Engaging and exciting sci-fi that is interesting and technically impressive in its delivery

Rating: Null/10 (30 April 2007)

It is the year 2027. For some reason mankind has gradually ceased being able to reproduce, with the last human born being "baby" Diego in 2009. When he is murdered in a brutal attack it stuns the world, only further sapping the hope in a world where the aging population has given up, economies have collapsed, terrorism is rife and Governments are focused on control rather than improving anything for anyone. In the middle of this former activist Theo is approached to help transport a woman across checkpoints to the coast where the mysterious "human project" is working to save mankind.
Interesting to look back on some groups of films and see what they tell us about the times they were made in. The sci-fi's of the 1950's point to an external threat that is different from us and must be feared an conquered for example. It will be interesting to look back on Children of Men and other recent sci-fis such as V for Vendetta because already they seem so attuned with the world we now live in. Children of Men jumps just into the future to a world crumbling with no real hope for anyone other than those clinging to what little privilege power offers them. This is the strength of the film as it builds a futuristic world that is so palatable  remote from our own but yet so easy to believe. There are problems with the narrative in regards pitching it to a mass audience though. Many (including myself at times) will struggle with not understanding and knowing everything about this world.
This did bother me at times but mostly the central story was exciting and interesting enough to engage  so what if the story doesn't fill in the whole history of where we are now, or if the film finishes where it does rather than giving us a firm conclusion? That is not the nature of the story and it is part of the telling. For something so downbeat and with these open aspects, the film does a great job of gripping. The background detail of this future makes for a strong foundation for Theo and Kee to move through, producing some interesting plot points but also a surprising amount of action. The ambush on Julian's car is exciting but it doesn't compare to the final scenes where Theo attempts to rescue Kee; not only is that scene gripping but it is technically very impressive as it is delivered in long, complex takes where you feel you get no respite. The script is not perfect though and some of it is clunky and not as intelligent as it thinks it is (lest we forget that this is script that calls the character holding the future of mankind "Kee") but mostly it is very strong.
Owen holds the film together with a central character that is hardly off the screen but yet we never tire of him. There are a lot of stars alongside him but he owns the film by far. Moore has a small turn that is effective albeit more because of her surprise fate rather than her amazing turn. Caine is amusing but is wisely kept to the sidelines while Ejiofor, Mullan, Huston and others all fill in the smaller characters. Ashitey is OK but not as strong as I would have liked; she didn't convince me in her skin and it was too easy to see her character as a plot device rather than a character. As director, Cuarón delivers the goods with an impressive group effort that makes this future so convincing and gritty. The sets are well done and London etc locations are subverted just in the right way to keep them real as well as different. Lubezki's cinematography is impressive throughout and personally, having seen both now, I think he should have had the Oscar that instead went to Pan's Labyrinth.
Overall an intelligent and interest sci-fi that says a lot about the times we live now in how it views the future. Despite some issues with the script and total pot, the film is engaging and exciting, producing a credible and depressing future-view but also being a technically impressive film in regards the design and delivery.