Despite the fact that the movie was filmed in 1997, “Gattaca” still manages to convince viewers that they are witnessing a simulation of the future. While genetic engineering is no longer just a concept, at the time of the film’s production, the human genome still had yet to be fully decoded. Actually, it took a full four years after the movie’s release for science to finally complete the project, let alone propose ideas of human DNA experimentation. With this, Andrew Niccol’s writing captured my attention from the start of the film, specifically when Anton was being predesigned by his parents, until the end of the film, when Hawke’s natural-born character overcomes the “Valid” dominated earth in order to follow his dreams.

With minor discrepancies, including the lack of video surveillance pretty much everywhere and the ridiculous idea that Ethan Hawke and Jude Law look anything alike, the screenplay itself is decently written. Possibly the result of watching “Gravity” by Alfonso Cuarón last night, I can’t help but compare and contrast the film with “Gattaca.” While both movies were made in two completely different eras of cinematic technology and advancement, “Gattaca” felt more developed than the former with a smooth flow from start to finish. The motifs of the heart conquering the body, from Vincent’s health problems to Irene’s heart defect (although she is a Valid), both become symbols of nature defying technology. Vincent defies the medical prognosis given to him from birth and outsmarts both the Gattaca organization and the detectives involved in solving the case. Building off of that last part however, I was a bit unsettled by the idea of Vincent’s brother being the detective on the scene. It felt kind of like “Gravity” at that point, in the sense that the writer is trying too hard to tie the story back together. At a certain point it becomes corny and overdone. This even extends to the scene where Jerome burns himself alive with his second place medal around his neck. I mean, come on. However the biggest issue with the film would have to be the culprit in the crime. A decent motive, it is said that Director Josef killed his coworker because they no longer wanted to fund the trip and he wouldn’t live to see the next one. The problem with this was his total cooperation with authorities literally the day before the flight. I highly doubt they let him out of the jail cell to watch the take off. Additionally, if Josef was willing to kill a man to see the aircraft take flight, why wouldn’t he be willing to take the blame for a murder he didn’t commit to benefit the same purpose?

While certain points can be a bit unclear and underdeveloped, the key motifs and plot points really make up for the loose ends. A prime example would be the references made to identity. From the moment Vincent is born, his identity is changed and later given to his genetically engineered brother. Then he is forced to take the identity of Jerome in order to accomplish his dreams of flying through space, although it really is Vincent who was putting in all the work. The identity motif follows Vincent all the way to the end, past his encounter with Irene and Jerome, and to the last scene when the medical examiner allows him to board the space craft despite having failed the urine test. At that moment, it is Vincent, not Jerome, that gets on that spaceship and leaves the earth’s atmosphere.

Along with other artsy developments throughout the plot line, such as the value of the ocean, the clouds clearing from the sky to reveal stars, and Vincent saving his brother’s life twice, “Gattaca” proves to be an entertaining movie with thought evoking dialogue as the dispute between nature and science rages on.