Subject: Review: Gattaca (1997)

From: [email-masked] (Boyd Petrie)
Date: 28 Oct 1997 00:01:22 GMT

Gattaca (1997)
Rated PG-13 for brief violent images, language, some sexuality, and nudity
---------  Out of 4 stars: ***1/2 (3 1/2 Stars)

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Loren Dean, Jude Law, Alan Arkin, Tony Shalhoub, Gore Vidal, and Xander
Berkeley

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the release of GATTACA, I began to wonder why all science fiction
films deal with destructive aliens, or aliens in general.  Hollywood
has given audiences plenty of thrills with those alien films, but what
was usually lacking was a good story... and good characters... and
good acting, etc (CONTACT being the exception).  And for some reason,
Hollywood has never taken a look at the aliens here on Earth.  The
closest, that I have seen anyway, was 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, which
made mankind an alien race themselves, being dwarfed by the technology
which they created.

Now comes GATTACA, another film about technology reigning supreme,
except here on our planet.  The difference between 2001 and this one
is simple: GATTACA is more frightening.  Most of the concepts of this
movie are based on recent discoveries in genetic engineering.  Using
this premise, writer/director Andrew Niccol creates some genuine
suspense and thrills.  Unfortunately, due to a lack of advertising, I
fear GATTACA may fair horribly at the box office.  Since seeing the
film, I have been asking people if they have seen GATTACA.  Lately,
however, I have been asking them if they have even heard of GATTACA.
Most people don't even realize that it is a film.  Despite this fact,
I surely hope that the audience members who have seen this film will
tell their friends about it.  Niccol's film deserves more than what
Independence Day made because it is smarter, better produced, and more
realistic.

GATTACA begins in the 21st Century.  Procreating is now done in a
petri dish, and genetic engineering is the normal way of doing it.
Natural child birth is considered old-fashioned.  We are introduced to
Jerome Morrow (Ethan Hawke), an employee of the Gattaca space program.
One of the directors of the program has been murdered, and the main
suspect is one Vincent Freeman.  The only problem is that Jerome
Morrow IS Vincent Freeman.  Vincent was born the natural way when his
parents decided on bringing their first child into the world through
love.  However, after his birth, and through several genetic tests,
doctors tell his parents that he will have a 99% chance of a weak
heart, as well as poor eye sight and a short life span.  As a result,
both parents decide to bring their next baby into the world via
genetics.  Anton (Loren Dean) is produced without flaws, and the
competition between brothers spawns.  Vincent has a dream to fly a
solo-flight around the Titan, the 14th moon of Saturn, but because of
his condition, Gattaca, and society in general, forces him to do
menial labor around the company.

Labeled an "in-valid," Vincent's dream seems impossible, until he
meets a black-market DNA specialist, German (Tony Shalhoub).  German
introduces him to a "valid" who has been paralized from the waste down
due to an automobile accident.  Jerome Morrow (Jude Law) agrees to
give Vincent all the proper identification tools (urine, blood, skin
and hair samples, etc.) that he will need to get past Gattaca's tight
security.  In exchange, Vincent will provide Jerome with the rent
money and friendship.  After the murder, however, his dreams are put
at risk due to one of Vincent's eyelashes left at the scene of the
crime.  Irene Cassini (Uma Thurman) is a genetically flawed "valid"
working for Gattaca, and she begins to fall in love with
Vincent/Jerome.

GATTACA is one of the best science fiction films I have seen in a long
time.  Only two other intelligent science fiction films have come out
in the past two years (CONTACT and THE ARRIVAL) and GATTACA will rank
among them.  Unfortunately, whenever one intelligent film comes out
against special effects-laden films, it normally gets buried.  The
second best thing about GATTACA is the production design by Jan
Roelfs.  The orange glow of GATTACA's scenes are impressive, but the
sets deserve most of the credit.  The sets are very well done,
creating a futuristic sense, but not too futuristic as to alienate
viewers.  As we look at the designs, we realize that these buildings
aren't too far into the future.  This brings the plot even more
credibility as genetic engineering becomes more possible by every
passing day.  The best thing, however, is the plot.  The story is more
than your average sci-fi/thriller.  At its heart, it develops a theme
which is never overpowering but is always present.  Perhaps Niccol is
warning our race about the changes genetic tampering could bring.
Would our society become a bunch of soulless zombies?  Maybe human
nature is a result of mankind's flaws.  If we get rid of flaws, do we
get rid of dreams as well?  Niccol's intelligent script handles all
these questions extremely well, and the result is an incredibly smart
thriller set against a dramatic story, or vice versa.

The power of the actors brings a lot of credibility to flat
characters.  While flat may sound like a poor job on Niccol's part, it
actually enhances the meaning behind the story.  Ethan Hawke has
developed into a handsome adult actor, giving his best performance of
his lifetime so far.  His curiosity and motivation pushes his
character past all the discouraging remarks from his parents and
"valid" peers.  Uma Thurman is... well, Uma Thurman.  Her character is
slightly underdeveloped, but the story isn't about her.  However,
Thurman gives a lot of depth to the flat character.  Jude Law gives
the most complex performance of the film with the most disturbingly
realistic character.  He provides several nice touches, and his final
scene is a very touching and heartwrenching one.  Loren Dean gives a
nice performance in his well-developed character.  Dean is also
responsible for some of the most suspenseful scenes in the movie.
Alan Arkin portrays one of the detectives with a little less more
excitement than with his psychiatrist in GROSSE POINTE BLANK.  Still,
he does a good job.  Gore Vidal and Xander Berkeley both provide some
very good supporting roles, and Berkeley also gives a heartfelt
discussion towards the end of the film.

GATTACA is rated PG-13 for brief violent images, language, some
sexuality, and nudity.  Despite the somber and desolate mood of the
entire film, I wasn't exactly prepared for the ending which left me
feeling empty.  It turned me off slightly, but then I realized that
everything turned out the way it should have.  If this had been a
typical Hollywood film, it would have ended much differently.
However, with all the mindless science fiction films out there, it is
nice to have a film which doesn't talk down to its audience (I
especially like the ironic title and how it consists of the four
letters which make up the genetic coding: G, T, C, and A).  Instead,
it provides some much needed entertainment which gives us science
fiction fanatics just what we want: a science fiction film with morals
behind it.  Whatever happened to giving the audience a lesson while
entertaining?  Hopefully more writers and directors will learn from
GATTACA... and hopefully audiences will too.

P.S. Personal note to P.J. Gladnick: How dare you call this film the
worst film of the year.  I can't even begin to image what film you do
like.  That frightens me beyond anything.

Reviewed by Respect (pun intended) - [email-masked]
http://www.aros.net/~respect/movies.html