Hale Kilinahe: Pith of Pop: Children of Men

2006. Universal Pictures. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Starring Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Claire-Hope Ashitey, and Julianne Moore.

I have never seen my husband so excited to see a film. Opening night, quarter after eight, just after the kids had gone to bed, he turned to me and said, "Children of Men is playing at 9:30".

I was excited to see it, too. Clive Owen is one of my favorite actors. I was hoping he'd be the new James Bond, but after seeing both this film and Casino Royale, I know it worked out just fine. Daniel Craig is a kickass Bond, and Owen, who, in my estimation, is severely underused, gets to be in the next big classic cult movie.

It's 2027. There are no more babies. Mass infertility has gripped the world, which is, all in all, in pretty bad shape. Think 28 Days Later and parts of 12 Monkeys. England is the last outpost of civilization, and it's not doing so well itself. Illegal immigrants are being rounded up and tortured. The military and gangs of extremists are trying to wipe each other off the map. Among the turmoil, Theo Faron (Owen), who has lost a child himself, must safeguard the life of the last pregnant woman on Earth, Kee (Ashitey).

This movie totally lives up to its hype. It's utterly hypnotic, and yet very hard to watch at the same time. The relationships between the characters and the things they say to each other are almost painfully realistic. The scenes between Owen and Julianne Moore are heartbreaking.

Every one of the actors does a great job. Even Moore, who is famous for her horrible taste in roles, takes a teeny-tiny little part and does something remarkable with it.

I have, over the years, come to really like Michael Caine, and he's great, as usual. In fact, his is one of the best supporting performances I've seen in a long time.

What stands out and what will net this movie tons of Oscars, though, is Cuaron's direction. His attention to detail is amazing. There's so much going on in the background of every scene. A significant sequence is filmed through a (fake) blood-covered lens. The scenes on the London street in the film's opening are full of little blink-and-you'll-miss-it details.

Ryan, though, kept talking about the cinematography. The long one-take sequences, combined with all the detail, make the film unnervingly realistic.

yup, i totally agree. it is an awesome movie and as a parent, it had a special significance. oh yes. michael caine did a great job and played a very lovable character. with minimum dialogue and action, there is a scene that involves his wife that will play in mind for a long time...
Posted by randy at January 7, 2007 10:22 PM

I actually read "Children of Men" when it was first published in 1993 (or thereabouts). I didn't even realize it was being made into a movie till I started seeing commercials for it. I no longer have the book, and it's been years since I read it. If I make it to the theater to see the movie, I hope to remember enough of the book for a comparison.
Posted by NemesisVex at January 8, 2007 4:12 AM