Synopsis
Set in the 21st century, Gattaca gives one perspective of what the future of discrimination is to become: DNA. “No longer determined by social status or the color of your skin, no, we now have discrimination down to a science.” Gattaca is similar to our current NASA, a space agency in the future that is only open to those with the “right things.” Children, for those who can afford it, are now created by DNA manipulation, called “valids.” You can essentially buy whatever traits you would like for your baby.
Vincent was conceived as a “natural birth” because his parents wanted it that way, but their next child, Anton, was a valid. Vincent’s dream had always been to go to Gattaca. However, his DNA had already been analyzed by Gattaca and been determined to be “in-valid.” The act of discriminating based on someone’s DNA is called genoism. Vincent is of course rejected from Gattaca and has to result to becoming a janitor. However, he never loses his dream of going to in to space, and thus takes steps several others have to obtain his goal.
Vincent decides to become a “de-generate,” or a “borrowed ladder” with the help of a DNA Broker. A DNA Broker finds valids that for one reason or another decide to not take part in the social world, and allow an in-valid to take over their genetic identity. Vincent’s DNA Broker determines that Jerome Eugene Morrow is a good candidate. The only problem is that Jerome is over an inch taller than Vincent. A radical surgery ensues. In the end, with the use of finger-masks (silicone fingerprints filled with valid blood), urine pouches, blood pouches, and contact lenses, Vincent immediately is hired by Gattaca. In addition to these measures, he must remove all in-valid material, such as loose skin, from his body as possible everyday.
The Essay on GATTACA: ‘Vincent is supposed to be weak. Yet his strength of character is the key to the story.’
‘Vincent is supposed to be weak. Yet his strength of character is the key to the story.’ Discuss. The film text ‘Gattaca’, directed by Andrew Niccol can be seen as a piece that draws many parallels to the world that we live in today. One such parallel is the fact that often in society, the ones who are at a disadvantage are the ones who display the greatest strength of character. ...
Everything goes well until the mission-director at Gattaca is murdered, who also happens to be the only one who had come close to discovering Vincent’s true identity. The irony is that Vincent must be even more careful now because law enforcement is all over the place. To add a twist, the lead investigator happens to be Anton, Vincent’s valid brother. The interesting thing is that Anton, who in childhood was always negative towards his brother, seemed to be trying to prevent the discovery of Vincent during the investigation.
The savior for Vincent turns out to be Gattaca’s physician who has known since the beginning that Vincent was an in-valid, but was sympathetic because his own son was a natural birth, so he tricked the computers into thinking Vincent was a valid.
Description of Biology Presented
The main biology present in this movie is DNA. The entire movie revolves around how DNA affects the world. Everyone is identified through DNA.
Fiction vs. Reality
The interesting thing about this movie is that much of the fiction is not that difficult to believe. DNA is taking from pinprick fingertip blood samples and analyzed within seconds. Currently, it several minutes to gain a basic DNA fingerprint such as that used in law enforcement today. Obviously, current technology could not accomplish what is done in Gattaca. Entire DNA sequences are also printed out in seconds after a sample is given. Today, it takes years to decode an entire DNA sequence of a human genome. Other than the quickness at which DNA can be analyzed, the movie is very realistic. Leg extensions like that done to Vincent can be, and are done today under extreme circumstances. Electric cars are gaining ever more popularity, however not to the point of Gattaca’s acceptance. We also of course have a space program, NASA, but we do not have nine launches a day, nor manned missions to Mars.
The Essay on Hollywood History Movie Producers Today
Even though a vast majority of us wish that it was possible to turn back the hands of time and change or rewrite history. However, the truth of the matter is that we simply cannot. Everything happens for a reason, and we should learn to accept it. Accept it for what it is, rather than what we would like it to be. However, to often in Hollywood the city of glamour and glitz, fortune and fame, movie ...
Views, Science, Recommendation
I believe the movie was very effective. When I initially heard about it while watching the NOVA program in class, I did not expect it to be a feature film or a good one at that. I started to watch it and loved the film. I was very impacted by the way it was presented and frightened that the discrimination taking place in Gattaca could one day turn into a reality.
The science was easy to understand, whether or not you have any background in biology. Although, some phrases would not make much sense without a background, such as a “borrowed ladder” coming from the ladder shape of an unwound DNA double-helix.
