The Perfection of Gattaca

"Gattaca" is a sometimes exciting action science-fiction motion picture about a world dominated by genetic engineering and the myth of perfection. It's supposedly 21st-century society maps almost everybody's destiny at birth through genetic engineering, and frowns upon people who destroy the myth by not being "perfect." Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, "Gattaca" won a 1997 Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.

Vincent Freeman, the leading character played by Ethan Hawke, was imperfect. Conceived by sexual intercourse, he was born chronically ill and not expected to live past 30 years of age. Raised with his knowledge, and his genetically superior younger brother Anton (Loren Dean), Vincent spent his life overachieving, trying to break his limit. But his destiny was up for grabs, and because he was part of a permanent underclass-the genetically inferior breeds, who only get menial jobs, he was willing to sacrifice almost everything for a slim chance at his dream of reaching the stars.

So Vincent went underground through the help of an identity broker. To be able to participate in the space program, he changed his identity to masquerade as the genetically superior Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law). Morrow was an unknown British man left paraplegic by an accident. Vincent used Morrow's DNA, hair, blood and urine specimens to pass the entry exams and medical checkups organized by Gattaca, the corporation which handles the space program.

Once inside, Vincent rose to be a favorite of the director of Gattaca, and begins a romance with a colleague named Irene, played by Uma Thurman.

Suddenly, the head of the space agency is killed. Police investigators are called in. Every sample of DNA that was left around the office becomes, in their eyes, the trail of the killer.

Although the matter settled itself in the end, and Vincent got to live out his dream of being an astronaut as well as being found innocent, "Gattaca" became a sort of paranoid thriller about borrowed identities and murder.

This film proves relevant by relating to the understanding of technology that is happening currently, and possible future technologies. "Gattaca" belongs in a science fiction category, and features an environment dominating futuristic technological influence. Vincent's struggle with his inadequacies, and his final acceptance into the world he desired can be used as a metaphor for the achievement of man in the technological field.

I believe that this film could motivate physically and mentally impaired people to achieve beyond the capacities of what their society has cast into their lives. "Gattaca" has made a real impact on my life, knowing that a person like Vincent, an outcast in his society, could meet his dream, no matter how much it took to do it.

This film is available from the following places on the World Wide Web:

*http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/gattaca/

*http://www.blockbuster.com/search/product/products?keyword=Gattaca

*http://video.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.asp?quickSearchType=TTL&FRM=0&quickSearchText=Gattaca&box=Gattaca&pos=-1