A Nutshell Review: Children of Men

Rating: 10/10 (10 August 2009)

I still can't fathom the reason how this film was left out of a theatrical release here. After all, Clive Owen should be a draw based on his roguish persona and audiences here would be familiar with his works like Inside Man, Derailed and Closer. Then again, science fiction may not be everyone's cup of tea, although this film is deeply rooted in basic humanity themes like despair and hope.
Set in the year 2027 in Britain, we learn that the future is not as glitzy as many would make it out to be. It's grimy and very much bleak in nature, where the world is already collapsing, save for Britain being the last country standing with some semblance of order that's in the form of a police state gone wrong, and the deportation and treatment of illegal immigrants becoming one of the hot spots. "Fishes" spring up in anti-government protests, being the freedom fighters battling for equal rights for all immigrants. Add to that, humanity itself is on the brink of extinction, where the youngest person, an 18 year old, has died, and the human fertility problem goes onto an overdrive. We can't reproduce, and as such, all hope in the continuity of our civilization goes down the drain as well.
Yes, that's an interesting premise to begin with, where we can question the What Ifs, whether our evolution can begin to go down that slippery slope, and if that chief reproduction problem could be tied down to technology, or ecology, that Nature or God just decided that our plundering of the Earth is enough, and it's time for us to take our place in history. For those who had enough of apocalyptic issues threatening us human beings, what with the Sun dying, or an alien invasion, or a disaster so extreme that it'll obliterate all of us in one swoop, this premise is a breath of fresh air, even though it may serve as an immense red herring, that the much larger context here lies in hope and faith.
Curiously, much of the context can be tied back to the current world sentiments, with issues like freedom fighters, homeland security, the corruption of those in power, and even a reference back in time to a flu pandemic which we are facing right now. There are plenty of imagery here, be it icons, or religious linked ones, right down to security issues, that makes this film deserving of more than 1 viewing just to pick them all up. Based upon the novel by P.D. James, director Alfonso Cuaron deftly incorporated many of today's world into this not too distant future that we may be in danger of slipping into (except for that human fertility problem, but who knows?) and the despair that will come and plunge everyone into, which is expertly placed in and around the visual backdrop of the story.
Children of Men accomplished what films like Babylon A.D. failed, where both on the surface deals with a protector of the last hope of mankind, and having to overcome various obstacles posed by those who are corrupt, and want to politicize humanity's last chance for their own ends. It goes to show that special effects if done right, will add a superb cinematic dimension and wow you. Babylon A.D. didn't offer anything new, and neither did Children of Men in terms of its cinematography, but its detailed and brilliantly crafted continuous take in action sequences, simply steals your breath away. And as if the filmmakers here are set on sadistically challenging themselves, they do no less than 4 of such scenes with increasing complexity, that has to be seen, admired and appreciated.
With amazing landscapes created, Children of Men tells a lot without showing you everything in verbatim. It has plenty of cultural references and metaphors, back stories of characters that make you care about them, eye popping effects and an excellent cast, it's no wonder why this film had wound up on many critic's top 10 lists for the year. If given a chance, do watch this film that had already placed itself on my list of recommendations and must watch list!