Where are the children?

Rating: 8/10 (20 October 2007)

From Alfonso Cuaron comes the depth defying, Children of Men starring Academy Award nominees Clive Owen and Julianne Moore with Oscar winner Michael Caine. One generation from now, women are infertile and no longer able to do the one things they feel they were brought here to do. The world is in turmoil, streets are dangerous, and there is no hope for future. When the youngest person on earth is killed at the age of 19, the downward spiral that mankind is going down only worsens.
All seems lost, until Theo (Owen) is contacted by his ex-wife (Moore) and presents him with a mission; transport a young African-American girl to an undisclosed location. There is a catch however, this young woman is pregnant and near birth.
Children of Men is a captivating motion picture of recent years. As we expect this spectacular sci-fi film with explosions and action, we are left without the theatrics and given a humane look into the soul of a society. The film excels on many levels, especially in the film's resolution. Clive Owen gives a very subtle yet striking performance. We haven't seen Owen like this before and it's in the beauty of Theo that he creates that makes the character work. Not since Closer has he been this sensational.
Julianne Moore is brief but very memorable. It still haunts me how that woman is without an Oscar. As underdeveloped as the relationship between her and Theo is, there's no real reason for us not care for the two. It isn't until her absence from the film, do we feel her prescience missed.
Michael Caine is as effective as always turning in one great supporting performance after another. Caine is clear cut, fun loving and physically different in his role. The character doesn't excel on the dramatic level rather balances out the melancholy nature of the film with some bright faces and wonderful laughter.
Alfonso Cuaron however, is the main reason this picture succeeded so. His choice of location, placement, and artistic integrity is evident from start to finish. The film's cinematography is the most creative camera-work in possibly the last century of cinema. Its such a key element to the story and the whole beauty and technique by Emanuel Lubeski leaves him in the top ranks of other great cinematographers as Rodrigo Prieto and Conrad L. Hall.
This is a film for everyone to experience and with a good adaptation from Cuaron and four other creative writers, the film doesn't lose focus of their objective.
Grade: ***/****