What makes Children work is that camera and the staging of all the physical insanity its lens captures.
Children of Men (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:199
Fresh:183
Rotten:16
Average Rating:8/10
Consensus: Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live. This taut and thought-provoking tale may not have the showy special effects normally found in movies of this genre, but you won't care one bit after the story kicks in, about a dystopic future where women can no longer conceive and hope lies within one woman who holds the key to humanity's survival. It will have you riveted.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
US Box Office: $35,286,428
Synopsis: CHILDREN OF MEN is not a popcorn movie. With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the future, Alfonso Cuarón's film doesn't make for pleasant viewing. But it's an exhilarating experience... CHILDREN OF MEN is not a popcorn movie. With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the future, Alfonso Cuarón's film doesn't make for pleasant viewing. But it's an exhilarating experience because the picture is an amazing dystopian drama that lacks all the typical trappings of the genre. Set uncomfortably close to the present, it paints a frighteningly realistic picture of the future. In 2027, every woman on earth is infertile. With the loss of the ability to have children, the world has also lost hope. Clive Owen (CLOSER) plays Theo, an Englishman attempting to make a life in a hellish world. His estranged wife (Julianne Moore) convinces him to help transport a young woman to safety. When Theo learns that the woman is pregnant, their journey takes on a significance--and a danger--he never imagined. This is Cuarón's best film to date, a strong statement considering his wonderful HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN and Y TU MAMA TAMBIÉN. Filmed using a handheld camera, the action draws the audience close, making the horror that much more real. In addition to its remarkable car-chase scenes, the film features impressive acting. With his expressive face and voice, Owen gives a nuanced performance that ranks with the best of his career. As a reclusive hippie, Michael Caine shares a charming counterculture view of the crumbling world. Chiwetel Ejiofor (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS) brings gravitas to the role of a terrorist. Just when the film threatens to overwhelm with its sense of dread, small moments of comedy show through in Owen's wry sense of humor and Caine's perfect delivery. When the credits roll, CHILDREN OF MEN leaves the audience feeling shell-shocked, not only because of its brutal prophecy, but also because of its brilliance. [More]
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chjwetel Ejiofor
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chjwetel Ejiofor, Peter Mullan, Charlie Hunnam, Pam Ferris, Danny Huston, Jacek Koman
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Screenwriter: Timothy J. Sexton, Alfonso Cuaron
Producer: Hilary Shor, Marc Abraham, Tony Smith, Eric Newman, Iain Smith
Composer: John Tavener
Studio: Universal Pictures
Reviews for Children of Men
It's definitely worth setting aside your urge for lightweight escapism and diving into this heavy, provocative tale, set so closely to our times and so recognizably an extension of our world that it offers an intriguing chance for reflection.
Everything comes together in Children of Men, from Owen's white-knuckled performance to the eclectic soundtrack.
This is an extraordinary artistic breakthrough from a Mexican director who was already fearlessly good to begin with.
An immersive, transporting experience, both devastating and hopeful, and a film that is emotionally, intellectually, and viscerally exhilarating.
Children of Men is about a miracle. Children of Men is, itself, a miracle. It's a movie that can single-handedly remove the scales of cynicism from your eyes, reminding you of what wonders cinema is capable.
Where some directors might have opted for making a sci-fi action film with flashy chase scenes, nifty futuristic special effects and gadgetry, and artsy camera angles, Cuarón ... holds up a mirror to our own worldview, reflecting back to us what we bring
[Children of Men] benefits from Cuarón's visual virtuosity -- in his hands, it carries a jaw-dropping immediacy.
Children of Men works as a science-fiction parable, as a social commentary, as an action film, and as a character study. But mostly it works as pure cinematic experience.
it understands the problems we're undoubtedly going to have to face but it also sees the hope that these challenges will no doubt bring out in some individuals
Cuaron is proving to be the real thing. It's tremendously exciting to watch.
A consistently tense, demanding and altogether exhilarating experience, an instant new classic of the sci-fi genre.
Cautionary tale and thriller rolled into one, it is a terrifying vision of the future, all the more gripping for ringing so true.
Though in terms of atmosphere it's a gripping exercise in modern Orwellianism, it's less well realized in human terms.
Alfonso Cuaron, a master craftsman, creates a unique and totally original vision of this not-too-distant future. It's harrowing.
Children of Men is a heartbreaking, bullet-strewn valentine to what keeps us human.
The story, based on P.D. James' novel, grabs you at first, but its grip slackens as the unanswered questions and murky plot developments add up.
An exhilarating sci-fi action thriller with a powerful social and political message.
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