20 years from now, humanity is on the verge of total collapse. Most of the third world nations already have caved in on themselves, and even major powers such as the United States are no longer capable of sustaining order. Riots, governmental...
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20 years from now, humanity is on the verge of total collapse. Most of the third world nations already have caved in on themselves, and even major powers such as the United States are no longer capable of sustaining order. Riots, governmental violence, disease, poverty, and any other horrible social cataclysm you can think of are parts of every day living, it seems. It's not entirely clear everything that led us down this path to dystopia, though a big part of it seems to be that in the next few years, the women of the world will become completely infertile. No new babies will be born, thus leaving our race with a rather bleak forecast. Funny how the notion of total extinction doesn't lead to an especially warm and fuzzy outcome.

This is the premise of Children of Men, the brilliant new action flick-cum-social drama from Y Tu Mama Tambien and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuaron. Oddly, this premise isn't even what necessarily drives this film away from being just another cautionary look at the not-so-nice near future, though it's an intriguing premise for sure. Painting a picture of a childless future is certainly a more interesting way of creating a dystopian future than the sorts of broad stroke governmental evilness you find in most 1984 wannabes these days (V For Vendetta, for example). Ultimately, what turns Children of Men into more than just a depressing piece of near-future sadness is Cuaron's incredible direction, and a more effective than average underlying message of hope.

Clive Owen, who quite frankly should be the biggest British actor working in Hollywood right now, turns in a fantastic performance as a downtrodden bureaucrat treading through the muck of modern English society in 2027. England is evidently one of the last bastions of the "civilized" world, and because of that, the country is besieged with illegal immigrants trying to escape the horrors of, well, everywhere else. The autocratic government has pulled the plug on all immigration, rounding up anyone without proper papers and caging them like animals. Along the way, activists (or terrorists, take your pick) fight with the government, blowing things up for the sake of getting some kind of message across. Owen's Theodore Faron evidently used to be one of these activists, but nowadays he's content to get through his days with mild alcoholism, a general disinterest in anything related to his work, and occasional trips out to the country to visit his old hippie buddy Jasper (played to gleeful perfection by Michael Caine).

One day, Faron's old life crashes back into him when he's kidnapped by the Fishes, the number one terrorist group in England. As it happens, the Fishes are led by Faron's ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore), and she needs Faron's help. A "fugee" (illegal immigrant) girl named Kee needs transport papers to get to a boat. It turns out that Kee is inexplicably the first pregnant woman in 18 years, and a Super Friends-like group of the world's best scientists known as the Human Project want to get a look at her and figure out how she and she alone is somehow able to propagate the species. What follows is a dizzying, terrifying, and ultimately inspiring chase to get her through the pitfalls of a broken society, and into the hands of possibility.

From the moment Kee's secret is discovered, everything basically goes to hell. In fact, things go to hell from practically the opening shot. We discover everything we need to know about this failing world through a few quick news clips, including one describing the recent assassination of the world's youngest person, an 18 year old boy from South America. The way we watch as people gasp and break down at the news of this boy's death, just as many did when Princess Diana passed away, is extremely telling of just how priorities in this new world have shifted. As Owen wanders around London, bombings, vandalism, and all other manner of chaos seem to just be the norm. It's a vivid portrait of a society gone to hell, and Cuaron dresses it up perfectly, blending a variety of political themes and issues into this nightmarish scenario, so as to make it more than a mere "what if" piece of sci-fi fantasy.

As we get to know Faron and crew early on, the film becomes quite intriguing. There's a lot of interesting ideas introduced, future science that could be explored, and such. But as soon as Faron and Kee begin their journey to the Human Project, pretty much all form of back story is abandoned for the sake of the absolutely thrilling, and sometimes heartbreaking chase. Without spoiling what happens, there's a great deal of conflicting interest around Kee's miracle child, and the pair go through some horrific scenery as they travel. There are pieces of this movie that look like they could be set in modern-day Iraq, with war-torn streets and seemingly random outbreaks of incredible violence. Corruption, selfish interests, and many other dark facets of the human soul conspire to impede the journey, and all the while, we're on the edge of our seats, hoping for that miracle to come through.

Chalk up the victory there to Cuaron, his cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and editing partner Alex Rodgriguez. Through a combination of tightly directed action sequences that rely almost exclusively on handheld cameras and up-close-and-personal angles, it's hard not to feel directly in the thick of the action. It's incredibly intimate violence that's extremely effective, and never glorified. The set designs are equally laudable, portraying a fantastically ugly rendition of London that makes V for Vendetta's future look dreamy in comparison. Every new place that Faron happens upon looks like it's been utterly given up on. Trash litters the streets, graffiti displays a wide variety of political messages on every available wall, and even the cars people drive look like they've been put through the wringer.

In one scene, Faron and Kee walk through an abandoned elementary school. It's kind of a hammer-over-the-head emotional moment as you see the place overgrown with weeds, and local wildlife running through the hallways that children once occupied. Still, it's one of many brilliantly affecting images strewn throughout the film that truly capture the level of despair in this future.

If there's any complaint to be lobbed at Children of Men, it's that it's hard to decipher its greater meanings, beyond the bluntest and most specific messages of hope and political cautions. The film's message on immigration is practically painted on the screen in gigantic neon lettering, and as a modern nativity story for both the religious types and the secular crowd alike, there's no denying the film's effectiveness in championing the value of human life. But there are lots of other touched-upon themes and concepts within the film that never get fully explored. There are dabblings in suicide, abortion, religion, and such, but you get mere glimpses of these things, and never quite grasp where exactly the film stands on any of them.

Likewise, even the script's own lore is never fully explored. You never find out why women are infertile, nor do you discover how Kee managed to become the new Mary. The science of the film seems utterly fascinating, but for the sake of the chase, all these things are left as mere ideas in passing. At a mere hundred minutes, we're barely given a moment to catch our breath in this movie, let alone pontificate about what has actually created such a ghastly future. While the pacing is excellent for what the film wants to be, a moment or two to stop and think out loud about a few more of its concepts would have been greatly appreciated.

Still, in a film this lovingly crafted and wonderfully energetic, a few glossed-over concepts can be forgiven. Cuaron and cast come together in Children of Men to create one of the most thoughtful action movies you'll ever see. It's equally electrifying and philosophic, a beautifully sullen film that manages to uplift, even in the face of constant and seemingly insurmountable adversity. And what ultimately makes it so engaging is the knowledge that these same sorts of adversities and atrocities could very well be in our not-too-distant future. The worry of such a destitute future becoming a reality is palpable throughout the film, but so is the hope that we're capable of avoiding it.