Bienvenue à Gattaca

I rented this film cold at the video store -- and was very pleasantly surprised with a very well done movie. If you don't know anything else about Gattaca, the less you know, the better. Stop reading this review right now, go watch it, and come back when you're done!

It was after my first viewing of the film that several little details dawned on me:

1) The term "borrowed ladder" is a utterly-brilliantly-conceived bit of future slang that carries a *double meaning*. I'm still amazed that the producers didn't make more of this. Instead, they were content to leave this gem to be discovered by the thinking and missed by the vast masses. I was very definitely impressed.

2) As I was explaining the film to my wife, it occurred to me in mid-explanation that this is really a film that has to do with what is properly called =eugenics=; one of the things the Nazis were about. Then my mind wandered to word etymologies: I recalled that the name "Eugene" = "well born." And then I realized...

!!!

3) It's interesting the extent to which so many of the characters in the film *didn't* live up to their genetic destiny, one way or another.

4) Because I hadn't seen any previews, I had no immediate reference for where the name "Gattaca" had come from. And then I suddenly realized...

!!!

5) It wasn't until I watched the movie the second time that I caught the effects with the title sequence letters...

Now I had figured out by this time that there were likely to be other intriguing little details I've missed, so I was fascinated to read from another reviewer here about the boy Vincent falling with a toy rocket in his hand.

I wonder what else is in there?

All in all, this is a very well written, tightly woven movie. Seen cold, with no real prior knowledge of the film, it came off as a tremendous science-fiction SUSPENSE THRILLER. There were several scenes that just had me climbing the walls with tension. Fabulous job!

And I'm not the only one who thinks so. When my WIFE says she wants to see a SCIENCE FICTION movie for the SECOND TIME... well, I don't think THAT has EVER happened before!

This movie is incredible--yet the only ones who seemed to like it when it came out are the type whose favorite movie is "True Lies". It became critically ignored, which I can not understand at all. The themes of this movie-of superiority/inferiority, of identity, of destiny, they're all there. For those of you that haven't seen this movie, it is about a eutopian society where the highest ranks work at a space program named Gattaca. Vincent (Ethan Hawke) has wanted to work there since he was a child, but since his parents did not "pre-order" him, he was born inferior (a 99 % chance of heart failure by the age of 30, physical and mental problems, etc. ) to his "ordered" brother Antoine. Vincent has always seen something in a rival in his brother, because his brother is their dad's favorite, and he seems to have everything going for him. Vincent's job is as a janitor at Gattaca, with the hope that he will get in some day, but all the have to do is get a fingerprint of Vincent's, or a blood sample, or anything, and they know all about him, his profile, his life expectancy, etc. No one will hire Vincent because he is so liable to damage. One day, though, he hires someone to turn his identity into Eugene's, (Jude Law) an olympic-swimming, high potential winner who has everything you would need to get anywhere-except he comes back from a trip a paralyzed cripple from the waist down. So Vincent makes a deal with Eugene-Vincent gets Eugene's identity if Vincent pays the rent and gives him a companion. Everything works to plan, and Vincent borrows Eugene's fingerprints, blood samples, haircut, even urine samples. He even meets Irene (Uma Thurman) a sexy female worker at Gattaca who takes a shine to Vincent (who she thinks is Eugene). Until one day......

Gattaca is a great visual movie (it was nominated for the best art direction oscar but lost to Titanic), rides strong on very good performances by Ethan Hawke and Jude Law, and is definitely worth seeing.

Pity I didn't know anything about this movie when it came out in 97, I would've enjoyed watching it in the big screen instead of on my laptop screen. I've never been more inspired by any movie. This is an absolutely beautiful piece of art, from the scenery, the colours, everything. Ethan Hawke is fast becoming one of my favourite actors. His performance always lift me up. I know he almost play similar roles every time, i'll like him to play a different role actually, but in every movies he starred in (Dead poet's society, Great Expectations etc) i found that i always cared for his character and his performances never failed to touch me. Jude law is amazing as Jerome Morrow, I thought Uma thurman's character should be more developed, but she's perfect as irene. 8 out of 10. There's no gene for the human spirit.

Gattaca is written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Gore Vidal, Loren Dean, Xander Berkeley and Alan Arkin. Music is by Michael Nyman and cinematography by Slawomir Idziak.

It's the near future and eugenics dominate a society where children are either "valids" (reproductive through eugenics) or "in-valids" (naturally birthed with inherent genetic flaws). One such "in-valid" is Vincent Anton Freeman (Hawke), who plots an intricate scheme to assume a "valid" person's identification so as to reach his dreams of being an astronaut.

There is no gene for fate.

Biopunk future meets tech-noir in this thought provoking and intelligent piece of sci-fi. There is a decent argument to suggest that Gattaca is more style over character substance, especially given that visually Niccol's movie is stunning. It's a near future world of genetic engineering where although discrimination is illegal, perfection rules the day and the "in-valids" are passed over for high grade employment. Identity, inferiority and bigotry are fused together to offer up moral quandaries and ethical conundrums, all set to an oppressive tech-noir backdrop painted by Idziak's deft choice of colour filters. There's a striking difference between the look of the Gattaca corporation compared to the rest of the outside world, this helps to keep the thematics at work rich and potent.

As a thriller it barely raises the pulse, but this is deliberate, as is the pacing by Niccol. This is an emotionally stunted world and the ethereal atmosphere hovers continually over proceedings. There's a romance in the mix between Hawke and Thurman, which on the surface seems a token sub-plot and devoid of passion, but again this feels deliberate, lack of passion is actually the order of the day. Cast performances are well up to scratch, with Law stealing the film as a one time "valid" ironically invalidated by an incident. And while we could have done with more from top performers Arkin (as a copper attired like a classical film noir gumshoe) and Elias Koteas (as Vincent's father), it rounds out as an impressively constructed picture.

Provocative and brainy, with visual pleasures unbound, Gattaca has many attributes that reward still further on repeat viewings. 8/10

I'll be frank here, I've never really been a fan of most science fiction films as the whole genre isn't really my personal cup of tea. That being said, if someone is to utilize any given genre with a unique story that has never been tackled before, then my curiosity will be peeked. One example that comes to mind is definitely Andrew Niccol's Gattaca, one of the most original and provocative sci-fi features ever constructed. It's funny how this film is often known to be his best film to date, mainly because it wasn't a big hit when it initially came out; in fact it was a box office flop. However, it has since gained a massive cult following, and I can say that I am definitely apart of it.

Set in the not too distant future where people are judged based on their genetic structure, the film centers around Vincent Freeman, who's lifelong dream is to travel into outer space in spite of his genetic disabilities. Regardless, he decides to obtain the proper genes of former engineer Jerome Morrow and soon joins the Gattaca space program. Over there, he falls in love with Irene Cassini while the death of an officer ends up conflicting with his plans. It's really interesting how the film tackles themes of prejudice and the underdog making it to the top by putting its emphasis on the genetically superior and inferior. One could imagine that if science had dominated the future, there would be easier methods of discovering one's genes, but that could also lead to the fate of those who aren't so lucky. At its core, Gattaca is a story about following your dreams in spite of any disabilities you may have.

When it comes to the characters, Vincent is very sympathetic but also fallible when it comes to how much he desires his dreams. He knows that it could only be a matter of time before he is exposed, yet we still relate to how much turmoil he went through just to get to where he is. In addition, Irene happens to have a serious heart condition which makes her worse off than Vincent, but that only makes their relationship more heartwarming. The better way to obtain pure happiness is to seek it through those who are not too different from you. Also, Jerome is a really good representation of those who never made it to where they wanted, which in turn creates a really dynamic contrast between his pessimism and Vincent's optimism. I won't say much about the other characters as that would spoil the fun, but they're either wonderful supporters or challenging obstacles that could either make or break Vincent.

Lastly, I think what makes this film resonate with me so much is how it comments on the general idea of a future run by perfection through genetic engineering. More often than not, people will assume that having your offspring taken care of by science and advanced medicine will be the only way to make them perfect, but if they're already well off, then there isn't anything to them outside of that. However, when one is not on the same level of health as other individuals, that could either lead to them playing it safe in their already mundane life or actually taking a risk with their limitations. If the underdog geniuses stayed where they were, we would never have the likes of Albert Einstein, Hellen Keller, Stephen Hawking, Ray Charles, Franklin D Roosevelt and Marlee Matlin among many others. Don't let scientific testing dictate your life if you believe there is more to you than society says otherwise, because then the world will know that you're trying to make a difference.

In conclusion, Gattaca could very well be one of the most thought provoking and motivational sci-fi flicks ever crafted. In addition to having a highly memorable cast of characters and creative concepts, its commentary on futuristic humankind is the glue that holds its intellect together. Even though the film does have a strong cult following, it could still use more love and affection. Therefore, I deem this a must watch for any one who's into science-fiction or social allegories. In fact, I would even say that this is a wonderful choice for anybody who is considered "imperfect" by society's standards. As someone who is developmentally flawed as myself, I can safely that even if you might not have the same conditions as Vincent Freeman, you will definitely gravitate towards other aspects worth seeing.