Children of Men

Photos from Children of Men – Alfonso Cuarón, 2006. One of my favorites from the last few years. In the age of post-apocalyptic debris being passed off as thrillers and thinking man’s action, Children of Men reigns supreme. Its action sequences are almost unparalleled in their intensity, utilizing impressive camera technology to create seemingly continuous sequences of seamless onslaught. These explosive set pieces are balanced with a very fascinating human drama, acted out powerfully by Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ojiafor (who stands at the very epicenter of the Apocalypse rather than in its wake these days), and young actress Clare-Hope Ashitey. I won’t spill any of the secrets that unfold in the course of the narrative (and there are plenty of surprises and emotional hits along the way), but suffice it to say that Children of Men stands as a remarkably visceral work that strikes both the surface and the deeper nerves. It provides ample food for the action junkie, the thinker, and the crier. It is also by far one of the most frightening post-Apocalyptic/post-cataclysmic World War visions put to screen–frightening because it seems too close, far too possible (even if the plot device that hangs over the proceedings and drives the film is a bit much to wrap your head around). Many of its images and underlying themes echo Orwell’s 1984, and will remind some of contemporary film V for Vendetta (comparisons are fleeting, but there are a few shared details between the two films). A taxing, thrill ride of a drama that really shouldn’t be missed.