Children of Men

Review by Loc

Ah, nothing better than pumping up the holiday season with post-apocalyptic cheer. In a time where the ubiquitous presence of global terrorism and politics overwhelm any newscast, why not escape into the joys of cinema for a special holiday treat. Find a world 20 years in the future where humanity’s infertility has left a world living in despair and you’ll find some good silver screen action. Quick hit: Children of Men’s bleak reflection of the world is good, solid viewing, but not as exhilarating as you might be fooled into believing.

Set in a 2027 world that knows no smiles, Children of Men takes a fictional look at a futuristic world that also has no babies. Yup, mankind has gone infertile and the last child was born 18 years ago, roughly 2009 for those keeping track. In a world where your existence is as certain as the expiration date on a carton of milk, there’s not a lot of happy happy joy joy going around.

And thus, Clive Owen’s naturally long face and stoic demeanor fit quite well as he plays the disillusioned Theo. Make no mistake about it, just because we are treated to his journey doesn’t mean his outlook is unique. Rather, it’s easy to see that the world has been turned on its side, humanity struggling to live out its remaining days with a sort of dignified depression that makes you wish for some type of Disney character to pop-up and lighten the mood. Alas, there is no Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck.

For the actual story, Clive gets tangled in a tense-escape-pilgrimage with a small group of hopeful humans. Why are they so hopeful? One youngster named Kee represents a true miracle: she’s pregnant. Now, along with his ex-wife who’s the leader of a “terrorist” group, Clive finds himself trying to escort this walking miracle outside of England, where Kee might find herself free to have the child outside of the oppressive regime in power.

Less thriller and more chaotic on-the-run flick, Children of Men evokes the flavor and passion of 30 Days Later more than a big budget, Hollywood extravaganza. With extended use of steady-cams and uninterrupted camera shots, this films is almost like a voyeuristic peek into these lives, a guerrilla-style experience through the frenetic journey towards supposed freedom.

Aside from the technical achievements, the performances are very good as well. For the first time ever, Clive Owen’s deep, dumb voice doesn’t sound annoying. In fact, he does well as the bloke thrown into surreal situations. He’s as lost in all of the mess as you or I would be, making his performance very easy to understand and connect with as the movie progresses.

Julianne Moore turns in a solid, if unspectacular performance as the ex-wife/rebel leader. You can never root against her, and that doesn’t change with this flick either. Michael Caine checks in as a long-haired hippy, a counter-culture revolutionary for the future. He’s great as usual, offering some light-hearted moments in a story that has few. Lastly, Claire-Hope Ashitey plays the pregnant Kee. She’s good, but basically delivers every line in a semi-yelling, semi-attitude filled voice that is a bit monotonous. Luckily, she doesn’t say too much, so it’s all bearable.

Overall, the story unfolds with a couple twists and turns which is nice. In addition, the film’s obvious critique on today’s political landscape is a bit heavy-handed. There’s no discussion presented in this flick, simply reflection on believed evils being perpetrated in today’s world. Writer and director Alfonso Cuarón put his working gloves back on after doing Harry Potter 3 to present a bleak look at the future in Children of Men. It’s a solid film with very good performances and interesting visuals; however, the story itself doesn’t blow away and astound to the levels that you might have read elsewhere. Out of the 18 years of infertility, Children of Men chalks up 13 fruitless years. It’s a good picture even if its as depressing as the end of the world.