Are human beings born or made?

This intriguing question is the central premise of Gattaca, a tale of the near future that marked the impressive directorial debut of New Zealand–born director Andrew Niccol. Set in the twenty-first century, Gattaca tackles the concept of genetic manipulation in a future where society predetermines the life of every individual through razor-sharp DNA analysis. This unnervingly believable premise frames the story of a "love child" (Ethan Hawke) who refuses to accept the destiny his genes and society have determined for him. Subtle, disturbing and prophetic, Gattaca forces its audience to confront the Pandora’s box of genetic technology that awaits us in the future.