Impressive, yet too strained

Rating: 8/10 (23 June 2007)

This movie has some extremely emotionally impressive moments. In these minutes it is simply fantastic.
But it spans a much too large range of storytelling.
In the beginning it is simply the usual anti-utopian story. It has strong hippie-elements (Sir Michael Caine as Grass-farmer) I Thought to myself the film ought to have been produced in the 70ies. So the movie is in its first act light at heart, a strange hippie-dystopian future.
The emotional tone changes with the appearance of the main character's ex-wife (or girlfriend, Moore). Theo Faron (the hero, Owen) gets involved with terrorists and the first female to be pregnant in 18 years.
Story-background: Britan is the last "civilized" country (quote: Britain soldiers on) in a world, where no babies are born. Refugees (quote: Fugees) are a problem. Illegal immigrants are hunted and sent to concentration camps. The resistance (fish) finds/controls a pregnant (!) fugee-girl.
Well, the hero's ex gets killed. Kee, the pregnant girl, from now on trusts Theo (Hero). He discovers a conspiracy within the resistance and escapes with Kee.
In order to get in contact with the (almost) mythical "Human project", they have to get into a fugee camp. Hippie-grandpa's connections make this possible.
From now on we are in a desperate world (full of political implications) The entry-area of the camp is obviously a blend of Guantanamo and Iraq-prisons. The camp itself is Warsaw ghetto (but a mild version) Resistance and state-troops storm the ghetto, while islamistic demonstrations take place.
Kee gives birth to a baby girl. Kee, baby and hero get between the lines (resistance vs. state troops). By showing the baby they escape in a fascinating scene. Everyone is deeply impressed by the child, fighting ceases (for a while).
They leave the ghetto in a rowboat, in order to meet the "Human Project". Theo dies (being shot by the resistance). The movie does not end pessimistic, "tomorrow" appears instead.
Hippie romantics, Guantanamo, Warsaw ghetto, Iraq, middle east and the end of the world. There are even some cave-paintings visible when Kee and Theo get into their rowboat. This is simply too much.
Warsaw ghetto was hell on earth! People (grown-ups and children) were starving! When they resisted, German army destroyed the whole city. The survivors were send to concentration camps, which were the only places worse. No movie can reproduce this horror. So can't children of men.
I think it is a brilliant movie, but it tries to tell us a story, that would require three films.