Gattaca (1997)

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Getting old but still works. The future has caught up and went further. Designer babies are not available yet but the rejection of babies is. Lots of the ethical problems are the same as racism. I guess that is also actual.

Gattaca is a film about a man who chooses to reject societal expectations and believe his fate to be predetermined. In the future where mankind has the ability to eliminate unwanted genetic traits, Ethan Hawk plays Vincent, a man without genetic modification. As a result, he is part of a quickly shrinking portion of the population whose genetic predispositions are left up to chance instead of determined. This group of people are now discriminated against and looked down upon.Vincent's parents are told he has a 99% chance to develop heart failure and die by age 30. They decide to have a second child, Antoine, who is genetically modified to have every advantage possible. Despite growing up in a world where Vincent is told he cannot and will not be anything, he strives for greatness. His dream is to be an astronaut for Gattaca. A company who sends out crews to all planets in the solar system. Unfortunately for Vincent, Gattaca, like many other employers, only take the most perfected genetic applicants no matter their skills or qualifications. To achieve his dream, Vincent assumes the identity of Jerome, played by Jude Law. Jerome is nearly genetically perfect. The film then unfolds as Vincent desperately tries to remain hidden as circumstances arise at Gattaca that starts an investigation that threatens to uncover Vincent's true identity. Motifs central to the theme are prejudice, ability, and expectations. Through narration by Vincent about his life before assuming the role of Jerome, we get a picture that while genetic discriminated is technically outlawed, the legality of it is ignored. Gattaca uses the excuse of security to blood test every employee as they access the building in order to verify genetic superiority. Throughout the film Vincent recalls beating his brother in a swimming contest as they were younger. He remarks that Antoine couldn't accept that his genetically inferior brother was able to beat him. These scenes play a commentary about expectations. Antoine, and everyone in his life, expected his to exceed at everything. Any failure he did experience he has no excuse for.Finally, we see Vincent excel in his studies and work ability. By doing so we get the understanding that Vincent is every bit as capable as his genuine colleagues. Showing us the injustice of the discrimination on the basis of genes.The film's commentary that it is our imperfections, our humanity, that makes us great reminds me of another sci-fi film, Equilibrium. In Gattaca we see that genetic perfection does not destine us for greatness or happiness. Just as in Equilibrium, the removal of anger and other negative emotions do not lead to a perfect society or joyful life.

It just gave something to me. Like a spiritual insight. You feel richer somehow after you see this movie, at least this is what a I felt. It was done so well. The lightning, the whole mood, it was perfect to the last detail. A masterpiece. Art.

I'm not kidding. A nightmarish portrayal of the world where everyone is divided between soulless monsters forced to meet exacting standards and unloved chattel who are barred from success simply because of their genetic code. The worst part is that judging by the human race's breathtaking stupidity, this world is a very real possibility. It starts with simply removing diseases and ends with the removal of everything that makes life worth living--sex, diversity, flaws. The only comfort is that we're all probably going to die from overpopulation anyway, so our suffering will not be prolonged. Please, for the sake of your children and grandchildren, do not encourage eugenic modification and testing. It will send us down a slippery slope from which there is no return.