Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.5

Gattaca 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown February 3, 2024

Gattaca arrived as the turn of the century -- the turn of the millennium -- was fast approaching. It was a time, in retrospect, that filmmakers like Andrew Niccol delivered some of their best work, exploring the uncertainty of our future, the dangerous paths culture seems so eager to pursue, and, in the case of Niccol's 1997 sci-fi masterwork, the unknown expanse of space, bioengineering, ethics, lies and the truth, the indominable human will, and the prospect that the year 2000 and beyond would become a playground for some truly frightening dystopian possibilities. Gattaca is as much a cautionary tale as it is a morality play, and as Old Hollywood as it was cutting edge minimalism for its time. It's a film of multiple eras, numerous ideas and countless angles, with performances, cinematography and a screenplay to match. Much to my delight, it holds up in 2024 as well. Having not seen Gattaca anytime in recent memory (at least the last ten years), I was worried it may have aged poorly. Thankfully, other than a few lo-fi screens -- which have the lovely look of Blade Runner tech -- it's a film that could have been released to critical acclaim yesterday.

Writer/director Andrew Niccol's Gattaca shows us a not-too-distant future society where eugenics has become the prevailing order. Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) was a mistake. He lives in a society where those born naturally and without the aid of genetic engineering are relegated to a substandard social class while those individuals who have been selectively bio-engineered are considered "valid". Being the child of a natural birth, Vincent’s aptitudes are looked over and, instead, he is judged on his pre-disposition to myopia and heart disease; two conditions nearly eradicated from the population. As an "in-valid", Vincent is forced to work as a manual laborer and has been given a life expectancy of only 30 years. After years of working menial jobs, Vincent decides to take action to achieve his childhood dream of being an astronaut. Enter Jerome (Jude Law), a "valid" with a pedigree second to none. Jerome has suffered a spinal injury and is confined to a wheelchair. Vincent will assume his identity in order to infiltrate he ranks of the Gattaca space program and live out his dreams. Once inside Gattaca, Vincent excels and is quickly slated to pilot an important mission. Unfortunately, a murder within the space program brings Vincent’s identity into question and threatens his mission to Saturn.

Click here to read Ben Williams' 2008 review of the film he calls a "thought-provoking and, ultimately, very touching film" that's "able to be enjoyed on multiple levels."

Gattaca 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While a few soft shots gum up what might otherwise be a perfect presentation, Sony's 4K video transfer is stunning. Crisp, largely consistent grain lends a filmic quality to the proceedings, edge definition is razor sharp, and fine textures are beautifully resolved, particularly in close-ups of Vincent, Jerome and Alan Arkin. And for a film that utilizes extreme close-ups of hair, skin, nail clippings and other DNA-rich evidence, the high level of detail is perhaps more important than usual. Colors are also lovely, with warm skintones, vibrant greens and golds, rich black levels, and gorgeous contrast that enhances the depth and dimensionality of the image. The aforementioned grain does get a bit carried away at times, resulting in some noisy hues, and darker scenes do tend to suffer from some slight (and I mean slight) crush and delineation decline. But otherwise, shadow detail is immaculate, especially when examining charcoal suits set against a black backdrop and still being able to see the more subtle gradations between the two. Gattaca is, of course, a film that hails from 1997, meaning its era and age do make themselves known here and there. However, on the whole, Sony's UltraHD release offers one of the best '90s catalog 4K transfers on the market. It's very clearly an upgrade from the 2008 Blu-ray. I was thoroughly pleased.

Gattaca 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sony delivers even more gusto with Dolby Atmos audio; again, improvement over its 2008 lossless TrueHD counterpart. Dialogue is intelligible, perfectly prioritized, and never slips beneath the soundscape or score. Even background voices are discernable, with a level of fidelity and clarity here that is quite remarkable. Low-end support is weighty and strong, particularly as the film moves from its backstory to the more tense, suspenseful scenes in which Vincent tries to elude the authorities. The bass line of the score pulses and pounds like a frightened heartbeat, and sequences such as Vincent and Irene's escape from the police amps it up even further. Surround activity is excellent too, with dead-eye aim directionality, silky smooth pans and enough environmental and interior ambience and nuance to craft a truly immersive and involving soundfield. There are a few surprisingly front-heavy moments, including Vincent and his brother's late-night competition in the ocean, where music dominates the rears instead of the lapping of the waves, but it likely traces back to the original sound design rather than the technical mix. All told, Gattaca sounds fantastic. Other than a few telltale sonic signs that its sound effects hail from the late '90s, it sounds as if it could have been a track made much more recently.

Gattaca 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Gattaca was first released on 4K UltraHD Blu-ray in March 2021 via a Sony SteelBook. It was re-released in September 2022 in a reprint SteelBook edition with the same cover (an uninspiring design to my eye) and discs. This standard case release arrived in between, in June 2021; we simply missed the review the first time around. Apologies. It features a 4K disc -- its only extra being an HD theatrical trailer -- and a Blu-ray copy of the film ported from the original 2008 release. That disc includes several more extras, among them SD deleted scenes; "Welcome to Gattaca", a featurette that provides an overview of the production; an additional EPK featurette; "Do Not Alter?", an exploration of the ethics of genetic engineering narrated by Gore Vidal; and a single outtake from the film. If that sounds like a lot, adjust your expectations. It goes fast and doesn't peel back enough layers to inject the 4K release with much value.

Gattaca 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gattaca is a 1990s sci-fi classic. Full stop. Not much more needs said. I could rattle off its many elements, recap why it excels in every area, and applaud everyone from the filmmakers to the cast to, good God, the grips if I really wanted to. But the thing I would want to know if I were you is whether or not it holds up some twenty-six or seven years later. And the answer is a resounding yuuup. Better still, Sony's 4K Blu-ray release is a terrific one. Some newly produced extras would have gone a long way toward making it a near-perfect release, but its striking 4K video presentation and fully engaging and immersive Dolby Atmos audio more than make up for it. Highly recommended.