Review of Children of Men (2006) by Tyen. — 29 Jan 2007

Children of Men is the best film of 2006. Hands down. It's so good, it easily makes my top 5 films of all time. Alfonso Cuaron has crafted the most important film of the year, and one that will be remembered for generations to come.

Clive Owen brings quiet anger and desperation as Theo, an ex-activist who, like everyone else on Earth, is mourning the loss of Baby Diego, an 18-year-old who is the last born person on the planet. The year is 2027, and everyone has been mysteriously infertile since 2009.

Terrorism is rampant, and the country (the film takes place in Great Britain) is in lockdown. However, small rebel groups are sill trying to figure this mystery out on their own. Among them are the Fishes, lead by Julian (Julianne Moore), an activist, and ex-lover of Theo, with the passion of having lost a child.

Julian is a woman who finds answers at any cost, and due to his pull, she needs Theo. Once he's pulled into her plan (he initially does it for money, but you get the sense that there's still some spark left in their romance), he can't get out.

Theo is a man who has lost hope, but he is reminded that hope exists when he's introduced to Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), a young woman who is pregnant and desperately needs the aid of sources outside of Britain.

Using all of his resources, including his stoner compadre Jasper (a wonderful Michael Caine), Theo vows to help Kee, a living miracle who brings hope back to a man who believed it was lost forever. Cuaron's directing is top-notch, and he was robbed of an Oscar nomination.

And the performances; some of the best of the year. Owen is a force to be reckoned with. He perfectly captures the sadness, the menace, and the compassion lurking beneath Theo's rough exterior. Caine is a hoot and a heart-breaker as Jasper, a man who has faith in a world that has lost their's.

As Julian, Moore is fierce as a one-woman army of integrity and force. And as Kee, new comer Claire-Hope Ashitey makes Kee a young girl forced to become a woman, and one of strong will. With no one to use as a reference for pregnancy, she's a scared girl that is going through something that is not only life changing, but history making.

Children of Men is fantastic film making, and brings about a message of hope in desperate and challenging times. It really couldn't have come at a better time.