Children of Men

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron

Released 2006

Starring: Clive Owen as Theo, Julianne Moore as Julian, Michael Caine as Jasper and Clare-Hope Ashitey as Kee.

Review by CINEMAGIRL:

Children of Men starts in a time much like our own, with a horde of disconnected people glued to the action unfolding on a television screen in a coffee shop, as it is announced that the world's youngest person has died. However, the year is 2027 and in this time human beings are infertile, making the youngest of us semi-miracles and celebrities and society's tie to the once hopeful past.

As our leading man, Theo (Clive Owen) breaks from the mesmerized and traumatized coffee shop crowd and exits to the street, the shop explodes, showing us that not only is the human race screwed with infertility but random violence, terrorism and chaos. Sort of like today, but on steroids; a frighteningly grim picture of the not-so-distant future.

In this tragic world, Theo has one ally, Jasper played by a long-haired aging hippie version of Michael Caine. Jasper lives in hiding in a wooded compound with his catatonic wife, a victim of government interference and control.

In this age, there are two forces at work, the government, which is fighting an enormous war on immigration and shipping illegal immigrants to camps, and the Fishes, a radical group working to undermine the government.

Theo is quickly recruited by his ex-wife, Julian - the leader of the Fishes - played by Julianne Moore to help her move a refugee out of the country, a miraculously pregnant African girl named Kee.

Theo doesn't want the job, but ends up roped into the situation and accepts his fate as the Joseph to this Mary. There's even a great scene with the two of them in a barn where Kee reveals her pregnant belly to her protector.

Along the way, there are violent action sequences and chase scenes, but rather than carried out in the typical Hollywood fashion, there are long, single-shot sequences, almost POV, where the camera looks around to give the viewer an eyeful. The look is similar to documentary, or more-so, reality television, which again, is a clever connection to today's viewer and the path our destructive actions may be taking us down.

One scene in particular is gut-wrenching in its slow, mesmerizing pace. After Kee has given birth to the miracle baby and is attempting to hide it amidst a violent refugee uprising and military retaliation, the child is revealed, putting a halt to the war and bloodshed as onlookers stop for a moment of reverence. This scene was incredible and clearly drove home the point that the hope of a child and the future tied to it are powerful enough reasons to end violence.

Children of Men is an excellent ride. Not so much fun as enthralling. Science fiction thrillers like this that are set so near in the future that they don't feel like a stretch at all are often the most disturbing because of the possibility that this really could be the fate of humanity.

I definitely recommend this the rental. Watch it on the weekend when you have time to pore over it and consider all its attributes.

ACTING: 8

LOOK: 8

STORY: 9

OVERALL: 8.5