More blood than science fiction

Rating: 6/10 (11 November 2018)

Its intriguing concept pulled me into this movie. I love thoughtful science fiction. And its dystopian near-future setting was crafted with remarkable attention to detail - alone worth the watch. The artsy, jerky camera work was also done well. And while I could overlook the jarring violence, I couldn't overlook the shallow characters and lack of thinking that went into the plot as the movie developed. The final third of the movie wasn't much more than a war movie. Too many characters died, often too qiuickly - and we never really got a chance to care about most of them. I don't mind dark movies, in fact I often enjoy them, but the dark mood needs to bring out vulnerability and hope in the characters. And while that vulnerability and hope were central to the movie, as the subject implies, somehow it didn't connect well. The chemistry between the 2 main characters never really happened. The only chemistry seemed to surround Michael Caine's small part, one which almost stole the show. The lead performance was particularly hollow. This movie reminded me of 2012, another dark and jarring movie that was difficult to get through. I was able to finish Children of Men, unlike 2012. But I felt there wasn't enough payoff for suffering through the violence and darkness.