The Bond between the Themes and Science in Never Let me Go and Gattaca

Many science fiction movies, including those involving human clones, occur hundreds of years in the future where technology surpasses what society has now and where the world appears completely foreign compared to today. Although this futuristic approach can create an intriguing film, it may be less disturbing for viewers because they cannot deeply relate to the characters or their environment since the movie’s world is vastly different from their own. This fact makes the 2010 movie “Never Let Me Go,” based on the 2005 novel of the same name, a unique and disquieting depiction of human cloning and the ethics surrounding it.

Instead of presenting an advanced view on cloning, “Never Let Me Go” takes place between the 1970s and 1990s. This setting makes it more unsettling for viewers, notably because cloning has already been successfully achieved. “Never Let Me Go” weaves together several themes and elements of science in a thought-provoking and emotionally stimulating film.

“Never Let Me Go” touches on themes of predestination and battling social injustices. The 1997 film “Gattaca” shares these themes. The two main characters, Vincent and Kathy respectively, are born into a society that has predetermined their life and value. Vincent, genetically inferior to the rest of society due to unenhanced DNA, cannot secure jobs when his DNA is tested in workplaces as his hereditary diseases are visible. Kathy, a clone, only exists to grow healthy for her organs to be harvested as an adult and donated. Vincent, disinterested in menial jobs and living as an outcast, dreams of space exploration. To live a life society deems impossible for him, he assumes someone else’s identity with superior DNA and resorts to extreme measures. Kathy learns that if a pair of clones can prove their love, they will be exempt from “donating” their organs. She and her boyfriend strive to fight against the system and escape their inevitable demise due to their “donations,” but ultimately fail.

A significant example of science in the film is cloning, a predominant element in the plot. Often a trope in science fiction, cloning is not wholly fictional. Its practice and the moral implications explored in this film were highly relevant during the era in which it is set. The last few decades of the 1900s witnessed numerous cloning experiments and successes, most notably Dolly the sheep, who was successfully cloned in 1996. The film opens with subtitles describing a scientific breakthrough in 1952 that extended human lifespans.

The very same year, in reality, was the year that Robert Briggs and Thomas King attempted to clone a frog. The experiment was not successful, but it was the initial attempt at cloning using methods similar to how cloning is done today (Quick). Cloning is done by removing DNA from within cells and replacing them with the DNA of another. This is called somatic cell nuclear transfer (Saey). Although cloning is a legitimate scientific concept, and human cloning has the potential to be done, it has not been performed yet (Cloning). In this way, the film is not entirely grounded in real-world science in this aspect. However, the concept of human cloning is very possible and almost certain to happen in the not-too-distant future.

Another example of the science in this film is the clones being used for organ harvesting to be donated to non-clone residents. Although human clones are not being used for organ donations, other animals are being considered, as discussed in class. Researchers are hoping to grow human organs inside pigs to be used for those in need of organ transplants. Progress is currently being made; scientists have used CRISPR to remove viruses from within pig cells so the viruses cannot be transmitted to humans through transplants (Saey). The process has not been perfected yet, and will require more time to advance, but eventually, there will be life created for the sole purpose of donating organs to humans.

For the science used in this film, although it is plausible, it isn’t heavily discussed in the film and the process is not explained, so I would rate it 3 test tubes out of 5. For the plot, character dynamics, sets, and entertainment, I would rate the movie 5 popcorn kernels out of 5 due to its quality and how morally and emotionally stimulating it is.

In one scene of the film, the main character Kathy and her love interest Tommy have realized that there is nothing they can do to prevent their organ donations and their impending death. They’re driving on a road at night in silence, and Tommy asks Kathy to pull over. He exits the car and just screams. Kathy gets out to comfort him, and there is a deeply poignant moment where the car’s lights silhouette them, with her cradling him. This centers the audience on the two of them, shrouded in darkness and with only each other. Sad music begins to play, enhancing the poignant mood of the scene. This scene elicits empathy in the viewer and causes them to feel as helpless as the characters.

One moment in the movie is when the clone youngsters are in a class at their college and an educator informs them that they have no voice in their lives and that their destiny has already been decided. The lighting is slightly dark and there is a small grey cast over everything, creating a very ominous and unnatural feeling in the audience, indicating that something is wrong with the place the children are in. The camera alternates between the views of the students and the educator, highlighting the children’s blank expressions as they struggle to comprehend what she’s saying. This is crucial as it illustrates to the audience that the kids are too young to grasp the gravity of their situation and their impending fate.

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