genetic engineering or cloning They have always been a recurring plot in science fiction movies and series. The idea of genetically modifying humans to be superior or animals to be more capable is very appealing, until it all goes wrong and that’s when movie magic happens.
It is a genre with quite a long story despite the innovativeness of the theme; The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler, released in 1971, is one of the first films in showing the medical exploitation of cloning, although the term was not used explicitly.
Many movies about cloning are about what it means to be human. Others use clones to discuss thorny issues of identity, and still others use genetic modification as a way to explore the ethical implications of scientific research.
Despite its spectacularity or even terror in some of the films, it is still a highly controversial topic today that seems to continue to remain in science fiction for many years, although in reality, scientific research, little by little, is giving little results. Steps.
7 movies about cloning and genetic mutation and some are really disturbing:
Project Rampage (2018)
The life of Davis Okoye (played by Dwayne Johnson), a primatologist friend of an albino silverback gorillahe jumps when he discovers that the technology CRISPR to mutate his primate friend into a gigantic, uncontrollable beast.
The premise of this movie is that this mutation technology is designated a “Weapon of Mass Destruction and Proliferation”, and a biopharmaceutical company has misused science, creating large hybrid animals, which have uncontrolled aggression.
Our protagonist will fight throughout this action-packed film to try to reverse the process, save his gorilla and eliminate those who are misusing the science. It is available on Prime Video.
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Gattaca (1997)
Gattaca has been considered for years as a look at the possible future of the real-world consequences of human control on his own genetics. In this future of Earth, genetics are publicly quantified and recorded, and anyone can know what makes up your body and how likely you are to develop diseases in the future.
As the protagonist Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) states at the beginning of the film: “My real resume was in my cells” and that is, this is 100% real.
In this one, our protagonist cannot fulfill his lifelong dream of traveling to outer space due to his genetics not being prepared for it. Highlight that society refers to these people as “invalids” and to try to remedy this, Vincent buys another man’s genetic identity.
In this film that is so dark in the background, the consequences of genetic discrimination will be portrayed, since even people judge the rest based on their genetics when, for example, they have a date. You can see it on Filmin.
X-Men (2000)
The X-Men movies are known as a second-rate collection of Marvel superheroes (let each one think), in which all of them have suffered genetic mutations that cause their superpowers and they come together to help fight crime.
One of the main characters, Professor Xavier, who runs this whole world, will dedicate his life to the study of these genetic mutations and their causes.
Although in this saga the superpowers are natural, there are some exceptions. Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), possibly the most beloved character, was a victim of forced genetic engineering in addition to his natural mutations in an attempt to improve his abilities.
On the other hand, we will also find a pharmaceutical company that also intends to rid the world of mutants using the DNA of one of them whose power blocks the effects of other mutants to develop a cure that suppresses the “X gene” that causes the mutation. the humans. You can watch them on Disney+.
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Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park) (1993)
If we treat genetic modification We can leave behind one of the great sagas that has entered fully into this theme. And it is that, Jurassic Park has been praised as a classic for years, and Jurassic World helped to revitalize the franchise, although each one assesses whether for better or worse.
In the early movies, an alternate version of the current Earth shows scientists who use DNA from dinosaurs found inside a mosquito preserved in amber to recreate many previously extinct species of dinosaurs.
Jurassic World further emphasizes the genetic engineering aspect of bringing dinosaurs to life as they experiment with combining genes from multiple organisms. The Indominus Rex, an entirely new species, is created by taking the genetic makeup of a T-Rex and adding DNA from Velociraptor, Giganotosaurus, cuttlefish, tree frogs, vipers, and others.
The result, as you already know, does not come out quite right: a dinosaur with abilities that scientists had not foreseen, which goes completely out of human control with the aim of destroying the park and everything in it. All the films are available on Movistar Plus+.
Elysium (2013)
In the year 2159, a luxurious space station is home to only the wealthiest people in society, who have access to incredible medical care capable of diagnosing and eliminating any injury, illness, or other problem in a matter of minutes, while the rest of the Humanity struggles to survive on Earth.
One of the best parts of this movie is the representation of an advanced medical capsule that is not only capable of curing diseases that were previously incurable, but can also detect and cure them in a matter of seconds.
In the movie, this capsule is capable of detecting and eliminating a girl’s acute lymphoblastic leukemia in less than 20 seconds. It is available on Netflix.
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Okja (2017)
For 10 years, a young woman named Mija has cared for Okja, a giant pig-like animal, and they both lived peacefully in the rural mountains of South Korea until a corporation Okja is taken to New York to be used to generate income.
The company claims it will revolutionize the livestock industry with larger animals that produce more meat and consume less feed. Mija will then start a long journey to try to rescue her pet.
In this film, Okja will be genetically modified for the purpose of increasing production and will delve into tough topics that could perfectly be extrapolated to reality and to many of the current debates around meat production or animal abuse. You can watch it on Netflix.
Splice: Deadly Experiment (2010)
In Splice, two scientists decide to ignore the ban on research with human embryos and they attempt to illegally create a hybrid creature with the ultimate goal of fame.
Somehow, scientists manage to do experiments on human embryos without any funding and while still being obligated to do the research for which they are paid. And, obviously, things are not going particularly well.
Crean a “Dren”, a human/animal hybrid and is a great example of how science should be aware of the consequences associated with genetic engineering.
Although it is not a blockbuster movie that will make you think deeply about whether genetic engineering should continue in the world, if you like scary scenes that make you jump, this is a great option. It is available on Prime Video.
