Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Children of Men / UK/USA / 2006

Alfonso Cuarón’s not so distant future finds Britain left standing (or rather, ”soldiers on”), while the rest of the world burns in turmoil; refugees from the rest of the globe are caged in the city streets, bombings are a common occurrence, and people weep openly over the death of the world’s youngest person at age 18, as reproductivity has come to a standstill. As I’m sure we’ve all gleaned from the trailer, Clive Owen’s rumpled, “doesn’t give a damn” Theo is reluctantly pulled back into political activism when a refugee, Kee, is found to be miraculously pregnant, in need of transport papers and eventually a guide to safety with The Human Project.

Despite painting itself into the action adventure corner, as the last third of the film mainly deals with the flight to safety, Children of Men had me quite tense and fairly captivated. I wish the film was longer – I almost feel this could have been quite epic, as the smallest details were convincing in the film’s vision of a very bleak future, and it shifts into its third act far too quickly. I concur that it feels quasi-realistic in its portrayal of 2027 – no flying cars or futuristic garb, and the contemporary touches that feel most eerie were the mounds of flowers laid in memorium for Baby Diego, recalling Princess Diana’s death; the inclusion of domestic pets (cats and dogs appear in numerous settings and are perhaps indicative of society’s last gasps of compassion); and most upsettingly the refusal to acknowledge the growing nightmare, a sentiment mentioned in an all too brief scene with Danny Huston as a government official more interested in collecting Picasso than in the human misery occuring on the streets under his penthouse. While the message of humans devouring themselves and the planet is reinforced both in a stork joke and Kee’s astute commentary on poorly designed milking machines, the lack of development leaves the film feeling slightly more shallow than it should. Maybe…

The long takes are incredible, my favorites including a road attack, and later Theo attempting to start a stalled car (I won’t give away more than that). The emotional charge of Children of Men is extremely high, and I would not be surprised if a second viewing was in order to take it all in, with less of a chance of tension and tears blurring my thoughts. Despite my reservations, this is one of the most ambitious and well-made films this year. If I had made a list, it would have certainly been included.

Tom’s thoughts

by Jenny Jediny | Source: Universal Pictures 35MM Theatrical Print
30 Dec 2006 9:51 PM | Submit Comment