Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk3jiCyjL6Q
Gattaca by Andrew Niccol, is a prime example of an existentialist film dealing with the idea that man alone is responsible for his destiny. The film stresses the importance of both human freedom and individuality. Gattaca is set in a “not-too-distant-future society where children are essentially designed through genetic diagnosis to make sure they inherit the best qualities of their parents. “Valids” are the humans that were genetically designed while “in-valids” were the humans that were born naturally. The different types of births form 2 distinct social classes. Valids are smarter, healthier, more physically fit and much more respected in society. In-valids on the other hand are the opposite and live to an average age of 32 while valids can live to their 100’s and beyond. These invalids have high risks of genetic diseases where as their compliments do not. The society has laws against genetic discrimination but valids tend to make up the upper class and have the best jobs while in-valids represent the lower class and hold menial jobs.
The main character is an in-valid named Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke). Vincent has very high chance of developing mental disorders, a heart defect, poor eyesight and is projected to live only 30.2 years. His parents realized the error in choosing the natural birth so on their next try they went the more genetic and safer route with their son Anton Freeman. Vincent’s brother Anton, being a valid, is everything Vincent is not. Anton is far more physically fit and healthier although the two brothers are pretty much equals with intellect. The two play a game of chicken throughout their youth where they swim out into the ocean and whoever turns back first loses. Anton wins every time until they are young adults, right before Vincent leaves home. They both swim out farther and farther but Anton begins to drown and Vincent, who wins, ends up saving his “superior” sibling. Vincent’s goal is to work for the space agency Gattaca and eventually fly into space but his genetic inferiority reminds him again and again that his dream is pretty much impossible. Why let an in-valid into space when you can use a much more superior valid?
****WARNING SPOILERS BEGIN BELOW****
The only way for Vincent to achieve his dream is to become a “borrowed ladder”. A borrowed ladder is someone who impersonates a valid with a superb genetic background. Vincent finds the valid Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law), a valid with a genetic profile that is incomparable. Jerome was a swimming star injured in a car accident and paralyzed from the waste down. He is confined to his wheel chair for the centuries he has yet to live. Vincent moves in and purchases Jerome’s identity, using his valid DNA in blood, hair, urine and tissue samples to pass the mandatory screenings of everyday life. In their society, all it takes is a tiny prick of blood to determine if someone is an in-valid or valid so without this borrowed ladder, Vincent would have no shot of successfully achieving his dream. Everyday Vincent must scrub away as much dead skin, loose hair, etc. as he can and rub on some of Jerome’s genetic material to protect his identity.
After being accepted into Gattaca’s Space Program, Vincent (who is now technically Jerome) becomes the top space navigator and is assigned to the space mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. Just about a week before the scheduled year long mission, one of the administrators is found murdered in his office and an eyelash of Vincent (the real Vincent) is found on the scene, making him a prime suspect. While doing his best to avoid being discovered, Vincent becomes close to his coworker valid Irene (Uma Thurman) who can never enter space because of her slight heart defect. Vincent also learns that Eugene (what the real Jerome Morrow is called by) was not in a car accident but rather tried to commit suicide by jumping in front of one. After winning his silver medal in swimming, Eugene could simply not live with his genetic perfection.
Vincent eventually reveals his identity to Irene who accepts him for who he is. After many more close calls with the detectives, led by a mysterious chief detective, the investigation comes to a close after it is discovered the Mission Director murdered the administrator to stop the space mission to Titan. Vincent now feels free and in the clear until he discovers the chief detective that was pursuing him all along was actually his brother Anton. Anton is not happy with Vincent and accuses him of fraud and says Vincent will never belong in Gattaca. Vincent replies that he has done this all on his own and the two challenge each other to one last game of chicken. The two begin the game and history repeats itself, Anton begins to drown, Vincent saves him and is crowned the winner. Anton asks Vincent how he did and Vincent replies, “I never saved anything for the swim back” which reveals his motto, only strive to go forward towards your goals and hold nothing back.
On the day of the launch Vincent says goodbye to Jerome and Jerome says he has left Vincent enough genetic material to last 2 lifetimes as a borrowed ladder. Vincent thanks Jerome but Jerome wishes to thank Vincent for lending him his dreams and gives Vincent a letter but says not to open it until he’s in space. Back at the space center, Vincent is stopped for one last urinary test by Dr. Lamar (who has tested him for years) but Vincent does not have Jerome’s urine samples with him. Vincent’s identity is revealed on the machine but Dr. Lamar does not care and tells Vincent the story of his son who admires Vincent and dreams to be an astronaut but has a genetic defect. The doctor then removes the tests results and tells Vincent he better not miss his flight.
Back at home, Jerome takes his medal and enters his house’s incinerator and turns it on. Up in space, Vincent opens the letter and sees a clump of Jerome Morrow’s hair. Staring into space and a bit sad, Vincent leaves the audience with his final thoughts, “They say that every atom in our bodies was once part of a star. Maybe I’m not leaving; maybe I’m coming home.”
***SPOILERS END***
The existential ideas of the importance of human individuality and freedom among its characters can be seen easily. This society has lost its identity. The technology (mainly reproductive technology) has created a great loss in individual identity and a sense of authenticity. People’s futures are determined from the start limiting their decisions, dreams and desires.
Vincent, and all the other invalids are destined for a life of struggle and sadness from conception. Their genetic differences prevent them from doing what they want to do. At least that is how it appears to be. Vincent takes matters into his own hands and goes against the odds. He begins to form his own destiny, not the one predetermined to him before his birth. Vincent does whatever it takes to achieve his goal of becoming an astronaut. He becomes a silent spokesperson for existential ideology. The in-valid shapes his own destiny, even if it means uses someone else’s identity to achieve it. Vincent’s whole life demonstrates the idea that he left nothing for the “swim” back. All of his decisions were made in a forward direction. He did not plan or worry about a backup goal. His goal was to become an astronaut and that was that. Vincent took freedom and placed it under his control, defying his society. He cleverly fooled his world and revealed his passionate desire to do what he WANTS to do not what he was predestined to do.
Irene, unlike Vincent, was a genuine valid. She too dreamed of becoming an astronaut but she had the unfortunate luck of having a slight risk of heart failure. Because of that slight risk, she could not fulfill her dreams. Vincent essentially grabbed the bull by the horns but Irene did not have the strength to. Perhaps it was because she was already told by her authorities that she could never go to space but regardless, her society has shaped what she can and cannot do, robbing her of individuality and freedom. Just like Dr. Lamar’s son, I believe Irene also gains hope from Vincent’s actions and immeasurable desire to succeed.
Jerome Morrow is a unique individual. The man who connects Vincent with Jerome says that this guy (Jerome) could live to be 1000. Jerome’s genetics were the best, simply put. He was the ideal perfect human being. With perfection comes responsibility however. After dominating the swim scene, Jerome realized he found no joy in being perfect, in being the best. His perfection tortured him. Just like all those celebrities and people who have everything yet spiral into trouble, addiction and sadness, the perfection proved to be just to much more Jerome. By ending his life Jerome would be free of this burden, this birthright to domination. Evidently it was not Jerome’s time to go and his decision to commit suicide leaves him only paralyzed. In a way his choice allows him to become the borrowed ladder for Vincent, showing the existential idea that one mans decisions affect everyone. Since conception Jerome was destined for personal suffering. His birth would bring about a horrible burden that would eventually bring him much depression and anxiety. His parents and society designed him to be that which he did not want to be. His individuality was robbed from the start, for a grand portion of his life. He was not authentic, he was the perfect human, the ideal life form but not to himself. In a way, the wheel chair was the best thing that happened to him. Even though he may have wished again and again to be able to walk and swim, it allowed him to meet Vincent and successfully remove his own personal burden. His suicide at the end shows that he did not ask to be perfect, it was not what he wanted, he wanted to be free and be himself. Jerome epitomizes how perfection does not guarantee happiness, but rather indifference towards the world and its ways.
Vincent and Jerome work in tandem. They learn so much from one another and essentially live through one another. They exemplify the strong need for individuality and freedom. While one may have lived and one may have died, in the end I think its safe to say they were truly happy for once.
Now if we look at Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, I think a comparison can definitely be made between Vincent Freeman and Bernard Marx. Bernard was at the top of his society’s cast in name but not exactly in appearance. Marx had the physical appearance of a lowly Gamma, widely believed to be because of an accident when he was being bottled (genetically engineered). Bernard has trouble asserting authority over the lower castes, since he appears so similar to one. He is a part of a lot of gossip among the upper caste regarding his “creation”. He also does not harbor many of the same feelings his “brothers” do. Bernard does not look at women as simply objects of sex, does not enjoy taking the relaxing drug Soma, and enjoys peace and tranquility to community activities among other things. Like Vincent, Bernard is at a loss because of physical and genetic traits. While Vincent was predestined for menial labor, Bernard would be predestined for embarrassment and low self esteem due to his differences (despite being an Alpha Plus). Vincent takes matters into his own hands and does his best to achieve his goals. Bernard seems to just accept his life, until stumbling upon the savage John. The savage completely turns Bernard’s world and self esteem upside down. He becomes an instant celebrity and begins to partake in all the things he detested before. Bernard’s fame inflates and escalates him to new heights, but is that what Bernard stood for all along? Here is where the two differ. Vincent strove to achieve a genuine dream, a genuine future that was denied to him. Bernard all of a sudden becomes a completely different person. That which he hated before, he began to love. Vincent stays true to himself and leaves nothing for the swim back but Bernard seems to do the opposite. After Bernard basically tries to turn John into his VIP pass, denying him of his individuality, John obviously rebels. This causes Bernard’s balloon to pop, sending him spiraling back to where he started. Vincent carefully traced his steps while Bernard did not. Mr. Marx was so caught up in his newfound respect and power but it proved to be only fleeting. Had Marx respected John (his own borrowed ladder in a way) I think things would have definitely been different. While the two men seem to be similar, I think their differences definitely outnumber the similarities. Both had their differences that held them back but Vincent was more pure, more authentic then Bernard. Vincent proved to show compassion while Bernard showed hypocrisy. Vincent shows success while Bernard shows failure. Vincent carefully created his own future despite the odds while Bernard got too caught up in the excitement and doomed himself for failure.
Overall Gattaca was a superb film with a great cast and this course allowed me to easily see the existentialist ideas present in the film. I recommend you all watch it because it really is a great film. As Sartre believed, man must make his own destiny; I believe Vincent Freemon did just that and more.
- Nick Lordi
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