Civilization itself has begun to fall apart in this dark, dreary vision of the near future, brought to us by Alfonso Cuaron (“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”). Not a big budget science fiction extravaganza like George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, or James Cameron would give us, there are no space ships, alien visitors, or robots from the future. This film harkens farther back to the days of intellectual science fiction, before the special effects revolution. If you know and expect that, Children of Men can be an enjoyable and interesting experience, if a bit bleak.
In this tale, the year is 2027 and it has been 18 years since any children have been born. The youngest people in this society are now adults, and for whatever environmental or genetic reasons, people are no longer able to procreate. This causes the governments around the world to crack down on its populations to maintain order, especially against its immigrant population. Theo Faron as portrayed by Clive Owen (“Sin City”), is a glum working professional in London, who has seemingly given up all hope of things getting better. The few enjoyable moments he spends are with his survivalist friend Jasper (Michael Cain; “The Prestige“), in a house hidden away in the woods. Julian (Julianne Moore; “The Hours“), a figure from his past, who is now the leader of an anti-government group, contacts him for assistance in a very important mission, that may hold society’s future in the balance.
The film is shot in grayscale, so that everything tends to blend into itself, further emphasizing the feeling of hopelessness as society crumbles. This visual style, together with the pacing at the beginning of the film, makes for a dry and monotonous experience, until about one-third of the way into the story, when a major character is killed, seemingly out of the blue, which shocks Theo into action, and shocks the audience into attention. After this, the story picks up, the stakes are raised, and Theo becomes a more interesting character and a more integral part of the story. Clive Owen performs his anti-hero well, a character the audience eventually accepts as their protagonist, especially since it is he the important cargo is entrusted with.
One of the issues raised in Children of Men, regarding the treatment of immigrants, seems especially timely as our country grapples with similar decisions on the political stage. As good science fiction will, it cautions us about excess in our attitudes and behaviors, without needing to deal directly with the issue. Though not as exciting an adventure as some sci-fi today, and with some plot points underdeveloped (what’s exactly in the blue box and why is it being sold?), the substance of the film and the poignancy of the final twenty minutes, makes Children of Men an overall interesting film to watch.
3 out of 5