LogFAQs > #913155796

"I first saw this movie in high school when we were discussing genetics, and it still holds up. Its one of the least expansive movies on the list so far, and it doesnt require many (or any, even?) special effects to nail the sci-fi aspect of it plot. Its just a matter of creating the conceit of a society in which your genetic predisposition is enough for you to live comfortablyor live in a lower class. The general plot is interesting enough in its own right: guy with bad genes hires a crippled guy with good genes to give him his life, so he can become an astronaut. The bad gene guy works hard to prove nurture over nature, and everything works out for him. But what really impresses me is the amount of work that goes into maintaining the lie. All those contraptions for storing urine or blood or dead hair/skin cellsits really cool to picture this as being a reality. Its still a bit dark and gritty, but it works in this instance." ~Inviso

"We're making a statement about eugenics, and everybody's here! Seriously, a lot of people are here not only the obvious, our stars, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman (both in good form), but also a veritable parade of likable character actors. George Mason is here! So is Hank Schrader, and Grandpa Edwin Hoover! The list goes on!

In all seriousness, this movie is really good for the most part, with a few problems. There're some clunky lines of dialogue, some pretty bad blue-screen effects, and there's also the absurd claim that Schubert's Impromptu No. 3 in G-flat major requires 12 fingers to play. The things that work really work, though, thanks to some well-paced editing, great cinematography, and strong performances from the aforementioned stacked cast, who are all giving this material their all. I will admit that Gattaca squicked me out, as a person who really hates needles and having her blood drawn, but in the way that seems to have been part of the idea of the film in the first place. I can see why it wasn't a huge crowd-pleaser in 1997, but I can definitely also see where its reputation as a critical darling and cult classic come from. Also, this movie features way better use of green as a prominent color than Soylent Green. Just saying." ~KBM

"An intelligent thriller that delves deep into human engineering, Hawke is great in the film and its ideas are always tense and exciting. Some of the other characters are relatively uninteresting and its concepts are always greater than its plot, but still its a film that got me thinking for sure. " ~Snake

"There are some intriguing ideas in this movie, but I feel those ideas arent explored as much as to my liking. Those ideas get overshadowed by the a simply okay romance and the hammering in of the message of the movie. The movie can also drag itself out a bit. " ~JONA
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"It is too easy being monsters. Let us try to be human." ~Victor Frankenstein, Penny Dreadful