This film was quite clever and a lot better than I was expecting.
This movie played a lot with color, foreshadowing, and sound. The pacing was good, and the story was engaging. There were plenty of little twists and surprises to keep the audience interested. There was also a lot of science, which I really enjoyed, but the kicker comes at the end when we realize a little common sense would have gone a long way.
The opening shots are very blue. The scene remains cool as it moves through a slow reveal and into a moderate interior. (By moderate I mean the color temperature was neither warm nor cold.) It looks like a laboratory. This is the first introduction to the science side of life, and it is done well. We watch our main character do some sciency stuff, like faking an identity, then going to a very yellow office.
The degree to which the office is yellow reflects the amount of control geneticists hold over the known world. This is a central part of the story. The ability for the genetic engineers and researchers and checkers and all them folks to do whatever, whenever, for whoever, and basically play God, is never questioned. However, like I said earlier, a little common sense would have gone a long way.Hint: he's a lefty.
The left-handedness was foreshadowing, as well as Vincent's ability to perform better than his genetically superior brother. He takes himself off the map when he removes his face from the family picture, and later we see he has decided to override his identity almost completely. Almost. Also, as anyone with glasses can agree, those spelled trouble from the start. His eyes get him into a few tricky situations. The girl, Irene, also played into the story. Her admitting to a heart issue laid a path for Vincent to begin trusting her. Of course, he more than trusts her by the end of the film. His own conception was an element suggesting that, since he was "conceived in love," he would be able to love someone truly later on in his life. The erasing of an identity via the incinerator is also foreshadowing.
But back to the control factor. This was also illustrated by the sound design. In the office it is incredibly quiet. There is little music, and a lot of the sounds are those of the machines diagnosing and sorting and alerting.
I would like to say a few words about character development; it was impressive. The brothers acted like brothers, Vincent and Jerome start as enemies but become friends (and this is paced appropriately), and the entire story of Vincent's life sets up his dreams, plan of action, and ability to execute.
The entire opening sequence sets up the story incredibly well, and it comes to an almost-satisfying conclusion. The audience is left with just enough questions to think about it for the few minutes following, which would hopefully store their thoughts in long-term memory. Gattaca is an engaging, entertaining film and I recommend it to any sci-fi fans out there.
