Gattaca Movie Review
Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law; Directed by Andrew Niccol
With the special edition DVD having recently seen the light of day, it is my pleasure to introduce to you one of the most generally underrated and underappreciated films of the 90's. I actually first saw this film in a high school science class, and carried the effects and impressions left on me for several years thereafter. Gattaca is the story of Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), one of the last naturally-born humans of the future. In an age where it has become possible to genetically modify children in utero, Vincent grows to find himself an outcast of society. Because humans can be modified to avoid any future health problems, Vincent's weak heart and eyesight reduce his potential to strictly custodial work. His dream is to one day fly into space, but he deems it a dream too impossible to even consider.
Then he meets Eugene (Jude Law), a former employee of the space program, Gattaca, and victim of a recent car accident which rendered this once physically perfect engineer a cynical, bitter paraplegic. Eugene agrees to give Vincent his identity, making Vincent's dream become a possible reality. But it is tricky and dangerous work. In order to fool the multiple security barriers of the establishment, Vincent must have a vast supply of blood, urine, skin, and hair samples. He must wear contacts that will match Eugene's own eye color and shape. He must risk further damage to his weak heart by getting into top notch physical shape, and he must be absolutely sure that he never leaves a fragment behind of his true person, vacuuming his personal workspace at the end of every day, etc. In the course of the next several months, things get progressively complicated. For one, Eugene meets Irene (Uma Thurman), a co-worker with whom he is slowly falling in love. When the upcoming space flight's program director is brutally murdered, Vincent is kept on his toes by not only having to deal with more frequent security inspections, but also with the sudden appearance of his brother, a detective who has held a grudge against him for the several years they have not spoken.
This is high-concept, low-key sci-fi. And I love it. The performances are all great, though I can't help but confess that it is sad to watch the film that started Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke on their rocky (and ultimately dead-ended) relationship. There are twists and turns abounding, and so many delicious moments of suspense that you'll forget anything else that's going on around you. Andrew Niccol does a fine job as writer/director, and continued to please years later with The Truman Show. Though Gattaca can feel a bit dated at times, it never takes away from the overall dark charm of the tale. It's a fine, thought-provoking ride that you'll want to watch again and again.
Grading:
Story = A
Originality = A
DVD Features = N/A
Acting = A
Enjoyability = A-
Visuals = B+
Overall = A-
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