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Children of Men (2006) https://letterboxd.com/smudgeefc1985...ildren-of-men/
I saw this at the cinema when it first came out 12 years ago, and despite buying the DVD as well, I've never watched it since. As time has gone on, I forgot what exactly it was that so upsetting that despite enjoying it, made me not want to go back. Until a recent discussion about it's current relevance on Twitter forced me to go back. And now I remember.
Unquestionably one of the bleakest films I've ever seen, it us genuinely scary how relevant this film is today. And unlike many futuristic sci fi films that give us their story with promises of technological advancement, this is completely different. It is set in 2027, but everything in it looks like anything from the last 10-20 years, it could be now. It is a world that is recognisable to us that has gone to hell. And it has all happened because something unexplained has rendered the whole world infertile. And with no future and no hope, chaos and insularity have taken over and destroyed what little there was left. Until hope arrives in the form of a young pregnant girl.
There isn't one single piece of this film that isn't perfect. Cuaron is a genius, taking us everywhere he wants to go. Makes us despair for humanity in one scene, then remember what there is about us that's worth saving in the next. From a technical perspective, again perfection. The leading camera angles, POV shots, the whole scene towards the end that effectively descends into guerrilla warfare, the horror of that refugee camp. it's a masterclass in filmmaking.
It is helped along by a powerhouse central performance from Clive Owen, in what is easily the best performance of his career. We practically live and breathe the whole film through him, we feel everything.
One of the finest films ever made, and one of the most relevant around right now despite being 12 years old.
I saw this at the cinema when it first came out 12 years ago, and despite buying the DVD as well, I've never watched it since. As time has gone on, I forgot what exactly it was that so upsetting that despite enjoying it, made me not want to go back. Until a recent discussion about it's current relevance on Twitter forced me to go back. And now I remember.
Unquestionably one of the bleakest films I've ever seen, it us genuinely scary how relevant this film is today. And unlike many futuristic sci fi films that give us their story with promises of technological advancement, this is completely different. It is set in 2027, but everything in it looks like anything from the last 10-20 years, it could be now. It is a world that is recognisable to us that has gone to hell. And it has all happened because something unexplained has rendered the whole world infertile. And with no future and no hope, chaos and insularity have taken over and destroyed what little there was left. Until hope arrives in the form of a young pregnant girl.
There isn't one single piece of this film that isn't perfect. Cuaron is a genius, taking us everywhere he wants to go. Makes us despair for humanity in one scene, then remember what there is about us that's worth saving in the next. From a technical perspective, again perfection. The leading camera angles, POV shots, the whole scene towards the end that effectively descends into guerrilla warfare, the horror of that refugee camp. it's a masterclass in filmmaking.
It is helped along by a powerhouse central performance from Clive Owen, in what is easily the best performance of his career. We practically live and breathe the whole film through him, we feel everything.
One of the finest films ever made, and one of the most relevant around right now despite being 12 years old.