memory seared into his mind, Will becomes consumed by a burning desire for revenge against the system that had wronged him. He sets his sights on New Greenwich, armed with over a century’s worth of time and a deep understanding of Hamilton’s words about the inherent inequities of the time system. As he navigates the treacherous landscape, he soon realizes that crossing time zone borders comes at a steep price - one that only the wealthy can afford, thereby perpetuating their grip on power.

In this labyrinthine world, Will finds himself drawn into a high-stakes game of chance and deception at Philippe Weis’ lavish casino. It is here that he meets the enigmatic Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried), who has been observing his arrival in Greenwich from afar. As they engage in a thrilling game of poker, Will’s uncanny luck catches Sylvia’s attention, leading her to invite him to an exclusive party at her father’s opulent mansion.

As Will enters this rarefied world, he is abruptly apprehended by León, who confiscates most of his time, leaving him with only two hours remaining. With cunning and resourcefulness, Will escapes by taking Sylvia hostage, and together they make their way back to the ghetto. However, their journey takes an unexpected turn when they are ambushed by Fortis, who, in a fit of rage and disappointment at finding that Will had lost all of Hamilton’s time, makes off with most of Sylvia’s remaining hours. Forced to flee, they find themselves racing against time as the Timekeepers close in.

In this desperate bid for survival, Will finds solace in the shared experiences of his past and the present. He and Sylvia first visit Borel, only to discover that their dear friend has succumbed to his own demons, leaving behind a grief-stricken wife, Greta. As they navigate the harsh realities of their world, they find themselves at a crossroads, forced to confront the cruel fate that has been handed down to them.

In a final act of defiance against the system, Will demands a 1,000-year ransom from Weis, with the intention of distributing it evenly among the people of the ghetto. But as León tracks their location from the phone call, he sets off on a perilous journey to intercept them in Dayton, setting the stage for a thrilling confrontation that will decide the fate of their lives and the future of their world.

As Will’s initial outrage towards Weis subsides, he elects to liberate Sylvia from her precarious situation, opting for mercy over retribution. León suddenly appears on the scene, intent on apprehending Will, only to be struck down by Sylvia. With Leon temporarily incapacitated, Will seizes the opportunity to transfer two hours of his own temporal reserves to the wounded Timekeeper, thereby affording him enough time to escape the city’s confines before the clock strikes zero. Meanwhile, Will and Sylvia make their getaway in León’s patrol car, which they soon commandeer for a series of daring heists targeting Time Capsules storing vast amounts of chronometric equivalents. Their audacious escapades ultimately attract a bounty of 10 years on their heads.

As Fortis closes in on them once more, Will engages the Timekeeper in a thrilling bout of temporal jousting, relying on the skills imparted by his late father to emerge victorious. However, upon reflecting on their actions, Will and Sylvia come to realize that their efforts have been futile, as the wealthy elite can manipulate the cost of living in the ghettos to maintain the status quo. Undeterred, they orchestrate a daring heist on Weis’ private stronghold, pilfering a Time Capsule containing a staggering million years of temporal reserves.

As they prepare to distribute this bounty among the downtrodden, Will takes a moment to enlighten Weis about the morally bankrupt nature of immortality, emphasizing that even one individual’s mortality is sufficient to render it an unjust and cruel concept. Meanwhile, Leon reappears, this time blocking their path in a desperate bid to apprehend them. Noticing a glimmer of familiarity in León’s demeanor, Will correctly surmises that the Timekeeper hails from the ghettos themselves, having somehow managed to circumvent the system.

In a poignant exchange, Will jests about León returning some of the time he’d previously loaned him, suggesting they might just survive their impending executions. However, Leon’s realization that he’d neglected to replenish his own temporal reserves proves fatal, as he succumbs to exhaustion. With mere seconds remaining in their lives, Will hastens to León’s vehicle and commandeers his allotment of time. In a hauntingly familiar tableau, Will transfers the precious chronometric energy to Sylvia, ensuring her survival mere moments before she would have met her demise.

As the stakes reach a boiling point, Will (actor’s name) and Sylvia (actor’s name), now notorious bank-robbers, push their revolutionary agenda further by perpetuating chaos throughout the financial landscape. The weight of their notoriety is palpable as they’re hunted by authorities offering a staggering 100-year bounty on their heads. Meanwhile, the nouveau riche from the city’s impoverished ghettos are suddenly empowered to transcend socio-economic barriers, crossing Time Zones with reckless abandon, while the once-mighty Timekeepers watch helplessly.

The stark contrast between the haves and have-nots is underscored by a news broadcast depicting the eerie stillness of abandoned factories where Will (actor’s name) once toiled. The once-thriving industrial landscape now lies in ruin, a poignant reminder of the devastating impact their actions have had on the system. As the clock ticks closer to their next daring heist, Will and Sylvia prepare to target an obscenely massive Time Bank, determined to continue disrupting the status quo and leaving a lasting imprint on the world.