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Gattaca
This film is one of those films that you think is trying to say something about the future and how distopian it could be. I really wonder if there is ever going to be a film that shows a utopian future, probably not since it wouldn't be as interesting to watch.
Now, I made that sound like a negative, but it isn't about the film, as the world they are in is really utopian for a sect of people who is the majority in the society, but in typical film/story fashion, the story focuses not on the utopian part of society, but that of the "underclass" and one person's attempt to leave the underclass and join the utopian society, even though class is determined at birth.
This film is definitely talking about the potentially serious risks of genetic manipulation, that while they might look good are actually working against a utilitarian society.
Now I do realize that it is the majority in this society who are in the "good" (I am talking about how the utilitarian society isn't occuring in this film), but the utilitarian theory is the greatest good for the greatest number, and with this society it seems possible, and enforcable, that there could be things that would allow for the underclass to rise without hurting the upperclass much at all, and defnitely no where near as much as the upperclass believes that it would.
So this play of ideas works very nicely in the filim, and it is interesting to watch the stuggle of one person trying to get away from this underclass into the allegedly utopian society that is available for the elite.
Jude Law, Uma Thurman, and Ethan Hawke all do a good job acting in this film. Again, no Oscar winning performances, but extremely solid job of portraying their roles.
Overall, this is a very solid movie, with a good story, great ideas, and solid acting. It definitely isn't a popcorn flick that is fun to watch if you turn your mind off while doing so, but even on the simplest level it is still somewhat interesting.
Overall Grade: A-
Acting: B
Story: B+
Visual/Audio: B+
(how does that add up to an A-, I don't know, but it does)
This film is one of those films that you think is trying to say something about the future and how distopian it could be. I really wonder if there is ever going to be a film that shows a utopian future, probably not since it wouldn't be as interesting to watch.
Now, I made that sound like a negative, but it isn't about the film, as the world they are in is really utopian for a sect of people who is the majority in the society, but in typical film/story fashion, the story focuses not on the utopian part of society, but that of the "underclass" and one person's attempt to leave the underclass and join the utopian society, even though class is determined at birth.
This film is definitely talking about the potentially serious risks of genetic manipulation, that while they might look good are actually working against a utilitarian society.
Now I do realize that it is the majority in this society who are in the "good" (I am talking about how the utilitarian society isn't occuring in this film), but the utilitarian theory is the greatest good for the greatest number, and with this society it seems possible, and enforcable, that there could be things that would allow for the underclass to rise without hurting the upperclass much at all, and defnitely no where near as much as the upperclass believes that it would.
So this play of ideas works very nicely in the filim, and it is interesting to watch the stuggle of one person trying to get away from this underclass into the allegedly utopian society that is available for the elite.
Jude Law, Uma Thurman, and Ethan Hawke all do a good job acting in this film. Again, no Oscar winning performances, but extremely solid job of portraying their roles.
Overall, this is a very solid movie, with a good story, great ideas, and solid acting. It definitely isn't a popcorn flick that is fun to watch if you turn your mind off while doing so, but even on the simplest level it is still somewhat interesting.
Overall Grade: A-
Acting: B
Story: B+
Visual/Audio: B+
(how does that add up to an A-, I don't know, but it does)