Gattaca (Special Edition) Reviews

• A Triumph of the Human Spirit

  
  By A1WIZ78S4T2AP2 on 2002-05-30
  "Gattaca" is an incredible example of a science-fiction movie entirely based on plot, low-key twists and development, and not on special effects. Married couple Hawke and Thurman, along with Jude Law, and the direction of Andrew Nicol prove that there is no gene for the human spirit.

  Vincent (Hawke) is an invalid, a "degenerate" born of natural conception without any advanced genetic engineering. Several seconds after he is born, his parents know how Vincent will die, and his life expectancy. As he grows, his heart dysfunction limits his career choices. As a result, his parents have another child, this time genetically engineered to be totally superior. The feuding siblings prove themselves over a game of swimming chicken, but it is inevitable as Anton grows more faster than Vincent that the younger child will be the favored. As a result, Vincent leaves the home and begins a job as a janitor at the Gattaca Aerospace Center, the closest he can be to his dream: the stars. But he finds that a janitor is the farthest away. Vincent trains his body and mind, but still cannot get past the cleaning job. Then, he makes a call.

  He wants to be a defective ladder, or, a stand-in for a enhanced person. Vincent stands in for one of the most prized people, Jerome Morrow (Law). His disguises are perfect. Jerome supplies the blood, urine, and hair to Vincent. Then, just as Vincent is getting along at Gattaca, there is a murder of the exact mission director that was in charge of the flight to Titan that included Vincent. Enter enhance Irene (Thurman) and investigators Hugo and Josef. Vincent adequately, with the help of Jerome, sneaks past the investigators at every turn while a relationship develops between himself and Irene. Drama, suspense, incredible acting follow.

  Hawke, in one of his first dramatic leads, shines as he plays an ordinary man who is extrodinary in using everyday techniques. He is the most human character in the entire movie, but holds the weight for all the the genetically enhanced. Uma Thurman, who's not given such a role as Hawke, does well with what she have. Director Niccol really accentuates on her beauty and innocence as he plays Irene, and enhance that really has no idea of the real life that Vincent is so accustomed to. There is excellent chemistry between the two. The two dated after the movie was over, and eventually were wed. There is a great supporting cast, including Alan Aarkin, Jude Law, and Ernest Borgnine.

  "Gattaca" is an under-rated movie that suprises all, and wonders how much spirit we can all have.
  
  

• How do you hide when you're running from yourself?

  
  By A25ZVI6RH1KA5L on 2004-03-16
  Gattaca (1997) is a beautiful movie that takes place in the not-so-distant future where genetic manipulation prior to birth brings out the best qualities of the parents while eliminating the worst, specifically, predispositions to diseases, additions, poor eyesight, etc. That is, if your parents choose to do so...

  The film tells the a story about Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), a man born naturally, a 'God-child', one who didn't benefit from advanced technology during his development within the womb, and subsequently has various conditions many are familiar with like poor eyesight, heart problems, etc. Vincent has his sights set on the stars, wanting to travel to distant planets, visit far away places (I mean really far away) but due to advanced science, he has no chance as people can now determine the status of your health, your future health, by any number of ways, a strand of hair, a bit of spittle on a cup, a flake of skin, and while biases due to genetic profiling are illegal, the practice is common and widespread, resulting in Vincent relegated to working in less than desirable jobs like cleaning offices.

  This practice of genetic stereotyping has lead to a new kind of crime, one where a person of impeccable genetic make-up but who has found themselves a victim of fate due to a permanent injury or such, can broker their identity to a natural born person, supplying that person with various blood and urine samples, strands of hair, flakes of skin, allowing that person to pose as a 'valid' individual, and garner a choice position in corporate society. Jude Law plays Jerome Eugene Morrow, a superior individual who suffered a crippling accident and has now agreed to sell his identity to Vincent Freeman, in exchange for Vincent supporting the lifestyle Jerome was accustom to prior the accident. This involves a very elaborate daily routine by Vincent, including a complete scrub down of his entire body to remove any 'loose' material that could possibly be found, analyzed, and give him away. In order for Vincent to pose as Jerome, he must carry on him samples of Jerome's blood, urine, and other identifiers at all times.

  Vincent manages to pull off the sham, securing himself a position at Gattaca, a 'corporate' NASA, and is on the fast track to achieving his dream of space travel...but for one problem. A high-ranking official in Gattaca was recently murdered, and the police are thoroughly investigating all individuals. Will Vincent's shell of deception crack under close scrutiny of a murder investigation?

  I really enjoyed this movie, watching for a second time last night. The picture has a very texturized feel, with the subdued lighting, immaculate sets and costumes giving the entire movie a very `noir' quality. The story was very well laid out, allowing for rich development of the main characters, creating a real interest and empathy for me for the proceedings on the screen. Ethan Hawke and Jude Law played their roles wonderfully, one as the struggling `inferior' with dreams that reach beyond his genetic make-up, and the other as the spoiled near-perfect specimen forced to deal with a physical infirmity due to fate, one that couldn't be corrected for with pre-natal DNA manipulation. Followed up with a strong supporting cast including Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, and Elias Koteas, we are presented with a very plausible science fiction tale, one that may cause you to give some thought and provoke conversation on the concept of human messing around in Mother Nature's domain.

  The picture here looks wonderful, and is available here in both full screen and wide screen anamorphic formats. Special features also include a trailer for the film, a featurette, deleted scenes, and production notes.

  Cookieman108
  
  

• Slight improvement over previous editions

  
  By A3BHAVQ0V5RRJP on 2008-03-13
  I have two topics to mention: The "special features" and the "image quality".
  
  It is worth noting that I own the both the original Gattaca DVD and Super-Bit version for comparison.
  
  1) Special Features:
  While maintaining the original DVD's ugly menu system, this edition contains a 22 featurette on the making of Gattaca with interviews of Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, and a number of the production crew. I enjoyed this addition. There is also a new clip on gene manipulation (history, current, and future) which was somewhat interesting.
  
  2) Image Quality:
  The original DVD was only a single layer 4.5gb disk, which resulted in a grainy image with a slightly blue tint. The Super-Bit disk was disappointingly mastered, with visible dust and hair in the copy. The Super-Bit version took on a more natural tone but suffered from over-saturated browns and greens.
  
  Finally, this reproduction seems to have a good balance between color and image quality, although some scenes are a little grainy and the movie overall seems darker.
  
  
  Conclusion:
  Is it worth buying this edition if you have one of the others? Probably not, but with the HD format wars over, I might be inclined to splurge on a Blu-Ray player to give the new Blu-Ray Gattaca disk a spin.
  
  

• Celebrates the strength of spirit and desire

  
  By on 1999-08-25
  This is truly one of the most inspiring movies I've ever seen.

  It's replete with symbolism: helix shaped stair cases, red and green lights indicating valid and invalid, the heart disease of Vincent (the natural born) as opposed to the lack of heart (spirit) of Jerome (the "superior", genetically engineered human), etc. The setting also makes use of connotations associated with the past. Slick hair styles, clothing, and sterile interior furnishings have an organized, repressed feeling evoking the controlled and prejudiced 1950's. This helps enhance the mood of lifeless surrender. Even the bald head of the geneticist at the beginning of the movie was a statement against the pursuit of perfection by means of perfecting the body and brain. Wealth of living is not found in the the physical plain, but in the spirit in which each day is lived.

  Add to all this wounderful cinnematography, an unforgettable musical score, and fine acting that meld together into a fluid whole, and you've got a fantastic movie that repays many viewings.
  
  

• A Phenomenal Sci-Fi Film, A Tremendous Positive Empowering Message

  
  By A27DITPCCZIVAH on 2008-03-07
  This is one of my favorite films...EVER. The plot and premise are artistically crafted, the acting is superb - Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Xander Berkley, Alan Arkin, Ernest Borgnine, Tony Shalhoub (it also has a rare and brilliant appearance by Gore Vidal in a significant role) and it is not overwhelmed with gratuitous special effects. It is a piece of art, even the title and name of the facility is crafted to reflect the topic of the film, the letters in Gattaca comprise the letters of the proteins in DNA. The messages in the film are nothing short of tremendous about the human will, turning our weaknesses into strengths, achieving our goals and the darker tendencies of society to categorize and box in our potential. It is an emotional roller coaster you will never forget. I can't recommend it highly enough. If you liked the Shawshank Redemption, I thought this was a far better film.
  
  
• Stunning sci-fi
  By A2ZVERVFM25MJT on 2001-12-20
  Many science fiction films have a major flaw - their total lack of appeal to a broad range of people - yet 'Gattaca' succeeds on many levels. In we're introduced to Vincent (Ethan Hawke), a man of natural birth (or an 'in-valid') whose life expectancy is 30. Vincent longs for deep space travel but knows that he'll never amount to anything but a cleaner with his genes. So he grabs the opportunity to pass himself off as 'valid' Jerome (Jude Law) who has been crippled. However, things start to go wrong when a murder investigation and pretty co-worker Irene (Uma Thurman) get closer to figuring out the truth.

  This is an immensely intriguing idea that is carried off well with both a realistic and disquieting view of the future. Never truly alone and programmed to be able to do only one specific thing means that dreams and aspirations are thrown out of the window. Among other things it also functions as an efficient thriller and love story. For these reasons it's unusual that this movie didn't do better at the box office.

  As a romantic story it works a lot better than, say, 'Blade Runner' (Hawke and Thurman are married in real life) but the film is quite happy to cater to all tastes and it's difficult to pigeon-hole this as merely science-fiction. It has echoes of books such as 'Brave New World' and the incredibly realised future is at once elegant, absorbing and terrifying. Yet it never loses sight of the human spirit, with Jude Law's performance being especially mesmerising as the perfect person that has to live with his incapacity and watch a stranger live his life for him.

  However, maybe the best praise for 'Gattaca' is that I loved it, and I'm not a science-fiction fan.
  
  

• EXCELLENT SCI-FI
  By AM2PV53UX1JEQ on 2000-01-14
  This movie is completely mesmerizing, from its intelligent, thought-provoking script, to its eminently watchable cast and its profound humanity. The stylish look and feel of the movie, with its cool locations set in the not-too-distant future, nevertheless feel very real; indeed the whole premise feels entirely possible. Jude Law, lately of The Talented Mr. Ripley, is simply spectacular in a role that requires an actor of great power. I never understood why this film did not do much better in its initial release; it is a science fiction film with a heart and a brain, more in the realm of Contact. And the Michael Nyman musical score (The Piano)underscores the proceedings with an intensely melancholy theme, punctuating the sadness and triumphs of people not too different from ourselves caught in a world that seems to have forgotten what makes humans human.
  
  
• Finally, a sci-fi flick that's not about the special FX!
  By A1JJOV69MAU2J2 on 2002-05-12
  Gattaca totally bombed at the box office. The ... folks call it a "low-profile" release. Yeah, right. It grossed less than $10 million, despite a big budget and a big cast. But it was poorly marketed (check out the horrible trailer), and the public just didn't dig the dark subject matter without any of the usual high-tech accoutrements -- such as nifty explosions, CGI characters, the like.

  I however loved the lack of special effects in this movie. This is science fiction in a pure sense -- not as popcorn movie, but as a thought-provoking look at what certain advances in science will bring about.
  What if we could genetically engineer all human life? That question is taking on added urgency with each passing cloning revelation.
  What if pollution got so bad that life expectancy rates were to drop sharply for all who did not have special genetic enhancements?
  What if genetic fingerprinting technology got so good that you could not do ANYTHING without the government knowing about it, because their genetic sniffers could detect the DNA in the skin cells you shed every second?

  This is not far-out sci-fi, this is plausible, near-future sci-fi.

  It has excellent acting performances, including a wonderful Jude Law before he became really famous.

  As added bonuses, you get a really taut thriller and a decent love story to boot.

  But leave the popcorn in the cupboard: this is a pretty dark movie with a pretty bleak vision of the future. Twizzlers would be more appropriate.

  Enjoy!
  
  

• Buyer Beware
  By ATZ25IBA3X8RC on 2006-01-21
  Some information in the "Product Details" section for the non-Superbit DVD release of "Gattaca" may cause confusion as to whether this issue includes a widescreen (2.35:1) presentation. The "Format" section lists the available presentation as "Full Screen" (i.e. "Pan & Scan" for any widescreen theatrical movie), while the "Aspect Ratio" section lists a 2.35:1 (widescreen) aspect ratio. To clear things up, the theatrical presentation is widescreen (2.35:1), but the DVD presentation is pan & scan (1.33:1), not widescreen. It says so on the back of the DVD case cover insert. The Superbit DVD release of "Gattaca" includes a widescreen presentation at a heftier price.
  
  
• "I never saved anything for the swim back."
  By A20EEWWSFMZ1PN on 2005-02-09
  Well after ten years they have gone and done it. We now know how the genetic make-up of human beings. We also have electric cars and wrist radios. This is no longer sci-fi; it is speculative fiction. Or at least it is speculative. Anyway I have a friend that had a back problem in his youth. They left some dye in him and it was spotted during a job interview physical for a desk job; you guessed it.
  
  Anyway this is a spectacular film. The sound track helped support the movie. They did a good job of picking the actors. The characters were believable. Uma did not even have to show her Thurman's. Ethan did a convincing transformation and Jude was good enough that you almost thought the film was about him. The scenes were breath taking. I was most impressed with the sunrise on the solar panels and the swim competition.
  
  Two points to look for on your second viewing are:
  1. Several times the brothers compete physically and logically. Even with his handicapped origin Ethan Hawke" Vincent Freeman" surpasses his brother Loren Dean "Anton."
  2. Jude Law "Jerome Eugene Morrow" Was not without ambition. He was disappointed that his advantage was not advantageous enough for the gold and receives his gold thought the actions of Vincent.
  
  Vincent who was conceived in the Rivera, as child of God (taking their chances) must compete in a world where all the negative genetic dispositions are usually removed as was his brother's case. Vincent is tagged for failure at birth. To overcome this social barrier and obtain his goal of going into space, he borrows the genes of an athlete gone astray. The director where he is working (GATTACA) is killed as the last obstacle to the mission. Will Vincent be found out? Irene (Uma Thurman) suspects the number one candidate for the space trip Jerome of the murder. She never suspects that he is really Vincent.
  
  Bottom line is if you aren't genetically correct the movie may scare you.
  
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Just a note to those that are DVD illiterate. Some select DVD's lend themselves very well to Superbit. This is one of those films.
  
  When films were first transferred to DVD's they did not need that good of picture quality or sound for the average TV; so they had plenty of room left on the DVD capacity. This was a perfect platform for DVD Extras and fun fillers (and also coming attractions.) all at the expense of the more sophisticated or discerning viewer.
  
  Today people want more from the film and have equipment with better capabilities. Thus the use of Superbit. The DVD is packed solid with more picture definition and better Sound options. Thus know room for those Extra fillers.
  
  Also do not over look Widescreen with DTS as an option
  It is even available in Blu-ray
  
  
• Intelligent Post-Modern Fantasy
  By A3G2RRQ2ZEQ05T on 1999-04-01
  This superb near-future science fiction piece offers the perfect antidote to the tired, "cyberpunk", post-apocalyptic view usually taken by writers when predicting future society. Set in "the not-too-distant future" - a technologically advanced yet stylistically fifties world - the film portrays the social consequences of today's genetic research carried forward to extremes. Society has become divided; a new underclass created not according to race, sex, or financial means but "bad" genetic material - those born "on faith" rather than being genetically engineered to their parents' specifications. Gattaca tells the story of Vincent, one of the so-called "In-valids" who has the willpower to succeed in life but is oppressed because he is genetically inferior. To achieve his goal of joining the Gattaca space corporation and travelling into space he assumes the identity of a "Valid" - Eugene - by fooling the all-pervading genetic testing machines with samples of his blood, urine, skin and hair. Eugene - who seems to have every advantage in life - is bitter because he lacks the drive to use his gifts to the full, and is now crippled after a failed attempt at suicide. The film's overriding feature is the palpable tension created as Vincent must hide every trace of his being from those investigating a crime committed in his workplace - the attention to detail is superb. Overall, a thoughtful - if a little extreme - treatment of genetic research and the importance of the intangible aspects of the being as opposed to quantifiable features.
  
  
• Nature vs nurture, and the worth of a man
  By A1DK5AZMXS1QA3 on 2006-10-03
  Many people spend their lives searching for their place in life, and many movies are made that deal with this theme; examples include "The Majestic", "As Good as it Gets", "Lost in Translation" and "X-Men". But what about the exact opposite, what about those who know for certain their place in life and are not happy with it? This is the central underlying theme in this movie. It is the future, and mankind has progressed to the point where genetic engineering of newborns is a common practice. Some kids are born naturally without any genetic improvements, and have set limits and expectations for their life. These are known as "invalids". Others are born with genetic improvements, and they are born into a different life with different limits and expectations; usually higher. These are "valids". This movie is about both individuals, brothers really. One is a Valid and rises high within the ranks of Gattaca, a futuristic corporation that sends people to space. The other is an "Invalid, and being unhappy with his fate, uses his wit and the friendship of a thoughtful Valid to rise even higher. Their fates intertwine at the very end in a triumph of the human spirit over predisposed social constraints. The movie moves briskly but not too quickly. The dialogue is quite sharp and natural. The personal relationships are well-thought out. And Jude Law is probably in his best role as an actor. All told, a great movie and worth the time to watch. Premiering in the mid 1990's, it touches on many of the themes now surfacing in the era of biotech and genetic engineering.
  
  
• Gattaca FINALLY gets a little respect
  By A4GB8I8ACS4PM on 2008-04-12
  I must admit that this movie did not appeal to me when it was first released in theaters. However, many years ago, I rented it and was captivated by the story. Since then I've had to make do with the underwhelming DVD edition. If you are looking for a lot of action, then this movie is probably not for you. What it does offer is a fantastic story with a cast that gives top notch performances. If you already own the DVD, and are not sure if this one is worth the upgrade, believe me the Blu-ray edition blows the old DVD out of the water. The sound and picture are near perfection. The colors on the DVD version appear washed out compared to the high def color palette. While this movie won't give your surround system a major workout, it does provide very clear ambient surround effects. The special features include two new short documentaries on the making of the film. While these don't compare to some of the extras offered on other titles, they are very informative and a welcome addition to the previous version. My one fault would be that it would have been great to have at least a good commentary track, or even a picture in picture feature. But, because I feared that this movie would never get the treatment it so rightly deserves, I would still highly suggest you add this title to your Blu-ray collection.
  
  
• Avoid the Superbit version of Gattaca!...
  By A2YFHB72VY7Z9Z on 2002-01-09
  I just picked up Gattaca (Superbit version), and I was extremely disappointed. Don't get me wrong, this film deserves 6 stars if there was such a thing, but the Superbit DVD is absolutely awful. There are no special features, only the movie and captions. No special features means no trailers, notes, commentary, or deleted scenes; just about everything that makes DVDs feel worth buying. Not to sound melodramatic or anything, but I feel so cheated and heart-broken by buying the Superbit version of Gattaca. So this is just a warning to everyone hoping to own this masterpiece on DVD: DO NOT BUY THE SUPERBIT VERSION!... BUY THE REGULAR DVD!... NOT ONLY DOES IT HAVE EXTRA FEATURES BUT IT'S ALSO CHEAPER TOO!...
  
  
• Litmus Test Movie
  By A6R8XUE6MJLMC on 2004-03-28
  One can tell a lot about a person by their reaction to Gattaca. (1) It was a commercial dud, so few will know what you're talking about, and (2) Most people don't see it for what it is. There's just not enough life here - at least not at the surface. For that 4% of us who do enjoy this movie, we belong to a distinct tribe, and we recognize in this flick a certain kind of intellectual philosophical adventure which is rare and powerful.

  I liked this film. It's one of the very few successful deep sci-fi films ever, and it's more impressive to me because they did it with no budget and without distracting toys. This film is an adult thought-experiment, making a statement about a number of related issues regarding genetics, social engineering and the nature of the self.

  Personally, I think a variation of Gattaca's future-dystopia will be realized someday - maybe not in our lifetimes, but still - the Darwinian forces that would cause Gattaca are real, and they will effect the real future in one way or another. Passing laws against this 'progress' would be like outlawing the motions of the planets. They don't respond to judicial sanction.

  So this film has a ring of premonition in my mind. Maybe in a hundred years after the world has changed, someone will watch Gattaca and will see that at least we had our eyes wide open as we walked off that genetic cliff. C'est la vie.
  
  

• I don't Like Science Fiction, BUT I LOVE THIS MOVIE
  By A1VDO4X1GY2P5R on 2006-10-06
  This is a great movie. I am not into science fiction or even movies that really make you think, but I love this movie. The cast is great and it is so good. I am taking a genetics class now, that is where I watched this, and we have been discussing everything that is happening in the movie. This is a great movie, even if you just watch is for super hot Ethan Hawk and Jude Law!
  
  
• keep an eye on Andrew Niccol
  By A3QVAKVRAH657N on 2002-09-08
  In the not too distant future, a young man, Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), dreams of escaping from Earth and rocketing into outer space. But Vincent is genetically flawed--he's got a bum heart and a life expectancy of just 30 years--in a world where such human frailty is no longer the norm and no one's about to waste precious resources on an astronaut with less than an optimal genetic profile. In order to get around his all too human limitations, Vincent swaps genetic profiles with Jerome Morrow, (Jude Law), a genetically-designed and nearly perfect young man, embittered by the accident that left him wheelchair bound.

  The achievement of bio-engineered superiority for some has naturally created a bifurcated society, with the elite gripped by paranoia about inferior "degenerates" trying to pass themselves off, so Vincent's deception requires him to sneak Jerome's urine into sample cups, to wear false fingertips with Jerome's blood for identification pinpricks, even to salt his workstation with Jerome's hair and skin flakes. Even with all that he still has to deal with the suspicions of an arrogant launch Director (Gore Vidal), a watchful staff physician, and a beautiful fellow trainee (Uma Thurman). The situation becomes even more fraught with danger when a murder occurs at Gattaca and two cops begin to haunt the place.

  All of this works well enough as a mere sci-fi thriller but writer/director Andrew Niccol, who also wrote The Truman Show, is after far bigger fish. What he gives us here is a timely and thought-provoking argument against the idea that genetics is destiny. Just as he showed Truman's seemingly perfect world to be anti-human, he shows here that the utopian quest for physical "perfection", because it can not account for the human soul, must result in a dystopic nightmare. A few of the really fine touches here are the set designs which are cold and sterile; the general absence of women, who will be selected out in a world where fathers can always choose to have sons; Vincent's birth scene, when his own father, realizing him to be an "unsatisfactory" heir, decides not to name the boy for himself; and what is, I think, the best scene in the film, when the genetically perfect Jerome reveals that he envies Vincent's natural birthright, the unengineered will that drives him.

  This is a profound film. It sounds a too seldom heard cautionary note about the limitations of science, even as it celebrates the limitless human spirit. At one point the Director says : "No one exceeds their potential. If they do it just means we didn't judge it accurately in the first place." This notion, that human potential is a physical quality, to be quantified, measured and judged, is the all too likely and frighteningly imminent horror that resides at the core of this vile future world. Mr. Niccol is a polemicist of a very rare sort, for he manages to entertain even as he delivers his jeremiads. That's quite a feat. It makes him one of the most exciting and visionary talents to come along in Hollywood in some time.

  GRADE : A
  
  

• Implausibility of protagonist's struggle is the point
  By AV1GK3ZNQ2OR5 on 2003-10-24
  Many viewers criticize Gattaca for its implausibility. When the film was released, I recall reading a movie review entitled "You're too smart for Gattaca," which cited the improbability of the hero's success in a society where he is constantly subjected to testing to confirm his genetic "purity" and where the slightest trace of bodily detritus can expose him as an imposter.

  I would respectfully submit that such critics have hit upon the central theme of the film without fully realizing it; the sheer implausibility of the hero's success under these conditions is precisely the point, and is what makes the story so powerful and poignant. The story is, after all, intended in part to be a cautionary tale.

  In spite of the film's persistent "realistic" emphasis on the physical implausibility of the hero's success, however, it also bears emphasis that the ending, with Vincent rocketing to the heavens, is a genuinely Romantic assertion of faith that innate human intelligence and spirit can overcome bodily defects and limitations.

  The ending also has mythological overtones of apotheosis (deification). In this respect, Vincent has heroic antecedents in Hercules and gnostic Christianity. Hercules' divine spirit was taken by the gods into Olympus after the self-inflicted destruction of his body by fire, and after the accomplishment of feats even more implausible than those confronted by Vincent. Similarly, Chirst ascended into heaven after his physical body was destroyed on the cross. Like both, Vincent endures great bodily suffering, but like both he ultimately transcends the physical limitations of the body.

  As such, the story by its very design calls upon viewers at once to realize the physical impossibility of the hero's predicament, while at the same time suspending their disbelief in order to have faith in his ability to succeed against the odds. In this way, the story can be viewed as a contemporary and highly stylized variation on age old mythological and religious themes.
  
  

• One man's triumph over a Nietzschean future.
  By AAJ9VYMO5AXGD on 1998-11-30
  With "Gattaca", screenwriter and director Andrew Niccol has created a dystopia to rival "1984", "Brave New World", "THX 1138", and "Logan's Run". Its sterile, genetically-tailored brilliance is all the more terrifying when we realize very few of us living now could hope to achieve anymore than servitude to its "ubermensche", because of our genetic "inadequacies".But with Vincent Freeman, the film's protagonist, we have cause for hope against such an ignoble fate. Although he is like us, (that is, naturally-born), Vincent, using only the borrowed genetic pattern and identity of an engineered athlete, pursues his dream of going into space (a career reserved only for the enhanced) with his own untailored brain, physique and will. Thus, we see how human desire can overcome even a society's dictate of perfection. Vincent joins such famous fictional rebels as Winston Smith, Bernard Marx, THX 1138, and Logan 6 in this noble effort. Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Lorne Dean, Alan Arkin, Gore Vidal, and Ernest Borgnine all play their parts with subtlety and depth with Niccol's exquisite screenplay and direction. The film's look, stark and elegant, is a visual feast. The photography is gorgeous, wholly capturing the society's brittle beauty.As science fiction at its finest, "Gattaca" is a film that not only causes you to wonder about what is possible, but also to fear what may be coming.
  
  
• Brave New World II
  By on 1998-11-09
  Gattaca pleasantly surprised me as a thoughtful and rather worrisome view of the possible future instead of the special-effects-laden sci-fi movie I was expecting.

  The story takes place at a time when genetic excellence is the yardstick by which individuals are measured. The ability to preselect genes among offspring and measure one's genetic potential through simple biological tests gives rise to a new form of discrimination that bars the genetically flawed protagonist, played by Ethan Hawke, from his lifelong goal of becoming an astronaut. Undaunted, he sets out to fool a genetic screening system and gain admission to the space program where he can pursue his dream. A scandalous incident at the space center (Gattaca) casts a scrutinizing light on each of the employees and threatens to expose his deception.

  The details of this movie are clever and well thought out. The film has a graceful, almost poetic quality bolstered by a lush musical score. The acting is quite good all the way around. Ethan Hawke's fine performance certainly puts him on the map if he wasn't already there. Jude Law almost steals the show with his convincing portrayal of the broken golden child made miserable by his own misfortune but who comes to share in the dream of Ethan Hawke's character as he helps him outwit the system.

  Gattaca shows us that lackluster natural potential coupled with unwavering desire and ambition can ultimately reach higher than mere genetic predisposition. Well worth seeing; four-and-a-half stars.
  
  

• "...I'M HERE TO TELL YOU IT IS POSSIBLE!"
  By A3SAU1A0IEYDNX on 2001-03-07
  If you like inspirational movies with amazing characters portrayed by incredible actors (Ethan, Jude and Uma;) complete with gorgeous cinematography and beautiful music, then I whole-heartedly recommend you buy GATTACA. This is one of my all-time favorite movies. This movie is compelling and completely engulfing to watch.

  "They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of happiness--they don't say that anymore. Ten fingers, ten toes--that is all that used to matter--not now. Now only seconds old, the exact time and cause of my death was already known." [This is referring to the main character Vincent/Ethan Hawke who later becomes Jerome, played by Jude Law.] Vincent was needless to say, an over-protected child due to his health conditions, especially his heart disorder which had a 99% probability of killing him prematurely.

  When his parents are ready for "a brother for him to play with" they decide to use science and technology to their advantage and go to see a doctor/geneticist. They select hazel eyes, dark hair, fair skin, and "extras" such as no premature baldness or tendencies to violence or obesity. The parents ask if they should leave a few things to chance but the geneticist convinces them otherwise explaining by saying: "keep in mind, this child is still you--the BEST of you. You could conceive naturally 1000 times and never get such a result." So the parents trust the geneticist and Anton is born-- a child finally worthy in the father's opinion, of his [the father's] name. But do "perfect" genes make one "perfect"? I love the way GATTACA makes the viewer think about this throughout the movie.

  VINCENT: "I don't know how to thank you."

  JEROME: "I got the better end of the deal. I only lent you my body; you lent me your dream."

  GATTACA in my opinion, proves that indeed "there is no gene for fate" and that the human spirit is stronger than any genetic code.
  
  

• "I only lent you my body. You lent me your dream."
  By A2KVUYPLEW4LXT on 2004-10-28
  You may not be able to tell a good book by its cover, but it seems to me that much of the time you can tell a good movie by its opening credits. GATTACA begins with extreme closeups of the genetic material falling off of a man while he grooming himself early in the morning, at the main credits appear with the letter of the genetic code standing out from the other letters. A brilliant opening score is paired with this beginning, and it only gets better from there. Like the opening credits, the entire movie is less about flash and more about substance, depth, and (in my opinion) sheer genius.
  
  GATTACA is a science-fiction film, but unlike the science-fantasy people have come to associate with the genre (Star Trek and Star Wars for instance), it focuses on the ideas of the possible and their implications rather than on silly monsters and overblown special effects. You could say that GATTACA is at its heart a 1984-style tale of a dystopian future, but the effect of slightly altered reality is so perfectly subtle (the only differences between our world and this one is frequent rocketship launches, faster computers, electric vehicles, and a stylishly retro feel) that it may be the exquisite camerawork and cinematography (with a slight yellow-green tint to everything) that ultimately gives you the feeling that something in this world of tomorrow is not-quite-right.
  
  There is no gene for the human spirit. When discrimination is down to a science, and the gene police are everywhere, a normal flawed human being has to push themself to their limits and beyond, "exceeding their potential" in order to find their dreams and be freed from an invisible social-order prison. The struggle of the protagonist (one Vincent Freeman) against a world obsessed with perfection makes for an incredibly gripping drama.
  
  Indeed, this film features some of the finest performances I had ever witnessed. Everyone does a spectacular job, but there are some standouts. Ethan Hawke gives the finest performance I ahve ever seen out of him. Ditto for Uma Thurman, who gives a perfect icy performance as Irene. And Jude Law... plays a perfect person in a way that had me crying foul when he wasn't nominated for best supporting actor.
  
  Actually, I was surprised when I found out this movie was only nominated for one Academy Award (and won 0!). I really feel it should have won for best script, best cimematography, best director, best supporting actor, and best film score (perhaps the finest that Michael Nyman ever created). But with Titanic coming out that year, even the tour-de-force Hamlet was ignored.
  
  This movie will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the finest science-fiction films ever created. In my opinion, it is one of the few truly perfect films ever crafted. Any serious fan of science-fiction will probably want to own this one.
  
  
  
  
• One of the most moving films of the last decade.
  By A31ONNIP6W8BHN on 2006-06-05
  There is a profound conflict that runs throughout Gattaca -- superficiality versus true depth. The citizens of the film's dystopic society are beautiful on the outside, but in contrast to the aesthetic societal standards of today, beauty on the surface is not enough here. Humans have been genetically engineered to be perfect, right down to the very cells of which they are made. This adds an additional layer to the outside/inside conflict with which we are all faced in 2006; today, there is beauty on two levels: the bodily level and the spiritual level (i.e., "the person inside," as a simplified description). In Gattaca, these layers still exist, but the third is perhaps most important -- beauty on a cellular level.
  
  Vincent Freeman, played by Ethan Hawke in a nuanced and moving performance, is a testament to the fallibility of genetic engineering. At birth, he was never given a chance, his parents having been told with 99% certainty that he would develop a heart condition and die by age 30. He has always dreamed of leaving the world that is so prejudiced against the naturally born, the flawed, and finding his place in the infinite realm of space. However, the hotshot scientists at Gattaca -- the preeminent aerospace insitute of the era -- let him in only to be a common janitor. Why invest in someone so certain to fail?
  
  Vincent is not content to watch, day after day, as manned rockets are sent into space to do the research and exploration for which he so desperately craves. He knows that despite what geneticists and doctors have said, he is "as good as all, better than most." With the help of a shady underground businessman (Shalhoub), Vincent takes on a new identity: Jerome Morrow. The real Jerome (Law) had been a world-class swimmer before an accident left him paralyzed, confined to a wheelchair. Vincent changes his hair, gets colored corrective lenses, and follows an austere daily regimen to eliminate traces of his own "in-valid" DNA, to be replaced by conspicuously placed samples from the genetically flawless Jerome. When the narrative picks up, Vincent, posing as Jerome, has a prominent place at Gattaca and is one week away from taking a year-long voyage to Titan, one of Saturn's moons. With the murder of a director at Gattaca, however, his secret identity is thrown in jeopardy; crime scene investigators are determined to find the culprit, and a rogue eyelash leads them to the in-valid Vincent Freeman, whom nobody connects to the Jerome Morrow they know and respect.
  
  From this premise, which is created subtly and smoothly by Niccol, Gattaca truly takes off. Thurman's performance as Vincent's love interest, Irene, is pitch-perfect; she plays the character with a coolly detached elegance appropriate for the futuristic dystopia while maintaining a sympathetic air of humanity. The relationship between Hawke's and Thurman's characters feels genuine (as it should, considering the actors' subsequent marriage), and that between Vincent and his cellularly perfect brother Anton (Dean) is complex but easily understood on a basic, universal level. Many moments between the brothers are among the most poignant captured on film, especially in the science fiction genre (of which I am not normally a huge fan, but this movie is just remarkable).
  
  I have watched this film several times and have yet to tire of it. Though many pictures have been able to pull off sleek, futuristic looks, few of these have anything below the surface. Gattaca does, and it packs an emotional punch. There is a remarkably small number of movies that feel nearly perfect to me; Gattaca is one of them. I would not change a single thing about it even if I could. The characters are fully developed, the plot is intriguing and compelling, the cinematography and sets are beautiful. What is truly amazing about Gattaca, however, is its ability to develop and show its viewers something absolutely vital: what it means to be human.
  
  
• Aims high, but doesn't get there (2.5 stars)
  By AX4EIN8TXBI0M on 2003-10-08
  I found this film's execution to be uninspired and unexceptional, although there were some aspects to the film that make it stand out from your average sci-fi tale.

  First off, the movie's pluses. The supporting cast, including Law, Arkin, and Borgnine was strong, and both Hawke and Thurman were good (too understated though, seemingly by design). The movie also had style. In addition to style, it had some good messages, including anti-discrimination, and threats posed to individual liberty by technological `advancement'. The most important message was that the human spirit, if strong enough can accomplish virtually anything.

  These are certainly admirable themes. The movie just failed to deliver them in a mature and convincing way. Below I outline some of the problems, as I see them (beware of spoilers).

  While realism is generally not the goal of science fiction, much of the science and several plot developments here were totally implausible. In terms of the science, the film gives too little allowance to the role of environment in human development; while this approach adds drama, it makes the film patronizingly simplistic. The weak hearts of the two protagonists also had no science fiction basis-it was just a plot device. Some other plot implausibilities: 1) the idea that one could (almost) hide their genetic signature, and 2) that people would no longer pay attention to facial appearances, something evolution has steered us towards recognizing for millennia.

  The movie also felt flat; this was clearly the tone the film was going for, but I felt it took it too far. We needed to at minimum feel Vincent's passion for flight, and the couple's romantic passion. While there's no denying there was chemistry between Hawke and Thurman, the performances were too muted. We should have felt Vincent's excitement about his final achievement, but we don't, partly because we have no sense of what he will be doing in space.

  Other characters and relationships were too simplistic as well. I know men can be boys, but the paring down of the brothers' relationship to little more than a game of chicken seems too extreme; where was the subtlety and nuance in their-or any of the other- relationship?
  
  

• BRILLIANT MOVIE - SUPERBIT WARNING
  By A20G957N2TEVQX on 2004-09-19
  This is not a typical film review, but a warning about the downside of the new Superbit version. Though the picture is beautiful, no question - the Superbit version does not include the extras that add so much texture and insight to the original DVD film experience itself.
  
  I love Gattaca, and the extras on its original DVD release added to my enjoyment. So when the nice, new, silver-boxed version came out I expected that in addition to its improved picture there would be even more extras, in the tradition of other special collection releases. I was surprised that not only weren't there new extras, there weren't extras, period.
  
  I'm not saying don't buy the Superbit version, but you deserve to know what you're not getting.
  
  
• Rings close to home.
  By AFDE5U4OH4KXC on 2006-01-18
  "Gattaga" is a masterpiece. Firstly, it is a timeless movie. Released in 1997 you would expect it to seem dated by 2006 but it is far from it. Instead of using "futuristic" clothing and hairstyles, etc the director chose to give the movie a classic feel with hints of the 1920's and 1950's with just the smallest "futuristic" twists. The result is a movie that doesn't make you cringe at what people then thought the future would look like.
  
  As we delve further into genetic science, what "Gattaga" portrays is more thana little bit likely to happen. There will be a new kind of class system and a new type of discrimination...all of which will be decided by a simple blodd test mapping out the sequence of one's DNA.
  
  I am 27 years old and have had cancer twice. Had my husband been able to discover at the beginning of dating me that one year into our relationship I would be having surgery and radiation therapy due to the cancer I wonder if he still would have considered me a candidate for a mate. Since the cancer (and reading up on how hereditary it is) he now thinks if we have children we should get someone else's eggs (not mine) to "ensure" our children to not receive my defect.
  
  This is the subtle beginning of what Gattaga is all about. I am not into sci-fi very much but I adore this movie onb every level: plot, character developement, cinematography and especially the music (score).
  
  
• Powerful
  By A36P3STLP32XQD on 2006-05-01
  Gattaca is a seminal movie that reminds me of what is lacking nowadays with sci fi films. It's wonderfully written, directed, and acted. I have studied genetics, medicine, biology, eugenics, and philosophy. I can't tell you how many times this movie in some fashion is mentioned. I guess that is what is so powerful about this movie. The themes, much like the music, are recapitulated. Destiny, genes, life, fate- it's all so powerfully incorporated in the movie and how science/medicine thinks.
  
  It is no surprise to anyone that the discoverer of the structure of DNA, James Watson- once said, "our future is in our genes." There is a genetic determinism that pervades our country, our way of thinking. Whether it is said inadvertently thru the way we are more and more reliant on genetic markers for labeling diseases or how we are nowadays discovering more and more ways to meddle with our genes. Science has in some sense become a religion. Genes are our predetermined fate.
  
  It is this issue that GATTACA hammers at or chips away at brillantly and relentlessly. There is no gene for free will/ for desire/ for ambition. We aren't just our genes. We are a product of our upbringing, our environment, and heriditary predispositions. We are more than just a sum of different characteristics, traits that can be tagged to a repeated sequence in our DNA. There is no science for personality or for fate.
  
  The acting in GATTACA is superb, understated (I know, enough with the superlatives). Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman have real chemistry. They play their roles with ease that fits the speakeasy, minimalist style of the movie. Jude Law has easily his best performance in GATTACA.
  
  The music or score by Michael Nyman- swoons and fits the dark but ultimately uplifting mood of the movie. Much of it is recapitulation- the scores repeat the same themes of struggle, persistence and sorrow.
  
  I am also impressed in the details of the movie. The double helix DNA stair cases in the apartment. The movie's title is written in DNA nucleotides.
  
  This movie did not translate well in the box office but it had a real impression/influence in both our culture and understanding of science.
  
  
• "I never saved anything for the swim back."
  By A20EEWWSFMZ1PN on 2006-11-12
  Many years after the movie we have gone and done it. We now know how the genetic make-up of human beings. Some Job descriptions even say without consideration of age, race, religion or genetics. We also have electric cars and wrist radios. This is no longer sci-fi; it is speculative fiction. Or at least it is speculative. Anyway I have a friend that had a back problem in his youth. They left some dye in him and it was spotted during a job interview physical for a desk job; you guessed it.
  
  This is a spectacular film. The sound track helped support the movie. They did a good job of picking the actors. The characters were believable. Uma did not even have to show her Thurman's. Ethan did a convincing transformation and Jude (in his movie début) was good enough that you almost thought the film was about him. The scenes of the ocean and the solar collectors, were breath taking. Again I was most impressed with the sunrise on the solar panels and the swim competition.
  
  Two points to look for on your second viewing are:
  1. Several times the brothers compete physically and logically. Even with his handicapped origin Ethan Hawke" Vincent Freeman" surpasses his brother Loren Dean "Anton."
  2. Jude Law "Jerome Eugene Morrow" Was not without ambition. He was disappointed that his advantage was not advantageous enough for the gold and receives his gold thought the actions of Vincent.
  
  Vincent who was conceived in the Rivera, as child of God (taking their chances) must compete in a world where all the negative genetic dispositions are usually removed as was his brother's case. Vincent is tagged by his genetic makeup for failure from birth. To overcome this social barrier and obtain his goal of going into space, he borrows the genes of an athlete gone astray. A director of (GATTACA) is killed as the last obstacle to the mission. Will Vincent be found out? Irene (Uma Thurman) suspects the number one candidate for the space trip Jerome of the murder. She never suspects that he is really Vincent.
  
  Bottom line is if you aren't genetically correct the movie may scare you.
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  When films were first transferred to DVD's they did not need that good of picture quality or sound for the average TV; so they had plenty of room left on the DVD capacity. This was a perfect platform for DVD Extras and fun fillers (and also coming attractions.) all at the expense of the more sophisticated or discerning viewer.
  
  Today people want more from the film and have equipment with better capabilities, such as the use of Blu-ray. The DVD is packed solid with more picture definition and better Sound options. Note that the movie is good enough to stand alone with out the enhancements but if you have a choice it adds significantly to the viewing/listening pleasure.
  
  If you are holding out for the high def wars they have settled on Blu-ray players that upgrade standard DVD's output to 1020p.
  
  The closest thing we have to a recorder however is
  
  Panasonic DMR-EZ47V Up-Converting 1080p DVD-Recorder/VCR Combo with Built In Tuner
  
  
  
• Gattaca is one of the Great Ones
  By A3S9WANOBQJF49 on 2000-03-14
  I used to think it was just me. I first saw this absolutely fine film during it's initial theatrical run, and it was all I thought about for many days afterward. Long after the film had disappeared from cineplexes, as a matter of fact. When it came out on video, I rented it several times until this wonderful DVD came out. Of course I snapped it up, and continue to watch it regularly. I used to think it was just me, until I read some of the reviews posted here. Happily, I am not alone in thinking that this film is an underrated classic. Writer-Director Andrew Niccol weaved a thrilling, emotional and totally involving tale of the effects of genetic engineering. Ethan Hawke, an underrated actor who never fully gets his props, gives a deeply-felt, measured performace as the genetically "imperfect" hero. Uma Thurman gives a strong performance as well, and Jude Law is an absolute kick (and steals most of his scenes) in a supporting role any actor would relish. The DVD boasts a beautiful widescreen (and full screen) transfer, the theatrical trailer, a featurette and some deleted scenes that (though they aren't necessarily missed in the final cut) are cool to check out. "Gattaca" is a film ripe for reappreciation. Check it out!
  
  
• The Darkness At The End Of The Tunnel
  By A1Q0AQ2HVNSYYW on 2000-07-23
  Gattaca's most haunting and beautiful scene is a love scene, shot through an upside down camera in room with transparent walls. In the metallic, clinical and angular world of this film physical love is unnatural. Sex is an impulsive passionatte act and therefore not intune with the perfection of an intelligent, balanced, stoic and ultimately robotic populace. Afterall the person you're with could take a hair off your head, take it to a shop down the street and see if you are a "valid" person.

  Vincent (Ethan Hawke) has never accepted the fact that because he was a natural, faith birth, he could never persue his dream about going to outerspace. He meets a "valid", genetically perfect Jerome (Jude Law) who despite the previlage of genetic perfection is paralysed. "There is no gene for fate" Hawke observes in his moving unintrusive narration. Jerome agrees to lend him is indentity, and in return Vincent will help him maintain his affluent lifestyle. This switch, along with a murder plot would be enough to make a decent thriller, but Gattaca only use this to hook the audience. Both Hawke and Law give the best performance of their careers in these roles. And although I could praise Gattace as one of the best sceince-fiction films I've ever seen, calling it sceince-fiction seems like a stretch.

  In the near future, doctors will be able to extract the best possible child from a man and a woman. As a doctor explains to the parents in this film, "You could concieve naturally a 1000 times and never get such result, this child is you, simply the best of you". You can't argue with a line that, and I'm sure given the opportunity, most parents would choose to have their children disease free, but it would never stop there. How about physical fitness, good looks, a high I.Q., wouldn't you want to give your children all these things. It is that age old arguement of man playing God, what is particularly tragic about it these days is its inevitability. You can't stop scientist from creating alternative organs for transplant, and you can't stop them trying to wipe out cancer gentically. Afterall these are good things, paradoxically they will almost certainly be abused. Even in the world of Gattace "discrimination is illigal", but that doesn't stop the firm from using a urine sample as their interview. Sceince, humanity's great shining light will also be its downfall. Opposing sceince is undoubtly bigotry, all you can do is watch as we drift into Orwell's 1984.

  As you may have guessed, this is a deeply provocative and timely film. It is also an intensly passionate one. In the history of film music, only Ennio Morricone's music for 1986's The Mission can compare with the emotional impact of Michael Nyman's score for Gattaca. Periodically his lyrical, etheral, almost mournful score is played over scenes making the film an emotional rollercoaster ride. There is a scene played under Nyman's music where Vincent and his girlfriend Irene (Uma Thurman) go to look at a field of Solar Cells. The Cells are the plants of the future, when the sunshines they bloom. Although they are magnificent, unlike the plants they don't need you to water them.

  Gattaca is a magnificent and overlooked film. Essentially optimistic in its view that determination can truimph over any genetic pre-conditioning, I think its is actually more ambigious and wiser then its outcome suggests. It suggests that you may have to leave this planet to escape the clinical prejudice. But if you don't have a space ship to get on, then leaving can only mean one thing. Suicide.