Imagined Futures in Sci-fi: Gattaca

I am taking a course called "Utopia/Dystopia: Imagined Futures in Sci-fi" which focuses on science fiction films from the fifties to the present. I will be writing a few words about each of the films I watch in class.

Gattaca
Directed by Andrew Niccol
Released October 24, 1997

Andrew Niccol's vision of a not-too-distant future where potential is determined by genes is without question intriguing. The execution is a bit lacking, in that the dialogue is rather short and the acting is generally mediocre at best. Everyone's delivery falls flat and the scenes seem overly forced. Ethan Hawke is all panicked and nervous the whole movie, and Uma Thurman in particular is so stiff. The concept is fascinating, and the imagery is great. The film earned a deserved Oscar nomination for its art direction. Some people refer to "Gattaca" as a classic, but it is a rather a worthwhile attempt which served as a decent precursor to Niccol's next script the following year: "The Truman Show".

B-