The movie critique portion of this review was written by my colleague Jessica Gonzales.
Humans are imperfect. Hey, that’s why they make erasers on pencils, right? We all have an understanding and therefore, a kind of patience with our own and others’ flaws. Even with the understanding that no one is perfect, the amount of pressure we put on ourselves and others is almost unbearable at times. It can break us, but what if our society discriminated against the very specific genetic code you are composed of? Your genetic imperfections would then classify you as something “other,” and the social classes would no longer be based on wealth or the color of your skin but on your design as a human being and the very cells that make up your body.
In the 1997 sci-fi drama, Gattaca, that is the very society Vincent, played by Ethan Hawke, is living in. He had the distinct misfortune of being born out of love instead of being genetically engineered by his parents. On his first day on Earth, his parents are told the most likely cause of his death is a heart defect that would cause heart failure at approximately age 30. Vincent then spends his life fighting against these genetic predispositions. He is relegated to an underclass of humans that is made up of people who were also not genetically engineered to be perfect. These people are called in-valids and are only used for menial jobs; they have no chance of really living. Vincent dreams of traveling into space with the spaceflight corporation, Gattaca, but it is not possible for him to get a job there beyond a janitorial position because he is an in-valid. He is determined to do whatever is necessary and soon assumes the identity of a valid man, Jerome, played by Jude Law, a former Olympic athlete who has been left paralyzed after a car accident. Working together, Jerome supplies Vincent with all the necessary DNA samples (blood, urine, skin, and hair) to pass as a valid at Gattaca so he can become a navigator and travel to Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. He meets Irene there, played by Uma Thurman, who has a more mild heart condition but is still considered a valid and falls in love with her. When there is a murder at the corporation, the ongoing investigation leaves Vincent in danger of being discovered and losing his chance of leaving Earth.
This film is a particular style of sci-fi drama that just isn’t made anymore; It seems to be secluded to the 90s and early aughts. The visual style is dark and stunning, reminiscent of a high fashion ad, and a grand, sweeping, orchestral score flows throughout the film. The story plays out on screen like a perfectly written sci-fi short story that could have been penned by Ray Bradbury. The performances by Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law are all strong and fit the characters perfectly. All of these things come together to make a film that is deeply moving and beautiful. It seems we humans will always find something to dislike about one another, and even when the playing field is leveled with genetic engineering, the ones who are punished and discriminated against are the ones who are born out of the only human thing that is left in this kind of dystopian world, even if it appears to be dying out with each passing year: love and human connection. People are bred to be machines that excel in their fields without the hindrances of mental illness or chronic medical conditions. Yet while watching this film, it is obvious that the one thing they could not genetically modify is the strength of the human spirit.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Gattaca offers a noticeable uptick in quality in almost every respect over the accompanying aging Blu-Ray. This transfer was derived from a fresh remaster of the original camera negative, and the results are stunning. The film is one that has a very stylized and sleek look to suit the picture perfect atmosphere, and this transfer honors the artistic intent beautifully. This is a perfect world where everything is supposed to be perfectly composed so rough lines are not to be found. This is a razor sharp image that previous releases could not come close to touching. The transfer allows for some nice textural moments within the costumes and facial details. The improvement in the black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with excellent detail.
When compared to Blu-Ray, the 4K version allows for way more depth, clarity and stability to the image. The film grain looks incredibly natural and well resolved throughout the runtime. This could come across a bit noisy at times, but this is natural to the filmic nature of the product and does not appear as clumpy or unsightly. The highlights are balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. This disc puts the High Dynamic Range to good use, especially in the nuances in the different sterile shades of blue, grey and silver. Digital anomalies such as compression artifacts or noise reduction are not apparent. Even some of the wobbly white text on the Blu-Ray is rendered stable in this presentation. This is a very natural looking transfer that gives the film a three dimensional feel that’s a pleasing improvement from the Blu-Ray. It is simply out of this world.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a lively Dolby Atmos presentation that handles the beats of the story incredibly well. The track offers expert level immersion into the environment so that even the subtlest elements are represented. The Atmos presentation takes full advantage of the expanded channel allotment. During the scenes at Gattaca, idle office chatter and announcements from overhead put you right into the setting. Similarly, the opening moments of the falling fingernails and skin cells sound unreal with the height channels. All of the sounds are balanced well during the more kinetic sequences, such as when Vincent has to blindly cross the highway while cars whirl past him. This and other such kinetic moments provide a fantastic amount of activity in the low end. Directionality of sound is never an issue with this track, and dialogue is reproduced with supreme clarity. Speakers remain remarkably engaged throughout the film, even during the quieter moments. The film establishes an impressive room tone that makes you feel like you are right there beside the characters. The audio presentation is a wonderful experience from start to finish.
Special Features
Sony has provided Gattaca with a sleek new copper-colored Steelbook that is truly lovely in person. The front artwork is a nicely animated depiction of Vincent with a wheelchair-bound Jerome behind him in shadow, and the rear features Irene in a cocktail dress with a rocket launching in the bottom left. The interior sports a deep purple background. Photos of the Steelbook can be found at the end of this review.
- Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half minute trailer is included which does a nice job of setting up the conflict of the film. You don’t get voice-over narration like this much anymore.
- Substance Test Outtake: A humorous 30-second outtake from the film in which Xander Berkeley commits a little too much.
- Original Featurette: A seven-minute promotional piece that features some insights from the cast and crew but relies heavily on clips from the film. Nothing too substantial.
- Welcome To Gattaca: A 22-minute featurette which reflects upon the production and legacy of the film with the cast and crew. The participants discuss the direction of Andrew Niccol, the casting of the film, the production design and look of the film, an unused ending to the film and more. This is a really nice piece that fans of the film should enjoy.
- Do Not Alter?: A fifteen-minute featurette narrated by Gore Vidal which explores genetic engineering and the ethics and controversies surrounding the subject.
- Deleted Scenes: Six scenes totaling 11 minutes are provided here in very rough standard definition. There are additional scenes with Ernest Borgnine, an extended version of Vincent’s parents visiting the Eighth Day Center, the unused coda for the film and more. There are some moments definitely worth checking out.
Final Thoughts
Gattaca is the perfect blend of thoughtful scientific extrapolation with major studio crowd-pleasing intrigue that makes this one a cinematic classic. Every element from the direction to the production design to the script itself is given such thoughtful consideration. The talented ensemble is likewise beyond reproach, as Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law and everyone else are giving their all to this production. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray gives this film a whole new life with a tremendous A/V presentation and the legacy extras ported over on the Blu-Ray. Couple this with a gorgeous SteelBook packaging, and this is a release that should not be missed. If you are a fan of the film, you owe it to yourself to track this down as soon as possible. Highly Recommended
Gattaca is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in Limited Edition SteelBook Packaging.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
