Amazing cinema, let down by poor story.

Rating: 7/10 (21 October 2006)

Children of Men (COM, as I will now refer to it as) is not a movie you recommend to your friends. Yes, it's violent but who doesn't enjoy a good dose of violence. What COM lacks is substance and without it, the film feels slightly weak.
Alfonso Cauron set out to accomplish something other than entertain his audiences with COM. You could argue that he is making a point about present day issues regarding racial profiling and fear mongering. But then, what film these days isn't trying to deliver a message.
After viewing COM I have a lot of respect for Mr. Caurons eye as a director but I feel that the message he was trying to express have ultimately been sullied by the films lack of back story and information. Not to give away any of the plot it's suffice to say this movie lacks the padding it needed to make it truly acceptable to audiences expecting 'more'.
This however should not deter people who can look past such misdemeanors and go and see a film that is incredibly engaging and extremely well shot. Even without the information you so dearly crave as the credits roll any lover of cinema will be able to sit back and appreciate the creative prowess so apparent in this film. Not since Kubrick have I been so stunned by such rock steady camera work.
The opinions expressed in this film can be interpreted as many different things, depending on your own opinions about standard of living and racial acceptance. The closing 45 minutes of COM illustrate a world we so often view many miles away through the lens of a CNN or FOX camera, devoid of any true emotion. COM makes you walk the path of the deprived and forces you to accept what you see.
Whilst not a moving picture in my opinion, Children of Men is an important film due solely to the fact that Mr. Cauron set out to shoot the film HE wanted to shoot. It is reassuring to know that there still remain film makers daring enough to pursue their own ends and not bow down to others.
Perhaps the scariest idea to take away with you after viewing is that often in this world the truest face of evil in this world is the most familiar.
A sterling effort by Clive Owen, who I believe held the film together with his down but not out performance of a man fighting to make a difference. Michael Caine injected some much needed comic relief which helped keep the film fresh in the viewer's heads.
I want to give COM an 8, but due to the many questions left unanswered it slides to 7.5 out of 10. Once again, this films main attraction is its simply amazing cinematography, the best in recent films.