Gattaca

Rating:
Summary: The best part is less obvious than you think.
Review: Gattaca is an insightful moving tale of the emergence of genetic perfection within society and how it impacts its members. The obvious story, which is compelling enough, is the struggle of Vincent to succeed against the odds of being a "God-child" and not being engineered. The love interest is also good but Uma Thurman comes off a little flat. Maybe that's intended, but I didn't care for that portrayal. The sub-plot, however, is very subtle until the end and in my opinion is one of the best parts of the movie. Vincent uses another man's genetic traces to qualify in society. This is no spoiler as this is eastablished early. What is interesting to watch is the character of Jerome (played outstandingly by Jude Law). I won't mention it here but if you chose to observe Jerome closely you will find an interesting counterpoint to the "perfect society" as displayed by Jerome's issues surrounding his, what most of us would call, success. The movie elegantly has this as a background point. While the viewer is busy sympathizing with Vincent and hoping the best for Vincent and Irene, you tend to miss some of the best contextual commentary from Jerome. The symbolism in the movie is also very-well done. Notice the stair-case and the fact that Jerome is now at the bottom and that only after collecting Jerome's materials can Vincent then climb the genetic ladder of social acceptance. I have seen this movie many times and I can say there are no fluff scenes, no filler. Every scene has something important to convey regarding the society that has sprung from the widespread use of genetic engineering. In my opinion, this film is no less than outstanding. A great (and first, I might add) effort from Andrew Niccol, a former cologne ad director.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely a must have!
Review: I am sure from the many reviews this has already been said, but I just want to add my two cents. This is a great movie about a dream and the determination behind that dream. To strive to be better than they all thought you could be. I highly recommend this movie.

Rating:
Summary: 1984 for today
Review: The finest film George Orwell did not write, but could have. Orwell's clear message that too much control breaks the human spirit is restated with style and flair that combines the cool hues of a Kubrick space oddysey with the tension of a good film noir detective story. Essential viewing.

Rating:
Summary: Best Sci Fi movie
Review: I'm not a person who's into all those "robot" "sci fi" movies but I decided to watch this movie with a friend. I love this movie. I own it and think it's just great. The story, the actors, the world they have to live in, all fascinating. Just recommended by me is all I have to say;

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, stylish, intelligent, inspiring, uplifting.
Review: Judging by the numerous reviews before me, I can skip the synopsis and critique part and get down to the nitty gritty.

This is one exceptional movie. It was simply way ahead of its time. I was much younger when I first saw it and didn't think much of it back then. Years later, I watched it again and the second time around, this movie affected me in so many levels that I kept thinking about it for many, many days. In short, entertainment at its best.

Rating:
Summary: Great film
Review: Probably one of the best films I have ever seen in my life. It has an amazing futeristic view of the world. The movie shows that if you want something bad enough, there is nothing anybody can do to stop you. I own this on DVD, I reccommend this to everybody. I also am sorry for not telling you what the movie was about.

Rating:
Summary: A Sci-Fi allegory for the future
Review: I often call this movie an allegory when talking about it with my friends. Critics often point out that this movie is obviously unrealistic, but I don't think the producers were trying to create a realistic future. Much Science-Fiction is written as a warning against society in preventing it from making errors that could later on destroy the human race. This movie, although showing the horror of genetically created humans, is not meant to warn us against genetic engineering, rather, the moral of this movie is how an individual can overcome the longest odds possible and still succeed.

Ethan Hawke plays a naturally conceived (i.e. not genetically engineered) young man that has dreams of going into space. In the futuristic setting of this movie, spacemen travel at least as far as to the moons of Jupiter, but only if they can pass mental, physical and intellectual tests that only genetically engineered men can pass. However Ethan Hawke is not discouraged and risks everything he has to get into the space travel program.

This movie is free from the morose cynicism of most movies today. If you'd like to see a movie where you can walk out with a smile on your face, this is it.

Rating:
Summary: and we dare to consider cloning atop genetic engineering?
Review: Perhaps too conceptualized for some tastes, but it is that cold conceptual feel that is the emotion that the film attempts and i feel succeeds at making you feel. This is the film that earns Ethan Hawke my respects as an actor, and casts Uma Thurman in a role that so very subtly fits her natural style and appearance. Jude Law is fast becoming a personal favorite actor of mine as well (as he & 'teddy' are the only 2 memorable characters in the oddly boring "A.I." released this summer). This movie wants you to think about genetics and humans infecting the genepool with supposed persons with higher potential. While it does suggest that a system fully reliant on genetics is a poor choice for the future, it doesn't tell you specifically that it is something we should stop--or morever, that we can stop at all. to me, there are two classic scenes, one that is a finishing metaphor for the natural born brother vs. the genetically engineered brother, where Ethan says while swimming "i never saved anything for the swim back," as he again shows he can outswim genetics. Also, i love the scene of Ethan & Uma walking between the solar panals, for this love scene is backdropped by Ethan's inability to see even her face clearly, let alone the sunrise. Very accessable plot for all--something occasionally refreshing. You will certainly enjoy the film!

Rating:
Summary: Could Have Been Much More
Review: Why is that the majority of movies as of recent portray the future to be sterile, repressed and somewhat impending? One could go out on a limb and say that they delineate fascism. Is this subliminal commentary in regards to the lessening degree of privacy that only few seem to be concerned with? Whatever the reasoning for this peculiar generalization the sci-fi section of your local video store is flooded with dismal pre/post-apocalyptic glimpses into humanities future. Due to this abundance, I was not overtly eager to see Gattaca; it seemed to be a 'been there, done that' forecast for mankind. After viewing Gattaca I can soundly say my assumptions were correct.

The setting of Gattaca is a bleak (yawn) Marxist-Hitleristic society; Marxist in respect to the idea that everyone has employment and Hitleristic in respect to the ideals of rewarding perfection and weeding out impurities. Predictably, the plot revolves around an imperfect individual named Vincent Freeman who is played by the consistently less-than-enthusiastic Ethan Hawke. Vincent needs glasses to see properly and does not have a desired body structure. His brother, Anton (Elias Koteas) is his opposite, successful and highly intelligent. Sibling rivalry aside, Vincent yearns to join society as a normal individual. Vincent enlists the aid of German (Tony Shalhoub), a so-called DNA broker who sells false identities to the genetically inferior. German sets Vincent up in a partnership with Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law), a once superior genetic specimen who has been paralyzed in an accident and is now willing to sell his prime genetic material for cash.

For the most part, the story delves into the shallow waters of predictability quickly and never really emerges. The average viewer knows before they press play where this scenario is going. It's fairly obvious that initially Vincent's plan will go smoothly, minor complication will begin to add up, a love interest will have some screen time (Uma Thurman) and it'll wrap up with a fairly anti-climactic resolution. Though that doesn't mean Gattaca can't be pretty while doing it. In fact, Gattaca's visual presentation is what salvages it from absolutely tanking. Warhol'esque modernistic landscapes litter the world of Gattaca creating an environment that is moderately visually intriguing.

With characters that are fairly two-dimensional one would figure the star power involved would try to beat some life into the dull characters and flat screenplay. It is understandable that the characters are merely consequences of their environment but some of the dialog execution in regards to tone is painfully monotonous; on occasion Gattaca sounds like a script read-through. Ethan Hawke is his usual underplayed, slightly lethargic self and is happy to demonstrate that anyone could do his job as long as they are teen-dream material. Uma Thurman is effectively listless but oddly enough, has little sexual chemistry with Hawke even though they are married off screen. Jude Law is his usual scene-stealing self but gets very little screen time. I kept half wishing that he had played Hawke's role.

The idea of use of DNA to create perfect children, or clone individuals is extremely interesting material, unfortunately it is trapped in an uninteresting movie. Gattaca tries so hard to illustrate a desolate engineered society that proper character development is neglected for a plethora of elementary DNA lessons that are largely dumb down for public consumption.

Rating:
Summary: GC-TA
Review: Wow! Thats pretty much all I can say because this film is one of the best that I have ever seen. The acting is top-notch. Uma Thurman is absolutely beutiful and puts on an excellent performace, along with Jude Law and Ethan Hawke.

The DVD is one the best translations I have ever seen as well. Extras include cut scenese, trailers, poster and photo gallery, and a neat documentory that interviews the actors and their thoughts on the film and the future as portrayed in Gattaca.

Along with a clever name, this movie has it all. Its not frusteratingly tense, but there are a few heart-pounding scenes and an excellent plot that unravvles like clockwork and isnt obvious or an overused rag either. The whole story is frighteningly believable, the soundtrack is the best I have ever heard and the Gattaca CD itself is terrific. The setting, a 1950's type retro America is perfect for the film, and gives a meloncholy feeling to it.

I cant recommend this enough. It is honestly one the best films I have ever had the pleasure of watching, and the DVD is wonderful. Buy it, you will be in for a real treat once you do.