Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»1532. Gattaca (1997)

    1532. Gattaca (1997)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on October 29, 2016 100-109 mins, 1997, 6 - 7.9, Drama, Movies Of 2016, Oct 16, Review, Sci-Fi, Thriller, United States
    7.6 Eerie and intriguing
    • Acting 7.5
    • Directing 7.7
    • Story 7.5
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, Uma Thurman

    Director: Andrew Niccol

    Running Time: 106 mins


    Gattaca is an American film about a near future where humans are modelled at birth to be as genetically perfect as possible. However, one man who was never born in such a way takes a daring risk by assuming the identity of a genetically superior man to achieve his lifelong dream.

    This was a pretty good film. As far as dystopian sci-fi movies go, this is one of the better ones, pulling together intriguing and complex ideas about developments in science and society, as well as an exciting and entertaining story to keep you engaged. With strong performances and a wonderful visual style, this film was a pretty entertaining watch, albeit never quite as emotionally enthralling as it perhaps wants to be.

    Let’s start off with what I liked most about this film, the directing. Andrew Niccol does an excellent job here, creating an incredibly eerie and unnerving atmosphere throughout. At times reminiscent of the likes of Logan’s Run, Niccol really understands what makes a compelling dystopian sci-fi, and that shines through so clearly in his directing style.

    On the one hand, the film’s visuals are tinted with a disturbing greenish-brown right the way through. Apart from visually reducing the glamour of everything in this future world, it’s an ingenious trick that plays on your mind throughout, and really gives the film that unsettling atmosphere that ups the stakes so much.

    What’s more is that, although it’s set in the near future, this film has a distinct noir quality to it. One man secretly on the run against all odds, featuring a femme fatale and a dastardly detective, if the setting were totally different, I could have easily taken this for an old 40s film-noir. But again, that plays into Gattaca’s brilliant ability to unnerve you, as it’s always on the edge, leaving you too on the edge of your seat right up until the end.

    Beyond the directing, the story is pretty good too. The best part of the film’s plot is its central themes and ideas about modifying human genetics and the discrimination that develops in a society as a result of that. Fascinating and very original for its time, that part of the story always provides great intrigue, and helps you to sympathise with the plight of our main character.

    The noir-esque story also gives the film a fast pace, adding to the excitement and drama of it all. However, the one issue that I do have with the story is the fact that it doesn’t quite manage to invoke the emotional reaction that it wants to. Sure, it’s easy to sympathise with the protagonist, and the central themes are definitely thought-provoking, but I felt that it was just shy of really packing an emotional punch, which would have made for an utterly enthralling watch.

    Overall, however, I really enjoyed Gattaca. Intelligent, intriguing and original, it’s a film that’ll definitely get you thinking, whilst its stylish directing throughout is always a treat, and that’s why I’m giving it a 7.6.

     

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.1
    Review
    December 14, 20220

    3978. All The President’s Men (1976)

    8.0
    Review
    January 30, 20140

    438. Frozen (2013)

    8.9
    Review
    December 13, 20140

    781. Gone Girl (2014)

    8.3
    Review
    January 10, 20150

    812. American Sniper (2014)

    9.1
    Review
    February 10, 20140

    450. All Is Lost (2013)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.