 |  | Get Showtimes... |
Review #358 of 365
Movie Review of Children of Men (2006) [R] 109 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.75
Where Viewed: Cinemark Tinseltown USA, Colorado Springs, CO
When 1st Seen: 5 January 2007
Time: 2:20 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: unscheduled
Review Dedicated to: All of the children of the World
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)
Screenplay by: Alfonso Cuarón (Y tu mamá también), Timothy J. Sexton (Walkout), David Arata (Spy Game), Mark Fergus (Consequence), and Hawk Ostby (Consequence) based on P.D. James's novel, Children of Men
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Clive Owen (Inside Man) • Julianne Moore (Freedomland) • Chiwetel Ejiofor (Kinky Boots) • Charlie Hunnam (Hooligans) • Danny Huston (Marie Antoinette) • Claire-Hope Ashitey (Shooting Dogs) • Peter Mullan (On a Clear Day) • Pam Ferris ("Rosemary & Thyme") • Michael Caine (The Prestige) • Milenka James (Talk)
Soundtrack: Download now from 
— or — order the CD below
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
It is 2027; and, since 2003, mankind has been unwilling or unable to see the signs falling into place like tea leaves at the bottom of a cup that his fragile future is but a few decades away from coming to an end. For reasons scientists cannot explain, in the years that follow, the number of miscarriages will rise dramatically until such a time in 2020s when it will appear that all women on the planet are, quite simply, in fertile; and, by 2027, most of the world's governments will have collapsed into utter chaos and ruin as the world's civilized people lose hope and fall into complete despair. Only the British will press on as if there is hope, but with some nasty moral catches such as legalized, voluntary self-suicide, and the rounding up, maltreatment, and deportation of all illegal immigrants. As the world's youngest person, Baby Diego age 18, is killed outside a coffee shop in Brazil after refusing to sign an autograph for a fan, the striking and harsh reality of the slow progress toward the end of a human presence on the planet sinks in further to an already miserable and wounded world-wide populace. The only hope is a mysterious and unproven band of scientists and mystics called the Human Project believed to be working in an unknown location to solve the biggest crisis ever to threaten humanity and a mysteriously pregnant, young, illegal immigrant found by an illegal British activist group who has promised to get her to the safety and sanctuary of the Human Project. Thus is the basis for Alfonso Cuarón's dark new film, Children of Men, based on P. D. James's novel of the same name.
"Psychologically, one of the year's most powerful films…Alfonso Cuarón's brilliant yet dark vision of the future, perhaps, correctly forces us to contemplate…the chances of our survival in odds we have set against ourselves…"
Psychologically, the film is one of the year's most powerful as it properly projects the fear shared by many rational people of the world that mankind's perilous journey forward into the future can only meet a cataclysmic fate generated by our own lack of faith in our collective goodness. The stuff of such sci-fi films as Water World where our global climate mismanagement leads to the flooding of all the land upon which we depend to live, dozens of films which have us being wiped out by global nuclear annihilation or biological weapons, or the more recent parallel stories of Sci-Fi Channel's brilliant "Battlestar Galactica" remake and the Terminator films that doom us at the hands of our own technological advancements, there is clearly an undercurrent of paranoia that this cannot last. Whether we see these films as warning signs or the stuff of conspiracy theorists and doomsayers, they all speak to a collective consciousness if not conscience that, regardless, we are a fragile creature that despite our brain power, belief in manifest destiny of the planet, and relative good luck thus far, could very well face the end no matter how hard we try to prevent it. For so many reasons, it is probably a good idea for each one of us, every day, religious or not, to acknowledge the bounty and the beauty of our existence stripped of complexity and material possessions and rather just breathe in the air, notice the vast beauty of the sunset, and remain awestruck by our power to do good and create wonder. Likewise it should force us to step back and contemplate the opposite and why it exists and how we may have contributed to practices, procedures, shameful indulgences that may have furthered the misery of others. This is the power of Children of Men. It offers up no reason for the infertility, only speculation that it could be due to anything from our poisoning of the environment, genetic testing, to a built-in time-bomb placed in our DNA by the very hand of God. Because we have no answers and no solutions, mankind had two choices: work toward absolute world peace or allow all that for which we had strived to fall apart. Unfortunately, the grim reality of the film suggests that our species would chose the latter. If we are going out, we are going out with a bang. Rather than working to preserve a lasting legacy of our species that might, one-day, be found; rather than banding together and spending the last 70 or so years of our life on the planet seeking to achieve that which we had never achieved before—complete and absolute world peace and harmony—better we rape and pillage and plunder and destroy all that we accomplished. Demonstrating, it would seem, our collective lack of worthiness for long-term existence in the grand scheme of the universe in the first place. Begging the question that must be answered, why is there only ONE Nobel Peace Prize Winner each year instead of 1000s? Why, indeed, is there even such a prize? Were we all to practice what so many of the world's peoples preach, wouldn't we have the utopia for which we all pray? The irony in this plays out with incredible clarity in the film and in one of the most compelling and telling twists of its kind. You take away the children, and you take away the future. It's something that takes it's own sweet time to dawn on people, but once it is realized it is the most bitter pill of all. Many of us have no children, and don't even want any. We say we don't think this is a world we'd want to bring children into, or children are too expensive, or they might be born with defects, or they might die, or they might be victims of abuse or bitter custody battles, or they might fall victims to the violence of the world. We have a million excuses. And, of course, all of those fears are only too real for the people who take the bravest risk of all and have children today. But, really, most of us never actually think about the children themselves. There is a shocking scene in the film where the un-willing and co-opted hero, Theodore Faron (Clive Owen) enters a non-descript government facility. After so doing, however, it becomes obvious he is in what used to be an elementary school that hasn't been used in decades. And seeing the images in chalk of children on the boards conjures up a flood of thoughts. No more children: no more schools, no more teachers, no more playgrounds, Disneyland, animated films, cartoons, no more swimming lessons, tire swings, puppies, no more Santa Claus, bedtime stories, little league, fairy tales, school buses, summer vacations, no more high school football games, parades, training wheels, booster shots, chicken pox, little stubbed toes. There is no way after seeing the film to look at a little kid the same way again. There is no way to look at one and not realize the real, vast, and importance they play in our existence. There is no way to look at a fabulously 'successful' and wealthy person with an enormous legacy of records (weathiest person, most gold medals, fastest flight around the world, biggest house, most beautiful and valuable painting, most goals scored in a season, best three-point percentage, most Super Bowl rings, most expensive Mercedes, biggest summer cottage, fanciest office with a view of the East Bay, best novel, most Oscars) and not realize that these are all shallow accomplishments that die with a person whereas it is children that go on. And how patently, and I apologize for the strength of these words but, stupid, irresponsible, and foolish it is for all of us not to be investing our life's worth into the children and the people who teach and care for them.
Presumably, from what I have written, it is obvious that Children of Men provokes deep thinking, moral contemplation, self-evaluation, and startling revelation. It does so in mostly subtle ways as the story unspools. Theodore Faron, a middle-aged, white-collar worker, is nearly killed in a bombing of a coffee shop one morning on his way to work. As he goes about his life, we get a glimpse of what's left of the world's civilized people. The horrific chaos and unrest that spills over into all walks of life, and yet the British press goes on maintaining even the mounted palace guards. Affected gravely by the death of Baby Diego, he asks to leave work early; and, on the way home, he's abducted by the Fish (the underground organization fighting for the rights of illegal immigrants in Britain). What he doesn't know is that the local leader of the Fish is his ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore) who needs him to use the connections of his cousin, a man employed handsomely by the British government to procure and preserve the greatest works of art on the planet in a London museum park for all eternity, to acquire travel papers for a women in her care whom she needs to get out of the country. At first, he is skeptical, but eventually he caves in and meets with his cousin, Nigel (Danny Huston) to ask for the papers. Seeing Julian again brings back the harsh memories of the death of his own son, Dylan, to a flu pandemic that eventually drove him from his wife. It has been 20 years since then, and in the middle, the world has discovered its plight. Only Jasper Palmer (Michael Caine) a former award-winning political cartoonist who lives in a compound hidden in the forest with his despondent, catatonic wife remains as his friend and guiding spirit when it comes to having any real semblance of a family. When he acquires the papers, they come with a price—he must accompany the woman to the border, a responsibility he is unsure he is willing to take. Eventually, he agrees to go along with the Fish plan to help the woman flee the country. He has, however, no clue, that really he is getting himself squarely in the middle between the ideals, hopes, and dreams of Julian and the agenda of the Fish and the sub-commander, Luke (Chiwetel Ejiofor). As he delves more deeply and becomes more and more involved with his new charge, Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), he must face the eventual reality that he alone must save her and complete Julian's plan.
Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Claire-Hope Ashitey, and Pam Ferris (Miriam, a woman in charge of Kee's health needs), and Michael Caine, all deliver outstanding performances. The chief villain, Luke (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a bit too conflicted in both his performance and his character to serve the film as well. It is also, here, that the story, as if it needed a greater villain than the decay of human civilization, also gets a bit bogged down as the activists seize an opportunity to use a new found weapon as part of their cause. Their twisted sense of justice falls decidedly into the category of two wrongs don't make a right, casting doubt on their legitimacy and their motives. Of course, the relevance of their choices in comparison to many of the political decisions of today's governments should not be lost on anyone nor should the nasty and xenophobic policies of the fictional, future British government be lost on those evaluating, contemplating, and setting the policies of the political machines in operation today. Even so, the film would have been a big stronger had it not gotten bogged down in this way as it plummets, somewhat, into a pit from which it barely escapes. Theo eventually, must take matters into his own hands and accept the appointment of unlikely hero of Kee to get her to safety for, as it happens, the very survival of humanity may lie within her. From the point of this realization until the very end of the film, the film falls out of the lofty political realm and into a desperate, heart-pounding, but nonetheless, glorified chase film. Everyone is out to capture him and Kee: the government and the Fish. The profound nature of the film fizzles out in an ending where we are left with only a glimmer of hope for humanity. Perhaps that is as it should be, for the reality of our situation is that the power for progress toward a world and global civilization of which every human being alive can be proud lies in all our hands. Alfonso Cuarón's brilliant yet dark vision of the future, perhaps, correctly forces us to contemplate the fragility of our existence and the ten generations of consequences to each of our decisions. Maybe it is better that he did not give us a false sense of hope that, no matter how minute the chances of our survival in odds we have set against ourselves, we will always prevail.
Presumably, from what I have written, it is obvious that Children of Men provokes deep thinking, moral contemplation, self-evaluation, and startling revelation. It does so in mostly subtle ways as the story unspools. Theodore Faron, a middle-aged, white-collar worker, is nearly killed in a bombing of a coffee shop one morning on his way to work. As he goes about his life, we get a glimpse of what's left of the world's civilized people. The horrific chaos and unrest that spills over into all walks of life, and yet the British press goes on maintaining even the mounted palace guards. Affected gravely by the death of Baby Diego, he asks to leave work early; and, on the way home, he's abducted by the Fish (the underground organization fighting for the rights of illegal immigrants in Britain). What he doesn't know is that the local leader of the Fish is his ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore) who needs him to use the connections of his cousin, a man employed handsomely by the British government to procure and preserve the greatest works of art on the planet in a London museum park for all eternity, to acquire travel papers for a women in her care whom she needs to get out of the country. At first, he is skeptical, but eventually he caves in and meets with his cousin, Nigel (Danny Huston) to ask for the papers. Seeing Julian again brings back the harsh memories of the death of his own son, Dylan, to a flu pandemic that eventually drove him from his wife. It has been 20 years since then, and in the middle, the world has discovered its plight. Only Jasper Palmer (Michael Caine) a former award-winning political cartoonist who lives in a compound hidden in the forest with his despondent, catatonic wife remains as his friend and guiding spirit when it comes to having any real semblance of a family. When he acquires the papers, they come with a price—he must accompany the woman to the border, a responsibility he is unsure he is willing to take. Eventually, he agrees to go along with the Fish plan to help the woman flee the country. He has, however, no clue, that really he is getting himself squarely in the middle between the ideals, hopes, and dreams of Julian and the agenda of the Fish and the sub-commander, Luke (Chiwetel Ejiofor). As he delves more deeply and becomes more and more involved with his new charge, Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), he must face the eventual reality that he alone must save her and complete Julian's plan.
Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Claire-Hope Ashitey, and Pam Ferris (Miriam, a woman in charge of Kee's health needs), and Michael Caine, all deliver outstanding performances. The chief villain, Luke (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a bit too conflicted in both his performance and his character to serve the film as well. It is also, here, that the story, as if it needed a greater villain than the decay of human civilization, also gets a bit bogged down as the activists seize an opportunity to use a new found weapon as part of their cause. Their twisted sense of justice falls decidedly into the category of two wrongs don't make a right, casting doubt on their legitimacy and their motives. Of course, the relevance of their choices in comparison to many of the political decisions of today's governments should not be lost on anyone nor should the nasty and xenophobic policies of the fictional, future British government be lost on those evaluating, contemplating, and setting the policies of the political machines in operation today. Even so, the film would have been a big stronger had it not gotten bogged down in this way as it plummets, somewhat, into a pit from which it barely escapes. Theo eventually, must take matters into his own hands and accept the appointment of unlikely hero of Kee to get her to safety for, as it happens, the very survival of humanity may lie within her. From the point of this realization until the very end of the film, the film falls out of the lofty political realm and into a desperate, heart-pounding, but nonetheless, glorified chase film. Everyone is out to capture him and Kee: the government and the Fish. The profound nature of the film fizzles out in an ending where we are left with only a glimmer of hope for humanity. Perhaps that is as it should be, for the reality of our situation is that the power for progress toward a world and global civilization of which every human being alive can be proud lies in all our hands. Alfonso Cuarón's brilliant yet dark vision of the future, perhaps, correctly forces us to contemplate the fragility of our existence and the ten generations of consequences to each of our decisions. Maybe it is better that he did not give us a false sense of hope that, no matter how minute the chances of our survival in odds we have set against ourselves, we will always prevail.
Back to Top | W.I.P. Scale™ | Most Recently Reviewed Films | Films of 2005 | Films of 2006
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Children of Men (2006)
Cast Members
Clive Owen
• Julianne Moore • Chiwetel EjioforCharlie Hunnam
• Danny Huston • Claire-Hope AshiteyPeter Mullan
• Pam Ferris • Michael CaineMilenka James
Director
Alfonso Cuarón
Co-Screenwriters
Alfonso Cuarón
• Timothy J. Sexton • David ArataMark Fergus
• Hawk Ostby| Book | DVD | VHS |
| CD |
Children of Men (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
It is 2027; and, since 2003, mankind has been unwilling or unable to see the signs falling into place that his fragile future is but a few decades away from coming to an end. For reasons scientists cannot explain, all women on the planet have become infertile; and, by 2027, most of the world's governments will have collapsed into utter chaos as the world's civilized people fall into complete despair. Thus is the basis for dark film, Children of Men, based on P. D. James's novel. Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Pam Ferris, and Michael Caine, all deliver outstanding performances. Though, in the end, it gets bogged down in an elaborate chase scene; psychologically, the film is one of the year's most powerful as director Alfonso Cuarón's brilliant vision of the future, perhaps, correctly forces contemplation of the fragility of man's existence and the long-term consequences of his decisions.
No comments:
Post a Comment