Movie Review: Children of Men
I wanted to see Children of Men because it was directed by Alfonso Cuaron, who directed one of my favourite (foreign) films, Y tu mama tambien, a story about two teenage boys and an attractive older woman who embark on a road trip and learn about life, friendship, sex, and each other (caution: graphic sex scenes).
Children of Men is about a dystopian future where mankind has suffered a global catastrophe: women are no longer fertile. In the year 2027, the youngest person on earth, age 18, dies. Within the next hundred years, man will no longer exist.
Societies around the world have collapsed. Britain is one of the last remaining countries to survive. Consequently, it has a horrendous illegal immigration problem. The state is forced to round up hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants for deportation in huge refugee camps. The government has become fascist—think of an extreme extrapolation of the current Bush administration. In desperation, they enact draconian policies to try to control the population.
An underground movement known as The Human Project tries to find a solution to the infertility problem. But they must act under the radar of the fascist government. Enter Clive Owen who plays Theo, a man enlisted by his ex, Julian (played briefly by Julianne Moore), to escort a miracle pregnant woman to The Human Project. He must do so while avoiding the government, as well as rebels who are trying to secure the unborn child for their own political cause. Theo is assisted by Jaspar Palmer (Michael Caine), a hippie political cartoonist who has gone into a self-imposed exile.
I liked the film, but I felt that it fell short of my expectations. The background story wasn’t as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. But I give it top marks for visceral impact. There’s no question that Cuaron has a unique cinematic style. And it does make you think, being as it is, an eery mirror of our possible future.
Children of Men is about a dystopian future where mankind has suffered a global catastrophe: women are no longer fertile. In the year 2027, the youngest person on earth, age 18, dies. Within the next hundred years, man will no longer exist.
Societies around the world have collapsed. Britain is one of the last remaining countries to survive. Consequently, it has a horrendous illegal immigration problem. The state is forced to round up hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants for deportation in huge refugee camps. The government has become fascist—think of an extreme extrapolation of the current Bush administration. In desperation, they enact draconian policies to try to control the population.
An underground movement known as The Human Project tries to find a solution to the infertility problem. But they must act under the radar of the fascist government. Enter Clive Owen who plays Theo, a man enlisted by his ex, Julian (played briefly by Julianne Moore), to escort a miracle pregnant woman to The Human Project. He must do so while avoiding the government, as well as rebels who are trying to secure the unborn child for their own political cause. Theo is assisted by Jaspar Palmer (Michael Caine), a hippie political cartoonist who has gone into a self-imposed exile.
I liked the film, but I felt that it fell short of my expectations. The background story wasn’t as fleshed out as I would’ve liked. But I give it top marks for visceral impact. There’s no question that Cuaron has a unique cinematic style. And it does make you think, being as it is, an eery mirror of our possible future.
posted by Darkest Knight | 2:27 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home