Cayla Mae M.

Carlos BSN 1-B October 17, 2018

GATTACA
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The term used as the movie title “Gattaca” is actually exclusively composed of the letters used by

scientists to label the structure of nucleotide bases of DNA. These four nitrogen bases are namely,

adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine. “While it has been identified that "GATTACA" uses the four

DNA nucleotide abbreviations of G, A, T, C, more specifically, when identifying genetic markers, the

tests measure "short tandem repeats" at specific DNA marker locations. These are known as "GATA or

CA" repeats - hence GATTACA.” (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177/trivia).

The movie revolves on Vincent Freeman, being one of the last “natural” babies born in a sterile

world where people are genetically-enhanced and where life expectancy and disease likelihood are

ascertained at birth. Being a nearsighted, and is due to die at 30.2 years old, he was discriminated and

considered as “in-valid” in a world where the society uses a program called Eugenics, the process of

conceiving children through genetic manipulation. It is the most common avenue of giving birth to

“improve” humans by selective breeding to make them “valid” which gives them all the benefits like jobs,

wealth, rights, courtship or marriage, etc. in the society’s cruel discrimination. When he was still a kid, he

and his brother invented a game called “chicken” where both of them will swim out into the sea and the

one to turn around and swim back is deemed the loser. One day, Vincent finally wins a game of chicken

and saves Anton when he starts to drown. Vincent runs away from home. He then goes to the Gattaca

Aerospace Corporation and works a menial cleaning job and conceives a plan to gain employment at

Gattaca by using DNA samples from an Agent where he finds German, an agent that will introduce him

to Jerome Morrow. Jerome Eugene Morrow is a former star athlete that became paralyzed due to his

suicide attempt after coming second in the swimming world championships. They agreed in a contract

where Jerome will give Vincent his elite genetic status in society while providing him with his urine,
blood, hair and finger nails, while Vincent will maintain Jerome's luxury lifestyle by him working at

Gattaca. To avoid detection, Vincent must meticulously groom and clean himself every day to avoid

leaving traces of his own genetic material and must carry samples of Jerome's DNA to pass genetic

screenings. Vincent excels in Gattaca as soon as he has Jerome's genetics. He is only asked for his urine

sample, which is proof of his genetic superiority, at his job interview and is given a lucrative position at

Gattaca. He then achieves prominence in the Gattaca Corporation, where he is selected for his lifelong

desire: a manned mission to Saturn's 14th moon (titan). During this time Vincent becomes close to his

work colleague, Irene Cassini, due to the investigation. Even though she is one of the most talented

people in Gattaca, she is unable to go on the Titan mission due to her defective heart. Vincent encourages

Irene to overcome her genetically faulty heart and find her self-confidence. This enables the two to fall in

love. Vincent meets Anton again after the authorities are called in to investigate a murder in Gattaca one

week before Vincent's space launch to Titan. Vincent is entrenched in controversy as he is considered the

top suspect. Anton tries to convince Vincent to go with him for protection before Vincent is found out.

However, it soon becomes apparent that Anton is acting more out of insecurity and is more concerned

with how Vincent had managed to get the better of him, despite his supposed genetic superiority. Vincent

and Anton settle their competition as they did when they were children, by seeing who could swim out

into the ocean farthest. As he did once before when they were young, Vincent manages to beat his

brother, and, once again, saves him from drowning. This is simply because he refused to save any

strength to swim back. That he is willing to risk everything to succeed. Conversely his brother worried

about preserving enough strength to swim out and return again, and these fears kept him from testing his

true limits. As the day of the launch finally arrives, Jerome bids Vincent farewell and says that he intends

to travel too. He reveals that he has stored enough genetic samples to last Vincent two lifetimes.

Overwhelmed and grateful, Vincent thanks Jerome for "lending" him the identity that has allowed his

success at Gattaca. Jerome replies, however, that it is he who should be grateful, since Vincent lent

Jerome his dreams. As Vincent moves through the Gattaca complex to the launch site, he is stopped for an

unexpected DNA test. Vincent reluctantly agrees to take the test, even though he has none of Jerome's
genetic material to hide his identity. The test result uncovers Vincent's "in-valid" status, and the doctor,

Lamar (Xander Berkeley), reveals that he has known Vincent's true identity all along, saying: "For future

reference, right-handed men don't hold it with their left.” Lamar then alters the test result to allow him to

proceed regardless, confessing that his son admires Vincent, and wants to be an astronaut just like him,

despite an unforeseen genetic defect that would already rule him out. As the shuttle lifts off, Jerome is

shown committing suicide inside his home incinerator, wearing his silver medal, which turns gold in the

flames.

For me, the movie “Gattaca” says that it is okay to be different. Even if the society discriminates

you, it shouldn’t hinder you from achieving your dreams and that you are willing to the risk in order to

attain your goals in life. There are circumstances in life where you may face hardships and difficulties that

will test you own capabilities and when that time comes, do not be like Anton, where he was consumed

by his own fear and jealousy to overcome his own limits and chase after his dreams. He thought of

himself as a superior human being compared to Vincent which leads him to have a prideful attitude and

insecurity took ahold of his life and made him miserable while Vincent, being inferior to his brother had a

humble attitude that made him prosperous in life. His attitude to give his all in everything that he does

made him a “better” human being than his “genetically-improved” brother. The movie also states that

"For future reference, right-handed men don't hold it with their left.” which I can interpret as being true to

yourself and to do what you can and not to pretend as someone else.

The advantage of this process is that all of the people in the world will have extraordinary genes

where it can strongly affect our nation’s growth and the faster industrialization of the country. It may help

in many ways such as having more great minds in thinking of what we should do to improve one problem

in our country which is poverty and hunger. Great genes are equal to great work force because having the

perfect genes can massively improve the work needed to do anything. For example, a man having the

great set of genes that can lift tons of heavy work materials can lessen the time needed to do it and lessen

the workforce needed but not delaying the production of the needed material. Another is a man having the
great set of genes that can utilize his mind and can make calculations faster than anyone and can invent

lots of different new technologies in an instant. This can improve our country and even the world so much

that anything can be possible. Everything that we have been wondering when we will achieve those things

will be in our plate any second now. Everything we envision that we will invent after another thousand

years can be created in mere seconds. But in my opinion, I don’t want to implement this cruel

discrimination in our country because I believe that one’s worth is more than his/her appearance but

should be determined by his/her determination in doing what he/she does and how well he/she does it. An

individual should be evaluated by the means of his/her achievements in life and how hardworking,

persevering, tenacious, persistent and tireless to overcome anything that comes in her way. That he/she

has the resolve to battle the world to attain good life and achieve his/her dreams. One’s effort must be

taken into account more than the looks or even how impressive, remarkable and extraordinary his/her

genes may be.