Andrew Niccol, as we see from his film, brings in themes that are relevant to society in our time. He deals with the gap between the world's richest and poorest, and the greed of the elite to control the system so they will stay in power for what seems to be forever as they control all the time and thus have all the power. Niccol's use of a retro future setting is an important choice as it allows the audience to connect the reality of their lives to this future world. Retro cars, similar city infrastructure as well as casino's and gangs all connect the the things we experience day to day and thus we are able to be transported into Mr. Niccol's world through the lens.
The film's tone, which is greatly assisted by the excellence of cinematographer Roger Deakins, further assists the film with its realistic tone through imagery. Niccol also connects the story of Rachel and Sylvia through Will in this picture as we see that he is able to redeem one life (Sylvia's) in the same way he was unable to do in the beginning with his mother. Niccol ultimately creates a sci-fi thriller that captivates the imagination as he reveals the manipulation and greed of the elite to create a way to capitalize on the one thing we all have equality with: time. His idea brings to life the dangers of capitalism and points to the source of violence and poverty as a systemic greed that concerns itself with gripping firmly to its own lifespan or legacy that they willingly allow anyone who is in the way of their power-mongering to no longer exist while they drown in the imaginable abundance of time they keep from them.
