Children of Men
2006 · Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Original language: English
- science fiction
- thriller
- action
The story
In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
What it’s like
Bleak, grimy and urgent, with long unbroken takes that drift through besieged streets as if the camera were a frightened witness moving alongside the characters. The palette runs to washed-out greys, rusted browns and sickly greens, broken up by the flare of fires, riot-shield glare and harsh overcast daylight, and the handheld camerawork is so close to the action that bodies, debris and mud fill the frame. Gunfire and ambushes erupt with sudden, shattering violence, including a long, chaotic sequence in a city under attack and a refugee camp that is harrowing to watch. Gore is present and bodies are shown in the aftermath, but the film is more about dread and shock than gratuitous splatter. Sound design does much of the work: a mournful, sparse score cuts against bursts of gunfire, crying infants and the roar of crowds, and near silence often lands harder than the noise. Its mood is weary, tense and quietly hopeful, and its pacing is relentless, with few breaks. A jaded, reluctant man slowly reconnects with his conscience, and the film suits viewers who want a grounded, politically charged thriller with real emotional weight rather than comfort or gentleness.
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