Children of Men (imdb)
In the near future (around 2o years), women mysteriously become infertile and major cities of the world start to fall apart. Violence is in the headlines daily, and anarchy rules all nations, with the exception of Britain, which apparently maintains a strong, authoritative government, constantly policing its borders for illegal immigrants.
What can there be said of this film? It’s beautiful. It’s so beautiful that you sit in awe of everything displayed for two hours on screen. The chaotic world is extensive, and the set design (do they ever use a set?) was elaborate that the film world feels so real. The camera follows Clive Owen as he navigates through battle torn streets, and you feel like you’re walking with him through the ruins. Violence in the film is shocking and never numbing. It reminds you of the delicacy of life and how quickly things can change. “Children of Men” is visually stunning on all levels, and the cinematography should be awarded.
The flick isn’t just a pretty face, though; the storyline is engaging and the pacing is consistent. The cast is well chosen, seen especially with Michael Caine as a hippie. The soundtrack also complements the film very well. “Children of Men” is the type of movie that draws you in from the moment it starts till the moment it ends.
The film does leave some questions unanswered. Why did the world fall apart when women became infertile? Is it that man destroys himself without innocence in the world? Does the innocence of a child give this world a safety from self-destruction? Who knows… this flick is just packed with ideas. Maybe it touches upon the meaning of life a bit. Maybe not… but it definitely touches upon the meaning of great cinema.
This review feels rather disjointed (a minimal synopsis, random raves/ideas about the flick), but it’s hard to describe this movie completely. Words don’t really do this one justice, just go check it out as soon as possible. This is necessary viewing.
4.5 strawberry coughs out of 5
January 31st, 2007 at 1:09 pm
You’re absolutely right on with this. It’s a great film and although I was a bit underwhelmed by the plot, the visuals keep this interesting the whole way through.