Search - Gattaca [Widescreen/Fullscreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1997 DVD Release: 07/01/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 46 mins Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Members Wishing: 18 Genres: Science Fiction, Tech Noir, Psychological Sci-Fi See Also: Gattaca [Superbit], Gattaca [Fullscreen], Gattaca [Blu-ray], Gattaca [Special Edition], Gattaca [Special Edition] [Includes Digital Copy]

New Zealand screenwriter Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show) made his feature directorial debut with this science fiction drama, set in a future when one's life is determined by genetic engineering rather than education or experience. The wealthy can choose the genetic makeup of their descendants. People are designed to fit into whatever role is decided before birth. But what happens when someone desires another way of life? Citizens in this impersonal future-world are fashioned as perfect specimens, so those in the natural-born minority are viewed as inferior to the pre-planned perfect specimens (aka "Valids") who dominate. One of the natural-borns (aka "In-Valids"), Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), has several defects (poor vision, emotional problems, and short 30-year life expectancy), but he also develops a different outlook on his pre-ordained fate. He yearns to break free from society's constraints, and he dreams of a journey into space as a Gattaca Corp. navigator. To accomplish his goal, he enlists the aid of DNA broker German (Tony Shalhoub) and makes contact with Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), who was paralyzed in an accident and is willing to sell his superior genetic materials. Vincent assumes Jerome's identity and is scheduled for a flying mission. However, a week before his flight, a Gattaca mission director is murdered, and all members of the program are the suspects. Meanwhile, he develops a romantic interest in a beautiful Valid, Irene (Uma Thurman), prevented from going into space because of her heart defect. Tracked by a relentless investigator who is methodically jigsawing all the pieces together, Jerome finds his aspirations dissolving into stardust. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Ethan Hawke - Vincent Freeman
Uma Thurman - Irene
Jude Law - Jerome Morrow
Gore Vidal - Director Joseph
Alan Arkin - Detective Hugo
Xander Berkeley - Dr. Lamar

Written and directed by Andrew Niccol (writer of The Truman Show), the genetics thriller Gattaca will probably go down as one of the classiest and most elegant sci-fi films of the 1990s. It is certainly well-respected by fans of the genre, and Columbia TriStar should satisfy most of those fans with this DVD edition. The effectiveness of Gattaca's cold, clinical vision of the near future is maximized on this disc by a widescreen anamorphic transfer, which delivers every detail of the film with crystal clarity. The sound quality throughout is equally high, with Michael Nyman's score in particular benefiting from the Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The special features on the disc are good, though not outstanding. There are some reasonable production notes and the original theatrical trailer (although the latter makes the film look much duller and clichéd than it actually is). The featurette is short and contains all-too-brief contributions from Niccol, producer Danny DeVito, and the film's outstanding cast. By far the best additional feature is the deleted scenes section. The footage here is rough but very interesting, and includes scenes which flesh out Ethan Hawke's relationship with janitor Ernest Borgnine plus a text coda listing great scientists, athletes, and so on who would not have been born in Gattaca's world of genetic engineering. The lack of a commentary is disappointing, but otherwise this is a smooth and commendable DVD. ~ Patrick Lee, All Movie Guide