Bleak but powerful

Rating: 10/10 (9 February 2007)

This takes place in Britain in 2027. The world has been hit by a plague or something (we never find out) that makes women unable to give birth. Society begins to crumble. Theo (Clive Owen) is a bureaucrat who distances himself from it all--but he was once an activist. He's drawn back into it all by a former lover (the always great Julianne Moore). There is one pregnant woman (Clare-Hope Ashitey) who they have to smuggle out of Britain and Theo gets involved.
The story is somewhat vague and I'm still not sure what all these characters were about (I'm STILL at a loss to figure out what Michael Caine was doing here) but I was fascinated from start to finish. It is bleak and depressing with no humor or lightness to help you along. There are bloody gunfights and a nonstop air of depression surrounding everything. Still it's not THAT grim. I was able to distance myself from it--I was always aware I was watching a movie. Some people may not be able to do that (a few people were crying when I went).
The acting is superb--Moore is never bad and Owen has never been better. His acting anchors the whole movie. You see his character go from unfeeling and uncaring to the other extreme. Even Caine was fun (sort of).
I'm not going to get into the politics of the movie--but this seems to be the kind of future President Bush would love. Big Brother is always watching you here--illegal immigrants are routinely caged and brought to camps, people have to carry identity cards and the government has total control over everything. I don't think it could ever happen but it's terrifying to think that it could.
A bleak, depressing but just great movie. A 10 all the way.