Sweeping Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (30 March 2007)

'Children of Men' will break your heart just so it can put the pieces back together. Alfonso Cuaron deftly crafts this masterpiece of a film, and it's one of the most powerful of the year, or of any year. He so remarkably reaches into the future to deliver a startling warning to society today, while giving us a truly effective film that works on so many levels. It's an action film, a thriller, a drama, a crime mystery. It transcends the typical movie-going experience, resulting in a spirited film that'll pull at your heartstrings, but give us hope for a new day. It's one of the very best films of 2006.
Imagine a world where nearly all governments have collapsed. Crimes are at an all-time high. And women are infertile. Where hope for a future no longer exists. In Alfonso Cuaron's world, this is the world that will exist in 20 short years. But for Theo, a former peace activist turned bureaucrat, life will be turned upside down in an instant when he's encountered by his ex-girlfriend, Julien, and recruited by her rebel group. Labeled as a terrorist organization by the British government, the group plans on rising up against the oppressing national government. How high the stakes truly are will be revealed to Theo when he discovers one of the group's members, Kee, is 8 months pregnant. It's now a race against time to safely transport Kee to the Human Project, who will be able to provide the needed medical support. It's a task that will take them across England and into the heart of life-risking danger. It's the last ray of hope this world needs, but will it live to see the day?
Alfonso Cuaron ('Y Tu Mama Tambien', 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban') has a style all of his own. It's gritty and raw, no glossy cover, and the cinematography is sweeping. Simply put, 'Children of Men' is an amazingly well-made film. But it's so much more than that. What struck a chord with me was how startling realistic this film is. Cuaron has created a fully realized world that lives and breathes. And while I wouldn't classify 'Children' as a political movie, it certainly makes some poignant social commentary about war, pollution, immigration. Issues that appear to mirror our own society. It's as if Cuaron is telling us, the time is now. Now is the time to wake up, realize what's going on in the world today, and take a stand in doing something about it. Do something, or suffer the consequences. It may ruffle some feathers, but if it didn't, then this movie isn't doing its job.
'Children' is at times both an immensely intense and emotionally compelling picture. The action scenes are some of the best ever captured on film, the violence brutal and graphic. It's not always an easy film to watch, but even through its realistic portrayal of violence, 'Children of Men' has a compassionate heart. Cuaron has a way of capturing the human spirit like I've never seen before. The emotional depth he brings to film shines in all he does, making what I believe is one of the best working directors today. I cannot imagine a director who could have handled 'Children' any better, it could have easily come across as either too saccharine or too violence-based, either of which would have weakened the effectiveness of the film. Yet with Cuaron, a perfect medium is found. The result, 'Children of Men' consists of some of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the year, but also some of the most uplifting.
The film's cast is spot-on. And while Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, and Michael Caine all deliver excellent performances, it's the enduring supporting cast that ultimately steals the show. Claire-Hope Ashitey, who portrays the first pregnant woman the world has seen in 18 years, gives audiences a moving and fantastic performance. But Pam Ferris, a nurse who accompanies Kee along her journey, takes the cake. Truly and utterly amazing, Ferris has that emotional punch that connects extremely well with the audience. Clive Owen's best performance to date remains his tour de force in 'Closer', but the strength and power he exudes on film makes him one of Hollywood's most talented and underrated actors. Michael Caine has gone from being a master magician in 'The Prestige' to a weed-growing hippy in 'Children', but his ability to command the screen is never questioned.
'Children of Men' may be overshadowed by some of the other more mainstream award-caliber films this year, but let it be known that the latest film from Alfonso Cuaron is a true, unparalleled masterpiece. It's such a breathtaking and dazzling effort in every sense of the word, and a film that everyone should have the opportunity to see. It's a cautionary tale that'll make you believe in the endurance of the human spirit, once and for all. And in the end, its exhilarating power will leave you breathless and transformed. It uses the loss of fertility to represent a much broader issue, what happens in a world without hope and in the face of destruction. It begs the question, what will you do to help? The time to act is now, and the time has never been better to see 'Children of Men'.