Children of Men (2006)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Children of Men (2006) – A. Cuarón

Dystopian thriller from director Alfonso Cuarón with tension that never lets up.  Clive Owen plays Theo Faron, an office worker who is slowly drawn into the actions of a terrorist group, the Fishes, by his ex-wife (played by Julianne Moore).  The time is 2027 and humans have become infertile with no offspring produced for the previous 18 years.  Events in the world (nuclear destruction of New York City included) have led nations to close their borders and illegal immigrants are locked up in cages in London (where the film takes place) before being sent to refugee camps that are clearly Hell on Earth.  (In this, the film feels current – alas).  Owen is cynical and alcoholic but has his spirits raised by aging hippy Michael Caine who lives off the grid outside of London.  He agrees to help escort a young girl (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to the coast, through dangerous zones, with the terrorists.  She is humanity’s hope for the future and needs to meet up with “The Human Project” who have a ship and can take her to the Azores, a free zone.  So, there is a “road movie” feel to the proceedings and Cuarón and his team use tracking shots to excellent effect (some quite long but apparently assisted by some invisible digital cuts).  The use of sound is similarly all-encompassing – loud explosions broken by moments of reverie and then back to chaos.  Perhaps this feels like a videogame (and Cuarón doesn’t shy away from using CGI to assist the storytelling – but it is pretty seamless). The film is gruelling but there are moments of hope that nearly brought tears to my eyes.  And then it’s over, leaving you to ponder our own world’s possible fate. But in the end, the film doesn’t attempt to offer real solutions or insights, it’s just a scary ride that could come true.