Film review: "Children of Men"
It doesn't pull any punches, this film. Right from the beginning you're thrown into a world that is scarily familiar, where the threat of terrorism pervades every interaction, and government notices everywhere exhort the viewer to "be aware".
But this isn't our world, yet. It's the United Kingdom in 2037, when the borders have been locked down, and every train station has cages full of illegal immigrants waiting to be shipped off to detention camps.
According to government propaganda, the world lies in chaos, and only Britain is soldiering on. The cause of the breakdown is primarily a catastrophic failure of human fertility - no children have been born for eighteen years.
Right in those first few minutes of the film we hear the news - the youngest human in the world has been killed. The national outpouring of grief that greets this news sets the scene for what happens next.
For all that it's nominally a science fiction film, I found it far more realistic than any action film or thriller you could care to mention. Sure, there are car chases and shoot-outs, but they've got that ludicrous touch of reality that had me laughing at the absurdity of the situation, while at the same time being desperately anxious for the characters involved.
Like real life, this film is full of moments of humour and sadness and wonder. And thanks to some incredibly deft directing and writing, it avoids over-sentimentality and cheese.
If there's any justice, Clive Owen (the lead) should get an Oscar for this film. It's not an easy role, he's very much the reluctant hero, starting out bitter and twisted. The entire film is shot from his point of view, we only ever see and hear what he does. There are some beautiful scenes where he says absolutely nothing, and none of the other characters are watching him, but we can see his entire back-story written on his face in the emotions he's trying to suppress.
The film ends with hope, but it's a realistic hope. We know that there's no magic bullet, no saviour that will sweep down from on high and put the world to rights, but we still feel like we've been there for the very start of something, and that it could change that world for the better. Like real life, there's always more to the story, but the particular chapter depicted in the film is done.
So, in summary. I liked it. Lots. So did the beloved. Lots. I think it's the best film I've seen in ages, so go and see it while you can, because I don't think it's the sort of film to break box office records, and it probably won't be around for all that long.
PS. ping nearside! You definately have to see this film - it's what one of the Variations could very easily look like!
But this isn't our world, yet. It's the United Kingdom in 2037, when the borders have been locked down, and every train station has cages full of illegal immigrants waiting to be shipped off to detention camps.
According to government propaganda, the world lies in chaos, and only Britain is soldiering on. The cause of the breakdown is primarily a catastrophic failure of human fertility - no children have been born for eighteen years.
Right in those first few minutes of the film we hear the news - the youngest human in the world has been killed. The national outpouring of grief that greets this news sets the scene for what happens next.
For all that it's nominally a science fiction film, I found it far more realistic than any action film or thriller you could care to mention. Sure, there are car chases and shoot-outs, but they've got that ludicrous touch of reality that had me laughing at the absurdity of the situation, while at the same time being desperately anxious for the characters involved.
Like real life, this film is full of moments of humour and sadness and wonder. And thanks to some incredibly deft directing and writing, it avoids over-sentimentality and cheese.
If there's any justice, Clive Owen (the lead) should get an Oscar for this film. It's not an easy role, he's very much the reluctant hero, starting out bitter and twisted. The entire film is shot from his point of view, we only ever see and hear what he does. There are some beautiful scenes where he says absolutely nothing, and none of the other characters are watching him, but we can see his entire back-story written on his face in the emotions he's trying to suppress.
The film ends with hope, but it's a realistic hope. We know that there's no magic bullet, no saviour that will sweep down from on high and put the world to rights, but we still feel like we've been there for the very start of something, and that it could change that world for the better. Like real life, there's always more to the story, but the particular chapter depicted in the film is done.
So, in summary. I liked it. Lots. So did the beloved. Lots. I think it's the best film I've seen in ages, so go and see it while you can, because I don't think it's the sort of film to break box office records, and it probably won't be around for all that long.
PS. ping nearside! You definately have to see this film - it's what one of the Variations could very easily look like!