In the future, one of the last natural born men in society (Ethan Hawke) tries to find his place in a world where genetics determine your life status by assuming the identity of another man with far superior genes (Jude Law).

As long as you're capable of handling two hours of incessant Ethan Hawke voiceover, GATTACA is an extremely satisfying sci-fi excursion that features one of the most interesting premises in the past 20 years. The story comes from the pensive mind of Andrew Niccol, the same man who would later bring us THE TRUMAN SHOW and LORD OF WAR (the latter of which he also directed). Here he delves into the world of genetic enhancement, the cause of which is a future where prejudice exists not based on your ethnicity or sexual orientation, but on the quality of your genes. It's the type of sci-fi premise that's as thought provoking as it is engaging.

Niccol nails the delivery of the film's premise (as well as its beautifully bleak style), but falters when it comes to the subplots. Hawke's relationship with Uma Thurman offers little of interest or reason, and the murder mystery that sets the stage for the rest of the film culminates in an unsatisfying resolution, partially playing off a previously introduced subplot with Hawke's brother that doesn't quite gel. It's strange, then, that even though many of the pieces that compose GATTACA are somewhat average, the film as a whole is still generally fascinating, constantly being propelled by its underlying premise, superb filmmaking, and solid acting. So as long as you're hooked by the movie early on, the rest of it shouldn't be able to deter you.

Video: Presented in 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. The picture is the main reason to upgrade from the previous DVD release, which is a major improvement in every possible way, and finally allows viewers to appreciate the film's stylistic beauty.

Audio: English/French/Spanish/Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround. The sound is utilized simply and effectively.

Nothing to get excited about. Not even a commentary from writer/director Andrew Niccol. Drats.

Deleted Scenes (10:44): There are six scenes, and most of them are actually worth watching (which is a rarity nowadays).

Welcome to Gattaca (21:57): A new making-of featurette, with all of the standard interviews and such. However, writer/director Andrew Niccol is absent, which is a major bummer.

Do Not Alter (14:50): Narrated by Gore Vidal, this featurette explores many of the film's themes and questions.

Substance Test (0:35): A very funny outtake.

Original Featurette (6:51): A vintage 1997 making-of, which is essentially just a publicity piece.

Also included are Previews.

One of the more underrated movies of the '90s, GATTACA has only recently began to garner the respect it deserved upon its initial release. This DVD is clearly a reaction to that, and although it doesn't sport much in the way of special features, it at least allows viewers to finally watch the film in a decently transferred widescreen format, something that really shouldn't have taken this long to deliver in the first place.