Review of Gattaca (1997) by David S — 15 Dec 2011

Despite rating this movie only 4 stars, I'd recommend it as if it was 5. First, the flaws: Ethan Hawke does not, unfortunately, turn in his best performance. The supporting cast really carries the film.

Also, in a sense, there is not a lot new about this story. It's a dystopian vision of a biologically-engineered population a la Aldous Huxley. And there were a few lines of dialogue that seemed unnatural.

For bearing all this, however, the viewer is treated to an interesting take on genetics. Somehow it seems that very few reviewers mention this, but it's quite clear that everything in the movie - the sets, the cars, the props, the clothes, the light - is intended to evoke an image of 50s Americana.

This is done to make light of the intense conformity required by society in the "future." It is not so much a movie about the future of genetics in society, but a reminder of those dark days when discrimination was more ingrained.

In fact, it is so much about the past, that it fails completely to actually describe correctly the biology it discusses. There is no mention of the extended phenotype, i.e., the fact that your genes are only half the story.

The expression of those genes throughout development - and, indeed, life - has as much to do with your fate. In a roundabout way, this movie does have a similar message - that someone with lowly genes can outperform them.

But it's not because of the science, per se. It's only because of the social justice of allowing people to rise to their actual level of potential. This actually makes it worth watching. Finally, you should see this film because it has some gorgeous filming and some real clever ideas.