SUMMARY:
CHILDREN OF MEN
catapults us just over two decades into the future where, for some
unknown reason, women have been unable to conceive children for the past
18 years. Nations are at war and chaos in the street reigns as the world
faces the coming extinction of the human race in the next sixty years.
Former political activist-turned-government bureaucrat Theo Faron (Clive
Owen) is drawn back into the underground when a single pregnant woman
emerges.
STEVE SAYS:
Want
edge-of-your-seat excitement and tension from start to finish? Forget
Jerry Bruckheimer or Michael Bay. Director Alfonso Cuarón (Y TU MAMA,
TAMBIEN, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN) has treated us to a
depressing but mesmerizing look at a future in ruins with CHILDREN OF
MEN. Cuarón’s visuals are nothing less than stunning as we watch a world
in its death throes. The film looks like a cross between 1984 and BLADE
RUNNER. Contemporary London becomes a war zone on almost any given
street. Sheep are herded past decaying old bank buildings.
Director Cuarón
is a man of many cinematic faces, seeming to move from project to
project with a sincere desire to avoid repeating himself. Perhaps he’s
just the kind of maverick filmmaker to fill the enormous shoes of the
recently departed Robert Altman. Time will tell.
Brit Clive Owen
(INSIDE MAN, CLOSER) moves another rung up the ladder of stardom in what
is already a long and impressive career, even though he didn’t really
land on U.S. movie-goers’ radar screens until GOSFORD PARK in 2001. He
is in every scene of CHILDREN OF MEN and, indeed, the film rests
squarely on his shoulders. He carried out that responsibility extremely
well.
Julienne Moore is
always a welcome presence in any movie. Here, she is Theo’s ex-wife,
Julian, with whom he shared his years as a rabble-rousing activist. Her
role here is to open his eyes and re-energize his long-dormant rebel
spirit. The only thing I could find wrong with her in this film is that
there simply isn’t enough of her in it.
Michael Caine is
Jasper Palmer, a former political cartoonist now living hidden away in
the woods with his catatonic wife, making his living selling strains of
weed that he has concocted.
Relative newcomer
Clare-Hope Ashitey acquits herself well in this stellar company in the
role of the first woman to become pregnant in almost a generation.
Ashitey is black and her race adds to the complex tone of the film. The
role nearly went to HARRY POTTER’S Hermione, Emma Watson, who withdrew
from consideration after a scheduling conflict.
You'll also see some
eye-popping cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, re-uniting with his Y TU
MAMA TAMBIAN director after five years. His handling of the photography
of battle scenes, often in one long take, is a wonder to behold.
Sometimes what seems like one long take is actually several lengthy
takes joined at imperceptible cutting points, but the result is no less
impressive.
If you’re in search of the
feel good movie of the season, this ain’t it. What it is is an
extremely well-made action film for people with a brain. There’s a lot
to think about and discuss after you’ve left the theatre and that puts
it in a category in which I find it impossible to give it any less than
five kernels.
* * * *
PATTY SAYS:
True, feel good it
ain’t, but CHILDREN OF MEN is a Malthusian Catastrophe worth
considering. It’s interesting that futuristic films always portray
human beings as though Earth has become one gigantic episode of
SURVIVOR. It’s always depressing to think that we’ll all eventually
lose our capacity to respect one another, and our leaders will morph
into Aunt Entity, Master, Soylent Corporation executives (as though
Ken Lay wasn’t bad enough) and Big Brother. With all the chemicals we
ingest and inhale and all of the chemical weapons available to modern
day terrorists (corporate and political), it’s not an implausible
premise. Cuarón’s vision of the fragility of civilization is shocking,
but excruciatingly realistic.
It’s always
such a pleasure to be treated to a Michael Caine performance. As Caine
ages, he is accepting roles within a very broad range that allow him to
strut his acting stuff. And fabulous stuff it is. His portrayal of the
cloistered cartoonist, who has created his own Utopia rather than
succumb to the insanity of a post-infertile world, is rich indeed. The
entire cast was outstanding, particularly rookie Clare-Hope Ashitey who
concocted the perfect blend of insolence, naiveté and wisdom in her
portrayal of the young mother. She was no saint, but no sinner either.
There was just enough to like to give us hope....for all of us.
The film was
well-made. The sets were realistic, the lighting and cinematography was
exquisitely executed and there was little for me to complain about in
CHILDREN OF MEN. True, Steve, it is always fun to watch Julianne Moore
on the big screen, but using your logic, bad actors would be the only
actors cast to....whoops, that would be a spoiler. Let’s just say that
just because a hundred bucks doesn’t seem to last very long doesn’t mean
I didn’t enjoy spending it.
But of course, you know that.
If you get into
a blue funk during the holidays save this one for later...but don’t wait
until the Christmas bills come in.
* * * *
Happy Holidays
to all of our Popcorn Chronicles subscribers and friends. We count you
among our many blessings.
Steve, Patty and Chris.
December 29, 2006
