10 Failed Movies That Should've Been TV Shows

2. In Time

Hellboy 2019
Fox

Gattaca director Andrew Niccol clearly knows a thing or two about crafting intelligent sci-fi, which made it all the more disappointing that In Time turned out to be a run-of-the-mill genre movie that failed to capitalize on a clever central idea.

In the year 2169, humans are genetically engineered to stop aging at 25, at which point a one-year countdown begins and if they don't keep the meter filled, they die. Money is worthless and time is now the only currency that matters, with the working class working menial jobs just to scrape by while the elites have enough time that they could live forever. The social commentary basically writes itself.

The movie's heavy-handed storytelling paints these ideas in broad strokes, but it would work much better if the narrative's high-minded themes were treated with more depth and subtlety. If approached in the right way an In Time series would be a flashy thriller that would also have plenty to say about class, wealth, mortality, government and much more.

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