Movie Review: Children of Men

The new release Children of Men is a dystopian thriller that demands attention. Alfonso Cuarón adds to his directing (and writing) credits an exemplary dystopian sci-fi tale. Brimming with visual style, this film manages to thrill while successfully diving into the realm of subtle social commentary.

Clive Owen (Inside Man) stars in this hard-hitting look at the future alongside Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Inside Man), and Michael Caine (Batman Begins). Set in the year 2027, this film is about a forlorn society in which humans have lost the ability to procreate. The world has spiraled into a predictably fatalistic situation in which England is one of the only "super-powers" remaining.

However, when the young woman Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey) becomes pregnant, a struggle ensues over whether to use the baby for political means or take it to the mythical Human Project to potentially save mankind. Theo (Clive Owen) is a depressed worker bee who gets unwittingly thrust into the situation, and is eventually tasked with seeing Kee to safety.

This film is clearly Cuarón's baby, so to speak. Though based on a 1992 book of the same name by P.D. James, it was co-written by Cuarón and four relative newcomer scribes. Cuarón was apparently reluctant to get involved with the film at first because he was not interested in doing sci-fi. He changed his mind when he realized how conducive the unique story was to addressing current issues in an indirect manner.

The film does this, with alarming effectiveness. We are given scenes of inhumane treatment of immigrants, racism, cynicism, and blatant government control of the media. All of these things suggest not where we are, but perhaps where we are going if changes are not made. That said, until the very end, the movie is a bit of a downer. It deals with tangible issues and serves up drama that hits hard. There is an overwhelming sense of hopelessness throughout much of the journey, which makes the twists that more jarring.