Gattaca isn’t usually cited as one of the best sci-fi movies ever, but it received considerable praise for its accuracy. It’s not uncommon for movies in the science fiction genre to lean more into the fiction aspects of their story rather than the science aspects. Of course, some sci-fi movies have strived to plant themselves in some sort of reality.
Ground-breaking movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey have helped predict a future of artificial intelligence and space travel. On the other end, you have sci-fi blockbuster movies like Armageddon that ignore facts in favor of entertainment. However, as overlooked as Gattaca is, some experts took notice of it and its realism.
NASA Considers Gattaca One Of Sci-Fi’s Most Accurate Movies
NASA weighed in with their opinions on how accurate sci-fi movies have been over the years. While they offered their opinions on the least accurate movies, including disaster movies like 2012 and The Core, they also named Gattaca as the most accurate sci-fi movie, beating out the likes of Contact, Metropolis, and Jurᴀssic Park.
Gattaca takes place in a future in which parents can choose the genetic path their children can take, avoiding the risks of weaknesses or certain health issues. Ethan Hawke stars as a man who did not have his genetics perfected at birth and is deemed “in-valid” as a citizen, due to his heart defect.
With his hopes of space travel depending on his genetics being accepted, he makes a deal to ᴀssume the idenтιтy of a genetically perfect man (Jude Law) who has been left paralyzed by an accident. While the premise is a big and bold sci-fi idea, it is the movie’s depiction of genetic modifications that is so accurate.
Indeed, Gattaca is a rare sci-fi movie that has aged well, with its ideas of genetic editing now becoming more of a reality in our lifetime. The movie also explores how such advancements might have societal implications, dividing the population between those “perfected” at birth and those who are deemed inferior.
Why Gattaca Is Still Criminally Overlooked
Despite NASA recognizing the brilliance of Gattaca, the sci-fi movie has still not gotten the attention it deserves after nearly 30 years. The movie was well-received by critics at the time, earning 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it received little awards recognition and was a box office flop, earning less than half its $36 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).
Gattaca has profound ideas about genetic engineering and the value of the human spirit, but that was not as appealing to mainstream audiences. Following its initial failure to gain attention, Gattaca was quickly overshadowed by the likes of The Matrix, changing the sci-fi genre. However, with its accuracy still praised, Gattaca is perfect to revisit now.
The movie builds a realistic yet engrossing future and populates it with human characters we care about. Hawke’s Vincent Freeman is an inspiring underdog hero who proves that determination is something that can beat superior genetics every time. Jude Law steals the show as the tragic Jerome, a human example of how perfect genetics can’t solve everything.
Gattaca takes its ambitious premise, includes a murder mystery aspect, yet still manages to balance it all in a thrilling, clever, and profound sci-fi story. Even without knowing enough about the science to tell how accurate it is, Gattaca succeeds in being an original piece of sci-fi storytelling that remains as brilliant as ever.
