Children of Men

Ah: fresh fiction! How I love to go to the theater (especially after paying $9 a ticket) and walk out with a smile on my face, and a good memory in mind! It doesn’t seem that this happened often enough anymore, and I hope that it’s not because I’m a stuck up critical ass. It seems to me that film stories these days are struggling to come up with something interesting, something new, something fresh. Lucky for me, director and writer Alfonso Cuaron brings a story of a grim future to light.

It’s the year 2027 and there seems to be no hope left for the human race. In an unmentioned cataclysmic event, most of the world’s largest cities now either lay in ruins, or are nearly destroyed. London stands in a list of few of the last civilized cities of the world. The film opens with the sad passing of the world’s youngest person. Women are no longer able to conceive, and the world’s population is dropping drastically. Theodore Faron (Clive Owen) is pulled from his day to day life to the underworld of human hope by his ex-girlfriend Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore.) He’s let in on one of the largest secrets the world has ever offered, and must make decisions that define the fate of the world.

It’s the dedication to the style of the film that sets this film apart. Though acting in this film is fairly strong, it seems to me that its concepts are more important than the actual acting. Though the stories of the characters do play a role, I think that the idea of human hope is the key character. Evolution of the human spirit is the true plot of this gritty war-time film.

Coupled together with the strong theme is strong film making. The cinematographer should be up for an award, in my opinion. Much like Saints and Soldiers, the film is almost entirely shot on a hand held camera unit, giving the “follow along” effect. This is especially important in scenes of long hallways, and damaged and maze-like buildings. Think of the worst part of a big city. Now riddle it with insurgents, missiles, poverty and rampant animals. That’s what the director and set designers were able to recreate. It’s hard to estimate what the future will hold for us, and it’s hard to design a set that would somewhat accurately display 30 years in our future. But I tip my hat to the crew for this film, as they demonstrated some of the highest quality of attention to detail.

The strong cast also helps to bring this story to life. It’s a story of hope, and love, and what we’ll do when our race is put to the final test. What will it take for us to realize that we can solve our own problems? What happens when the human child becomes one of the most desired commodities? What do we do when we’re put against absolute extinction? All of these themes are addressed, as well as kept fresh and interesting throughout the short runtime.

It’s a good film to catch, and currently climbing on the IMDB list. If you’re looking for something to cut through the usual theater banter, this might be a quick fix. It’s different, and doesn’t rely on the power of its stars to draw in interest in the film. It’s a strong story, with good support both from the actors and from the technical crew. It’s raw, cold and dirty, so keep that in mind when bringing the 8 year old. It’s a film that’ll make you smile; not necessarily because it’s a feel good film, but because it’s something worth the money you spent, something worth the time you’ve spent. Solid. 7.5 of 10