The 2nd Science Fiction Hall of Fame

Synopsis: A man born through 'natural means' is considered to be genetically inferior to those who are genetically enhanced at birth. He dreams of going into space but society only allows him menial jobs. So he assumes the identity of a genetically superior man in order to pursue his dreams. And in doing so has committed a crime.

Review: Uma Thurman sure looks good in this film. But what's really impressive is how her (and the other characters) are handled by the director. She's coldly dispassionate and emotional controlled. All the genetically superior employees of Gattaca are like that.

That photo I used really conveys well the 'perfect world' of those who have superior genes...they're almost dehumanized by their superior conformity. And that's just what the corporations want. The director plays on this perfect genes-equals cold as ice theme, with other character pairings:

Vincent (Ethan Hawke) is the natural born child, who's full of spirit but with crummy health...In contrast is his genetically superior manufactured brother Anton, who's analytical and icy.

With the two police investigators pairing, there's: Alan Arkin who's eluded to being a natural born child, full of personality but not as bright as his younger but superior partner, who's got the personality of an machine.

Gattaca is an awesome film and one of the best examples of existential Sci-Fi. The director expertly down plays any sci fi elements in the film, which gives it credibility. The cars are old models, the clothing is sedate, there's no high tech CG props...in fact the film starts off by saying it's set in the very near future.This isn't your typical Sci Fi film.

I thought Ethan Hawke was excellent. The huge amount of effort that he was willing to undertake so that he could go on a space missions, said a lot about the human need to overcome obstacles. And that's what the film is really about. Jude Lawe as his counter balance was a perfect metaphor for having it all and being miserable as well. He too did a great job in this and both character's had a surprisingly balanced personal relationship on the screen.



So that was my old review, and I agree with myself! Go figure But what I noticed on a second viewing was how captivating the film's ambiance and atmosphere was. The sets were stunningly reserved elegance, done in a mid century modern retro look. Damn beautiful. I can't think of another film that makes such striking sets. I loved the choice of the old Studebaker Avanti cars and other classic car models. And one of the best looking refrigerators I've seen in a movie is the one in Vincent's parents house. The vastness and use of negative space in Jerome's apartment is way cool! What a great looking film. This is going to finish right towards the top of my list.

While Timecrimes does have an intriguing set-up, once the narrative device is established, the film becomes incredibly predictable. It does have some unexpected and welcome moments of dark humour, but the story needed to lean much harder in that direction to prevent it from becoming boring. It's a difficult film to talk about without getting into spoilers, so skip the next paragraph if you haven't seen it, and want to go in blind.

Hector's situation is initially somewhat sympathetic, that is until the identity of his pursuer becomes clear. After that point, his increasingly poor decisions reveal him to be a wholly unlikeable character. The causal loop he finds himself in is ultimately unsatisfying because the instigating actions occur with no motivation, and are only carried out because they did so previously. A less contrived reason for Hector's behaviour would have a huge impact on my enjoyment of the story, or an obviously deteriorating state of mind would suffice as well.

That's not to say that Timecrimes was a bad or unenjoyable film though. It does a good job weaving events together, even if the reasoning behind them is questionable. It also remains easy to follow until the very end, unlike other films with a similar scientific premise. While the direction the plot went in was disappointing, I quite liked the ending, mainly due to its touch of dark comedy. I expected more than what we were left with, but it's still entertaining as it is.