Movie Review: ‘Children of Men’ tackles difficult themes

By: Chris Fort
Contributing Writer

Those who brave the cold and venture off to see “Children of Men” won’t get the ending they want. They will, however, get everything else a sci-fi/action/drama fan could want. And what else could we have expected from director Alfonso Cuarón, who piloted “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” as well as the critically-hailed “Y tu Mamá También”? This movie pulls out all the stops (a few too many in fact), leaving the viewers at the edges of their seats for almost two hours.

“Children of Men” enters us into a world unlike our own, although it feels strangely familiar. In the year 2027, the world is besieged by terror and uncertainty. The only certainty is that in less than a century, the human race will cease to exist. Women, for some unexplainable reason, have been infertile for more than 18 years. Now every country, deprived of a future, cannot behave in the present and is engulfed in chaos. Every country, that is, except for England (shades of WWII), which uses military force to keep desperate refugees out.

Clive Owen plays the reluctant hero, Theo, a disenchanted former activist turned bureaucrat. After he is reunited with his former lover Julian, leader of a terrorist group fighting the English regime, she enlists Theo to help save the future of the human race. Theo’s objective is to transport Kee, a “miraculously” impregnated refugee, to a scientific study base called the “Human Project” where they can study the mother-to-be and learn the missing ingredient to help human beings procreate again.

Owen, who fans have been clamoring to see as the lead in another action movie ever since he played a role in “Sin City,” is sensational. His character is a cold, ostensibly unfeeling individual who looks after himself and no one else. Owen shows off his talent by bringing warmth to an otherwise callous character.

The cinematography in “Children of Men” is astounding. The camera follows Theo throughout the film, giving a first person perspective into the hell Cuarón has created for this feature. The realism of the action is reminiscent of “Saving Private Ryan,” where bullets and tank shells fly unyieldingly into the streets and buildings. An eerie silence seeps throughout the film until an explosion or gun shot pervades the stillness and reminds us of the dire nature of Theo’s quest.

Still, despite “Children of Men”’s visual magnificence and superb acting, this film is one huge buzz kill. The lead characters face a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles which add to the bleakness of an already grim feature. I often felt the need to stand up while watching the movie and shout at the screen, “Give them a break already!” But what else would you anticipate from a movie whose tagline reads “No Children. No Future. No Hope”?

While the movie may not be the most upbeat, it’s more than worthy of a view. Political science majors could spend hours dissecting all the political undertones in “Children of Men.” From the inhumane refugee buses which display the words “Homeland Security,” to the all-too-familiar scenes of war-torn countries, it’s obvious that Cuarón is making a statement about the governmental issues which saturate the evening news these days. With “Children of Men,” Cuarón has truly created a work of art, regardless of whether or not viewers like it. It’s a lesson that we must appreciate the life we have today because, as the film shows in oh-so-many ways, it can be lost far too easily.