The trailer reeks of the nineties, but that just means it's a product of its time. The film, however, is much more timeless. The production design, rather than going forward, looked to the past. Everyone dresses like their in the fifties or sixties, and it works to the film's favor. Movies that take place in the future usually feel trapped by the era that the movie was made during. Back to the Future Part II, for example, went too over-the-top with its predictions of the future, ironically making everything feel too much like the eighties. By making Gattaca look like the future according to the 1950s, it allows the audience to easily become immersed in the film.
The basic story is about a man who is born naturally in a world that is run by genetically modified human beings. He is seen as being worthless because his genetic code says that he will never amount to much. IDs are gone, replaced by an individual's DNA, which is read instantly by computers using a single drop of blood or saliva. To overcome the prejudice of his society, our protagonist, Vincent, becomes a "borrowed ladder" by teaming up with someone with much higher-quality DNA, a wheelchair-bound former Olympic athlete, Jerome. Jerome provides DNA samples of hair, blood, and urine, while Vincent provides for them financially. Everything seems to be going according to plan when someone at Vincent's work is mysteriously murdered.
The film is a beautiful portrayal of the human spirit overcoming incredible odds. Vincent, who has a heart condition and wasn't supposed to live to see adulthood, is able to be prove that he is more than just his genes. While the story and set design are great, what really sells the movie are the actors. Vincent is played by the underrated Ethan Hawke with the always talented Jude Law as Jerome. Also a part of the show are Alan Arkin and Gore Vidal in supporting roles. Even Uma Thurman, who I generally don't care for, is great in her role of Irene, Vincent's love interest.
One of the reasons that I enjoy this film so much is because it combines genres that I enjoy (sci-fi and mysteries) with a positive theme that uplifts and inspires, all while still leaving the ultimate meaning up to the audience. It's a shame that the only other film that I've seen by the writer/director Andrew Niccol was In Time, a pandering waste of time. Regardless of his later work, this film still stands as my favorite movie, even fifteen years after I first saw it. If you haven't had a chance to see this one, I definitely recommend it.
Gattaca is distribute by Columbia Pictures.
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