by Rhian Hibner
Daily Lobo
In a perfect world, Clive Owen would be practicing his Oscar speech.
Unfortunately for him, it's not a perfect world. Instead, the academy will ignore "Children of Men," much as they ignore most science-fiction films. It's a shame, because if the academy was willing to see past the end of its nose, it would be clear that it doesn't need to look any further for best picture.
The premise of the film is one-of-a-kind. It's the year 2027, and for the last 19 years, human females have mysteriously been rendered infertile. The youngest person left on the planet is a little more than 18 years old. In this backdrop, a few interesting characters appear. Owen does an excellent job of portraying Theo - a bitter and irritable drunk. Throughout the course of the film, his attitude alters, and his character grows considerably. Most of this is because of the female lead Kee, played by newcomer Claire-Hope Ashitey.
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Kee's character is the driving motivation of the film. After 19 years of humanity tearing itself apart in war and riots, Kee is the first sign things will improve. Quite simply, she is pregnant, and the entire focus of the film is to get her to people who might be able to figure out why. Despite her novice status, Ashitey fills the role admirably. Her character, despite the darkness of the world, is still young and playful - a stark contrast to Owen's brooding
grumpiness.
England has become as much the melting pot as the United States, and the film extrapolates on this, giving England the status in the film as the single remaining nation that hasn't completely descended into chaos. Not that the alternative to chaos is any prettier, and much of the imagery used to portray this potential totalitarian government is an unsubtle jab at the U.S. administration and how it handles illegal immigration. The supporting characters move in step with the dictatorship or against it. There isn't much in the way of shades of gray in this film.
Few filmmakers have the ability to do serious science fiction. Alfonso Cuar¢n not only does it seriously, he manages to craft scenes of immense emotional power. Owen is in all of these. One of the pivotal scenes of the last 20 minutes can easily move most of a crowded theater to tears. There should be a warning.
"Children of Men" is an excellent film. It is also extremely hard to watch. People die graphically in this film. Ultimately, the hope outweighs the darkness, and for that reason alone, it's a film people should see. While "Children of Men" paints a dark picture of the future, it also shows a way out of that darkness.
"Children of Men"
Now playing
Grade: A
