A grim and gritty masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (22 September 2006)

The basic premise of 'Children of Men' is so wonderfully simple, it's almost mythic. The women of the world have been infertile for 18 years; hope has vanished from humanity; then... we meet a lone, pregnant girl, and her survival becomes the epitome of mankind's struggle.
All political and religious subtext aside (and there's a fair bit), this apocalyptic tale really grips through that central idea. A disillusioned man (Clive Owen) is tasked to lead the young mother through nightmarish southern England, to freedom and the 'Human Project', a secret organisation that may or may not exist. What happens on the way is riveting and often shocking. This is a vision of the future both gritty and disturbing, and director Alfonso Cuaron has a fantastic ability to evoke setting.
Owen's character arc is traditional for this type of reluctant hero, but he's highly effective here. I don't think I've ever seen him overplay a scene. Michael Caine is good as an eccentric old hippie with it all figured out. What impressed me most about 'Children of Men' though, was how real everything seemed. Set in 2027, it could've been tomorrow but for a few clever touches here and there to show where we might be headed.
I was very impressed with the choices made by the filmmakers, and I expect you will be too.