Children of Men is described as a dystopian thriller. Set in the year 2027 the future looks bleak. The entire human race has become infertile and no one knows why. All hope seems to be lost. Anti-depressants and suicide solutions are dispensed on a mass scale. The youngest person on the planet is 18 years of age. Terrorism and war seem commonplace. Britain remains the sole survivor, and even then, is only a shadow of what it once was. The government maintains control by ruling the people with an iron fist. Internment/refugee camps are packed to capacity as Britain attempts to hold back the waves of refugees trying to enter the only country still retaining a twisted sense of humanity. Did I mention that the future looks bleak?
When we first meet the main character, Theo (played by Clive Owen), he is a public servant overrun by apathy. It’s not until he is kidnapped by a terrorist group, known as the Fishes, that his life starts to regain some meaning. It’s here he is re-united with his ex-wife, played by Julianne Moore, and leader of the Fishes. She has a job for him. Simple. Provide the Fishes with travel documentation for a young woman, called Kee, who must flee Britain. When red tape forces Theo to escort Kee to the border himself, the duo, along with a middle aged midwife, are betrayed and relentlessly pursued across Britain by both the law and terrorists.
Clive Owen really stands out in this film as he plays what could possibly be the first public servant action hero committed to film. Children of Men is not just an action film. It’s dark and deep. There’s a lot to be taken in. Theo’s journey leads him to reclaim elements of his humanity that he had long given up. Ultimately the journey ends with him being reborn as a human being. It is fairly safe to say that I found this film “thought provoking”.
Did I enjoy this movie? Hell yes. Probably the best movie I have seen in the past 12 months. Children of Men echoes thrillers such as North by Northwest as well as post apocalyptic films such as 28 Days Later. In short, see it ASAP.
5 out of 5 pickles.