That rarest of things...a film better than the book

Rating: 10/10 (10 October 2006)

I avoided this film initially because the religious overtones of the book really put me off what was otherwise a great idea. Thankfully these aspects are played down. Although the terrorists are called FISHES and they are expecting the second coming in the shape of a miracle birth. The film chooses to focus on telling a story of hope out of hopelessness. Everything is unrelentingly grim,grey and all the better for it. Rarely have I seen such a vivid dystopia of a possible future,and it works so well. The sci-fi elements are played down so that they become just a part of the story(in the same way as say,Gattaca,for example). Best of all,Clive Owen finally has a vehicle where he can show that he is a good actor. Sir Micheal Caine has never been funnier on screen in ages and almost steals the film as Owens' pot smoking friend.Julianna Moore makes the most of her part and limited screen time (and looks stunning)her hair, a rare glimpse of colour in an otherwise grey world. The ending may be a bit trite, but the film wins overall because it focuses on contemporary issues making this future even more plausible.