Dazzles beyond definition.

“Children of Men”
Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiorfor
4 stars out of 4


The year is 2027, London is war torn, illegal immigrants are being locked up, and killed. Babies haven’t been born in 18 years, the youngest human Diego Ricardo has just died, he was 18 years old. Alfonso Cuaron has a crafted a thinking man’s sci-fi film, with rare acting, and a successful storyline. Cuaron is a visionary as any director these days, having crafted “Y Tu Mama Tambien,” and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” Curaron digs much deeper with this lucrative material.

The film above all is a devastating cautionary tale, filled with sadness, grief, and regret. Clive Owen plays Theo Farron, a British bureaucrat, who is a heavy drinker. Much of his grief stems from the loss of his son years back; he is separated from his ex-wife Julian, who plays a large role in freedom fighting, along with other followers. Julian and her group believe in “The Human Project”, a society who seems to have the answer for fertility. Theo has few friends, one being Jasper played by Caine, who smokes pot, and cracks jokes, while taking care of his ill wife in his hidden home in the woods. Jasper and Theo are two men are who have lost something, and can find solace in there friendship.

Theo is kidnapped by Julian and her group, as they explain they need transportation papers for a girl named Kee, Theo needs the money, and is intrigued by this favor asked by his ex-wife. Kee is black, and very pregnant, Julian has told her only to trust Theo, as he must escort her himself, as the group protecting her has other plans. It is Theo, Kee and Miriam, who must travel through war torn and ravaged London, in this bleak and dark drama. So much is always at risk, as the 3 try to reach the Human Project. Cuaron uses tricky and devastatingly real camera work to display chaos, and war throughout the film. There is a scene that doesn’t cut for around 9 minutes that is amazingly shot and told.

Don’t be fooled, this film is graphic, real, and soaked in dark tones, along with a future setting that resembles hell. This film transports you to the inevitable situations these characters go through, in hopes of a bright future for mankind. Theo and Kee connect as they can help each other, Theo has lost all hope in life, and Kee can give him that. Kee doesn’t who to trust, and knows her trusts lie in Theo and his will to protect her.

It’s fascinating how tense and real the film is, all the time we are expecting something bad, sometimes it happens, and sometimes we view the screen we a totally different perspective on life. This certain kind of filmmaking is what jumpstarts ideas with the audience and our lives, as this dangerous cautionary tale is brought to life in the realest of real ways. Cuaron and his team have shown dedication, with his camera shots, and vivid angles, this story is filled with utter and shocking moments that hit you in the stomach.

Some will say “Children of Men” doesn’t offer enough answers, or people don’t care enough for the characters to get involved. This is not the case; we are thrown into the mix pretty fast, and aren’t given time to fathom or even breathe at times. The acting is solid, Jasper provides much needed comic relief, and Owen is always shining on screen. My only trouble was that Julian Moore couldn’t have been used better, it was kind of a throw away role.

“Children of Men” may not win any Oscars, but it remains a solid film that means a lot, it’s a step forward for Hollywood. It’s brave as it is depressing, as this cruel and bleak world is fully brought to life. We feel what the characters feel, and what this world would feel is something of this sort even happened. “Children of Men” is brilliant.