When I was a boy, I wanted to be an astronaut. My favorite TV program was “Lost in Space.” I remember fervently praying that I would be allowed to be someone who could travel to distant stars. [I became a theologian instead. Some may see a connection there. 😊] Coupled with my space odyssey, I read wild tales of mystery and suspense (think Bradbury, Serling, Asimov, and Hitchcock). My mind took me to places through my imagination. All I needed was the idea, the spark of interest, someone to tell me about possibilities, and I was off.
My mind wandered through such a maze of thought last night as I rewatched Gattaca, a not-too-distant-future idea of a boy who wanted to be something only he could dream about. This boy, Vincent, had his own dreams of space travel. It is a tale of intrigue, subterfuge, discrimination, and triumph. From this boy, now a man, I encourage a viewing (available on Netflix or a $3 rental on Prime).
Like many discrimination stories, a nameless, faceless autocracy has determined that gene manipulation is the only way to birth humans. Someone somewhere has decreed that genetic perfection is the only way to create a master-race. The less fortunate, the “In-Valid,” were given a slave position; one lower class serving those higher. And the way to know a “Valid” from an “In-Valid” is through human DNA. Every skin cell, every hair follicle, urine sample, every drop of blood served as one’s identity. The opening sequence of the film where skin and hair thud onto a table is all the viewer needs to understand the weight of each membrane. The perfect interview consisted of a “clean” DNA screening.
In an early scene a geneticist played by Blair Underwood explains to Vincent’s parents that they want a perfect brother for Vincent, a boy without genetic defect. Even though the parents argued to “leave something to chance” any possibilities of imperfection were eliminated from Vincent’s brother Anton: under a microscope. The first of three swim races display Anton’s superiority and initiates Vincent’s resolve to discover a way to overcome his crookedness.
A quotation from Ecclesiastes (7:13) opens the movie encouraging the viewer to consider that what God has made crooked cannot be straightened. A second quote suggests that tampering with Mother Nature is something Mother would want us to do. But, to me, the quote that suggests the key to the movie is the original tagline, “There is no gene for the human spirit.” Overcoming a sterile, dystopian dictatorship will take more than the material world.
Here it is important to note Andrew Niccol’s movie themes. Gattaca was written and directed by Niccol. His writing tends toward science-fiction (The Truman Show, Gattaca, S1m0ne, In Time, The Host, Anon). In a 2018 interview, Niccol said, “There is an eye-of-God perspective that I am drawn to.” To his credit, Niccol seems attracted to questions of information gathering, surveillance, governmental controls, and anti-authority. Niccol strives against anonymity, artificiality, and the invasion of individual privacy. He cares for the intersection between humanity and technology. The power of futuristic genres is caution. The question of “What if?” is an important idea: this is what will happen if we continue down this road.
For me as a theologian, more than the material universe is necessary for one’s personality; there must be a Person who establishes personhood. To overcome “In-Valid” discrimination, there must be an external, eternal ethical code that gives the basis for acceptance no matter one’s genetic makeup. Concerns about discrimination are universal concerns, transcending time, and place. The viewer is encouraged to consider what it takes to overcome the impediments of a top-down autocracy. Vincent cannot accomplish his goals by himself. Several sympathetic individuals are necessary to complete his dreams. But the viewer is also encouraged to consider, “If all I am is my genetic code what is the origin of my spirit to overcome obstacles?” and “By what authority do I know discrimination to be wrong?” These and other questions should be asked by us all.
General Questions for Discussion How is innovation corrupted by human thought or action? Do we consider the human source of invention, the creative person’s beliefs? Define the words “utopia” and “dystopia.” Has any person or group ever created a utopia? Do utopias become dystopias? Why or why not? What assumptions conflict with a Christian view of truth? What systems of thought or worldview teaching affected the approach of a director or movie? What ethical objections give the foundation for understanding for anti-discrimination? Does the writing of a screenplay suggest an ethical neutrality in research? Is the nature or definition of the film’s subject built on a worldview?