Gattaca

Gattaca is a 1997 science fiction film by director/screenwriter Andrew Niccol, starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law and Alan Arkin.

It combines a Hollywood action/adventure plot with a vision of a future that some reviewers thought was intelligent and mature, in which genetic testing and eugenic genetic engineering has altered mankind to such an extent that children conceived by traditional sexual reproduction are members of an underclass.

Recent developments in genetic diagnosis of inherited diseases and the real-world technologies of In vitro fertilisation and embryo selection have made Gattaca appear to be a vision of the not-too-distant future.

Plot

Warning: Wikipedia contains spoilers

The movie depicts Vincent (Hawke), a member of the underclass, trying to defy his apparent genetic destiny. He uses DNA samples from a crippled member of the elite (Eugene, played by Law) to impersonate his way into the space program.

The screenwriting shows an interesting dualism. Vincent is a 'faulty' human that achieves more of what's expected of him. Eugene is a 'perfect' human that achieves less of what's expected of him. The very same defect that will ultimately kill 'faulty' Vincent prevents 'perfect' Irene to fly. This dualism show how genetics policy curbs the freedom both of 'perfect' and 'faulty' humans. Vincen't brother Anton is his Antagonist, whereas 'Eugene' means 'well born'.

Trivia

• The name of the film is derived from GATTACA, an arbitrary DNA base pair sequence. The recent publication of the human genome sequence reveals that GATTACA, along with most other short base-pair sequences, occurs commonly throughout the human genome.
• To create an eerie atmosphere of ubiquitous physical perfection, the director cast fashion models as extras.

External links

• IMDB entry for Gattaca
• Open Directory category for Gattaca
• Roger Ebert review of Gattaca
• Prediction: Gene sequencing of every child: News stories of developments similar to those predicted in Gattaca