Problem Of Genetic Engineering In Gattaca

The primary purpose of a text is to entertain. This is evident in Andrew Niccol’s 1997 science fiction film, Gattaca, which presents a world where human nature triumphers over a society in which having the perfect DNA is the only measure of success. Vincent freeman is displayed as the protagonist of the film where he overcomes his weaknesses through hard work and consistent determination to achieve his goals at the Gattaca Space Academy. Through the use of a “borrowed ladder” Vincent consumes the identity of Jerome Eugene Morrow, a flawless genotype and fraudulently secures himself a place at Gattaca. Everything in Gattaca is driven by eugenics and it has come to a point where people have become so focused on genetic engineering that anyone who isn’t engineered is labelled as ‘invalid’. An oppressive system has been created not by intention but by the simple choices of individuals and their applications of scientific theory. Through the themes of perfection, science vs religion and the underdog are present in Gattaca viewers are entertained by these challenging beliefs.

Children in Gattaca are engineered to have the best genetic characterises out of their parents, ‘I’ve taken the liberty to eradicate any potentially prejudicial conditions… Your child doesn’t need any additional burdens. And keep in mind this child is still you, simply the best of you. The idea that everyone has to be perfect to be successful is taught from an early age in Gattaca, anything less than 100% is failure. This becomes emotionally stunting and teaches people that they are not good enough which is a reason the film would entertain an audience. Ambition and determination will surpass any fate, from a young age Vincent had been told “The only way you will get to see a spaceship is if you are the one cleaning it”, he truly believed that there was “no gene for fate’ which allowed Vincent to go against this in order to surpass their dreams The mis – ene – scene of Eugene surrounded by empty bottles of liquor around the DNA structured staircase, accompanied by a close up of him smoking a cigarette dictates that Eugene is constantly reminded he is unable to climb the DNA staircase to the next floor, in this scene the wheelchair and he staircase bestow a visual metaphor to Eugene’s incompetence to living up to his perfect genetic structure.

Gattaca is a world in which genetic engineering has been left rampant by beliefs and ethical debate. Viewers are entertained by the prominent theme of science vs Religion in the film as it challenges people’s beliefs. The geneticist had told Vincent’s parents that “You can conceive a thousand times naturally and never get such a result”, proving that the world was dominated by the scientific belief. Genetic purity exists with the use of symbolism, as the stairs in Jerome’s apartment were made to replicate a helical structure, like of DNA. The architecture being angular like the modification of DNA, the title of the film letters, G,A,T,C which stand for the 4 nucleobases of DNA and lack of individuality evident through costuming as it is all very simple, monochromatic and structured which the clean society of Gattaca is forced to deteriorate. Constant birds eye views suggest a reduction in humanity in a world where technical advances are highly valued. In the opening scene of Gattaca, Niccol uses a rhetorical question, “Consider what Gods handiwork who can straighten what he hath made crooked.” This direct quote to leads an allusion and open-ended question which is symbolic to the idea that not a single person has the authority to replace nature’s way, through this Niccol gives emphasis to the concerns of impeding with nature and the expanding criticism of secularism in the era where ‘faith births’ are not valid. The label “valid’ is shown in a close up shot on the computer monitor during a substance testing this portrays the idea that an individual’s genes decides their worth in society and segregates the genetically privileged from the faith-births. “I’ll never understand what possessed my mother to put her faith in god’s hands”, there is demonic connotations to the word possessed to god. Everyone in Gattaca seems accepting and passive in their place in society, except Vincent which entertains the intended audience as we see beliefs being disregarded in a society.

Vincent being born in a world where restrictions were made depending on whether or not you had the necessary genetic traits “discrimination down to a science”, this prohibited Vincent from pursuing his goals entertains the audience. At the time of Vincent’s birth his “life expectancy was 30.2years”. Throughout the film we constantly see Vincent being subjected as the/an underdog from the superior ‘valid’ caste. When Vincent was younger and applied for kindergarten he was denied access due to his condition, the tall imposing gate slammed into Vincent’s face, we see a close up shot of his small hands gripping the thick steel bar, through symbolic chasm we see Vincent being locked out of society due as he is unable to open the gates, which represents the separation between the ‘invalids’ and the ‘valids’. Irony is relevant in the hidden idea of human frailty -that Vincent is a stronger character than Jerome and is determined to achieve his dreams to succeed against the odds and faces extreme adversaries as he cheats his way through society posing as the genetically perfect and valid Jerome Morrow. When we see Vincent scrubbing himself on the shore, we symbolise the oceans ability to cleanse and revitalise. This illustrates that Vincent is scrubbing away the struggle of the day to prepare himself for another day of treading water in this viscous sea of genetic manipulation, emotionally he feels as he is drowning. Toward the end of the film we discover that Vincent challenges the assumptions of the society and proves that you need more than human spirit to achieve success which assists to entertain an audience.