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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 43719
Released: December 28, 2004 |
| Our Price: $3.72 |
| Used Price: $0.66 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
What if the person you desired most was the one person you were forbidden to love? OscarÂ(r) winner* Tim Robbins and OscarÂ(r) nominee** Samantha Morton "make a sexy and moving pair of desperadoes" (Entertainment Weekly) in this "provocative, quietly erotic" (Premiere)sci-fi thriller from the director of 24 Hour Party People. In the near future, privileged classes live and work "inside" cities, while non-citizens scratch out a miserable existence "outside" in a vast desert. People cannot leave their designated zones without special visas known as"papeles." When fraudulent papeles surface, Seattle investigator William Geld (Robbins) travels to Shanghai to ferret out the culprit and meets Maria Gonzalez (Morton) a woman with whom he has a passionate affair but breaks one of society's harshest laws: Code 46. *2003: Supporting Actor, Mystic River **2003: Actress, In America; 1999: Supporting Actress, Sweet and Lowdown
Description of Code 46:
Like Gattaca did before it, Code 46 extrapolates from the present to posit a chilling, dystopian look at our genetically regimented future. In the corporate-controlled, near-future scenario presented by prolific director Michael Winterbottom and his regular screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce, nations and languages have merged to form a polyglot society in which genetic imperfections are avoided by the strict enforcement of Code 46, which prohibits sex between people who share 100%, 50%, or even 25% matching DNA. As an insurance-fraud investigator in Shanghai to investigate the issuance of forged passports (a major offense in an overcrowded world), Tim Robbins meets his prime suspect (Samantha Morton, echoing her role in Minority Report), and their violation of Code 46 has tragic and ultimately dehumanizing repercussions. Fascinating as a "what-if" scenario, Winterbottom's film is more successful as a melancholy mood-piece than a science-fiction tale. While the plot and characters suffer from occasionally vague definition, Code 46 offers a fascinating study of human longing in an age of oppressive globalization. --Jeff Shannon
Code 46 Reviews:
Breathtaking 
2009-12-15 - Great sci-fi romance, depicting a romantic affair from a male's perspective: conflicted feelings over two different women, the excitement and freedom found in the new girl versus the memories of the one that has stood by him "forever."
I found myself engrossed by the technology, blending of human languages, bureaucracy and the mystery and magic of this futuristic Earth. Granted, the story doesn't have a fairytale ending, but, for those of you who saw it, it shouldn't have had one, for ethical reasons.
Essentially, the film is about the possible circumstances people will find themselves in, as we continue to advance (if you'd like to call it that) politically and technologically, in medicine, science and our forms of government. We're taking up bits and pieces of one another's languages, beliefs, foods, etc. And, we're also moving towards more of an international form of government. The creators of the film saw this, along with how the have-nots would coexist, 'or not,' with the haves, and created something easy to foresee and relate to, for 21st century human beings.
Don't listen to the three star rating, this film doesn't follow the conventional format, isn't full of violence, aliens or gore, but it's really cool, from the technology to the sincerity and non-judgmental approach to how complex human emotions can truly be.
Enjoy!
Simply Awful. NO GATTICA!! 
2009-04-05 - To put it bluntly, I love these types of flicks. Gattica was GREAT.
Going in to this film I had high expectations as I love the actors and the plot/premise and comparrisons to gattica got my hopes up.
This was simply AWFUL.
Boring, not even worth wasting time reviewing, let alone watching.
Those comparring it to gattica should be ASHAMED!
One of My Favorite Sci-Fi Films
2009-01-01 - Superb acting. Clever writing. A haunting soundtrack. This film is a piece of art. Enjoy it.
FRACTURED, THOUGH BEAUTIFUL 
2008-12-19 - I enjoyed the quiet desperation of the main protaganists ( Tim Robbins, and Samantha Morton ) in this visually stunning film. Still I found the plot to be under-developed, and somewhat derivative of GATTACA, BLADERUNNER, LOGAN'S RUN and HARDWARE. The quiet sensuality of the illegal affair between the main characters is a nice, though again, evocative counterpoint to the dehumanized, prohibitive, and coldly sanctioned society of the privileged world that William ( Robbins ) is a part of. One of the most glaring problems with the movie's premise was why wouldn't the-powers-that-be in this neatly packaged, little world simply forbid conception between clones with similar genetic patterns, instead of 'love' altogether?
The music was quite good, and helped the choppy plot tremendously. The camerawork was exceptional, and Robbins and Morton were convincing as fateful lovers. There is imagery in the film that will stay with you well after the movie ends, and that make up for some the story's basic problems. It is worth seeing.
almost great
2008-12-02 - If you liked "Gattaca"," Blade Runner" and "I am Legend", then this movie would be highly recommended.
The effects are not worth mentioning; they should have used different cars and different clothing; this would have made a big difference. In the meantime the dialogue and the story is all very interesting and worth your time.
