A thought provoking storyline and exciting action

Rating: 8/10 (12 October 2006)

This dark adaptation of PD James novel has a chilling realism that makes it compelling viewing. A hard hitting drama the film is set in a world where fertility rates have dropped to zero and no one has been born for 18 years. Clive Owen plays Theodore Faron the flawed and tragic hero whose son has died some years before. He is supported by Hollywood actress Julianne Moore, veteran actor Michael Caine and British TV favourite Pam Ferris. He becomes embroiled in an underground organisation who wish to protect a young woman who might be our only hope for the continuation of humanity. This film also touches on other issues such as immigration and euthanasia as part of its central storyline. Trying to survive in a world of violence and chaos Faron must struggle to protect the one scrap of hope we have left. The director's choice of a documentary style approach to the shooting of this film makes it appear even more realistic as it encourages the viewer to feel they are genuinely watching the future unfold. Any violent action appearing in this movie is intended to add to it's gritty realism rather than to have the hero show his fighting prowess. This film does not have the glossy manufactured feel of effects blockbusters such as Ultraviolet which makes it stand out from other dystopian movies. You can't imagine a typical Hollywood car chase where the hero has to push his clapped out car down the road to get it started. However this portrays perfectly the degenerating state of the future world. There are also nice futuristic touches such as Faron's London 2012 sweatshirt looking a little old after years of wear. Our hero is an average man with alcoholic problems who possesses no super powers or strengths other than a concern for the common good of humanity, which is shown by very few of the other characters. This film avoids the pitfalls of other dystopian futures by portraying the appearance of the not so distant future as not being remarkably different from the way we live today, therefore avoiding the overly futuristic feel of some films which can start to look dated incredibly quickly. Children of Men has some important messages to impart about humanity and it is especially interesting for the cynical approach it takes towards politics. All the different factions in this film appear to want to use the innocent young woman for their own political ends without regard for the wider consequences. From this we can interpret the didactic message that humanity is such a divided race that even if we were faced with what might be seen as the unifying problem of the global extinction of humanity we would still find it difficult to give up our appetite for conflict and aggression. This is demonstrated by the fact that fighting and killing is still rife in this future even though there are no new people being born to replace those who die. Overall a darkly compelling vision of the future.