Children of Men (2006)

Movie Info

Just another day in the city

It is 2027, and humanity is in its last gasps.  In 2009, the last child was born and the world is in chaos as humans begin to die out.  With an aging population and apathy growing, continuing to fight for life seems pointless for people like Theo Faron (Clive Owen).  Even with rumors of a group called the Human Project, Theo sees the arrival of his estranged wife Julian (Julianne Moore) with a mission to escort an immigrant named Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to the coast as an impossible and pointless mission…until he see the truth about Kee and what it could mean for the future of man.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Children of Men was based on the 1992 P.D. James novel The Children of Men.  The movie was released to critical acclaim but little box office fanfare.  Despite this, the film was widely considered one of the best films of 2006 and has gained a strong cult following.  Children of Men received Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Hey….blown up any buildings recently?

Children of Men brings up a great idea.  If there is no chance of a future, is life worth living?  The story’s exploration of this concept is a really interesting look on what it means to be alive and why we do things…and Alfonso Cuarón’s vision of it is awesome.  Due to the nature of the film, there will be a *****spoiler alert***** throughout this review.

Society is built on an infrastructure and the idea that you are doing things for the future regardless if you realize it or not.  Do you write something and no one is there to read it, do you need schools and education if there is no one to teach, or do you build wealth if there is no one to pass it on to?  The apathy of this movie is very real and shows what happens if hope is destroyed…and suddenly renewed.

Wait…you would have believed me if you just felt my stomach? Damn it!

Despite a chance for humanity with the pregnancy of key, there is still greed and people out to exploit the situation.  Both the representation of the immigrants and the government will use this child.  I don’t find it shocking that a baby’s cry would end the battle in the refugee camp, but I highly doubt that everyone despite their shock would just let Key and Theo to just walk away.

The acting for the movie is also very strong.  Clive Owen really carries the sorrow and if you went into the movie thinking Julianne Moore was going to be a star throughout, you were shocked when she suddenly was killed.  Clara-Hope Ashitey is also good in her very quiet and soft role as Key, the woman who provides hope.  The only actor I wish could have been toned back a bit is Michael Caine who represents someone at the end of the spectrum and also from a period that fought for their rights.  I get what was being done with him, but I think he’s a bit over-the-top even for this movie.

Is Key a beacon of hope?

Visually, the movie uses a very guerilla style shooting.  Alfonso Cuarón has extremely long (and amazing) shots throughout the film including the giant fight at the end which add to the great visuals created by his set designers.  In addition to how it just looks on screen, the themes of the story also surface through the visuals.  People in the movie own dogs as substitute children and the meeting in an abandoned school reminds you that education is pointless and a lost cause.

I saw Children of Men when it was pretty new to DVD and was blown away.  The look and visuals of the movie are combined with a great science fiction story that succeeds to be sci-fi by really providing thought and perspective on the “what if?” of the story.  I wouldn’t say the survival of humanity is relying on it, but if you haven’t seen Children of Men I highly recommend it.