Gattaca Film Review

In the not-so-distant future, companies have adopted the practice of screening their employees based on their genetic makeup. A young man with a congenital heart condition attempts to assume the identity of a former athlete with perfect genes. The reason this young man goes to such risky lengths to attain a job may surprise you. . .

Gattaca is a 1997 sci-fi film written and directed by Andrew Niccol (screenwriter of 1998’s The Truman Show and director of 2005’s Lord of War). Starring Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, and Uma Thurman, Gattaca succeeds on virtually all levels as an intellectually provocative sci-fi drama. Featuring no aliens, no robots, and no epic intergalactic starfights, Gattaca’s attractions lie in its sleekly costumed casts, stylish sets, and absorbing story that raises interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.

Although the entire cast gives solid performances, Ethan Hawke’s is especially note-worthy as he embodies the character of the flawed Everyman with remarkable sympathy and conviction.

Perhaps most importantly, Gattaca succeeds in breaking the chains set on the science-fiction genre by Kubrick’s 2001. For too many years the genre has relied on technology and special effects, telling redundant tales of good versus evil on the intergalactic scale (Star Wars).

Although the film suffers from a final sequence that may be less than satisfying, it remains overall an indispensably fresh contribution to the sci-fie genre, with enough thought-provocation and beauty to make it a classic of modern science fiction.

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