May 03, 2007

Children of Men - An Apocalypse or A Second Coming?

I wonder how I missed this movie on the big screen! Alfonso Cuaron's 'Children of Men' had me completely spellbound, just as Alejandro González Iñárritu's, "Babel" and Guilermo del Toro's, "Pan's Labyrinth" did. Might just be a coincidence, but three of the best movies I've seen this last year have come from artists of Mexican origin. What's even stranger is that the three have plans of making a movie together!

Alfonso Cuaron's "Children of Men" presents a dystopia, Britain in the year 2027, mourning the death of its youngest citizen, an eighteen year old! The world's womb has been barren for the last eighteen years, and humanity is watching itself edge toward its extinction. Excessive pollution has resulted in infertility across the globe and man is left without an heir to home the earth. How then does he go about his business of living as the most intelligent species on the planet; one that knows how to survive despite all odds!

Alfonso Cuaron's Britain also suffers from another serious malady, a seriously fragmented population comprising of the government supporters, the rebels, the activists, and the refugees; a majority of who are living in subhuman conditions amid horrific violence, some in refugee camps that bring an Abu Gharaib and a Guantanamo Bay to mind. The country is flooded by immigrants who have now become targets of a government that wants them out.

This dual hell, is in fact Alfonso Cuaron's dystopia, one that is dangling between an assured apocalypse and a dormant and dubious hope. The nightmare for the refugees is relentless, as is the curse of infertility, but somehow fledgling faith forages and finds anchor in the refugee Kee's womb. Apparently, there is still some hope for humanity! Does Cuarno make good of it, or does he make heavy the blanket of gloom that lies heavy on a people lacking the will to live?

The movie is based on P. D. James novel of the same name published in 1992. I haven't read the novel, but Cuarno's movie makes me want to read it. Clive Owen as a reawakened activist is impressive, as is Kee playing the pregnant refugee. The plot and the setting, though futuristic, could as well have a current day existence. It is the plausibility of its situation that makes "Children of Men " so terrifying and a must-see. A dystopia no doubt, yet, Cuarno leaves the audience hopeful with a silhouette of "The Human Project" emerging on the horizon. What will we make of this fledgling hope? That is the question that Cuarno wants the audience to carry out of the theater, and so I did!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really liked the movie as well. Sadly, it didn't make much of a splash here (in the US).
What intrigued me most about the movie was the way they showed that we had given up on the earth, running toxic wastes into rivers, using excessively polluting motor rickshaws, etc. I wonder if that was due to a loss of hope for humanity (because of our inability to reproduce) or whether our inability to reproduce was a result of our giving up on the earth. Anyway, glad to see you liked it. -SR

Anonymous said...

wow! so taht would be a new addition... childless for 18 years is quite unbelievable.. though the year 2027 seems a bit too early.. and clive owen is a brillant actor..

Id it is said...

sr,
That is an insightful thought!
Did we give up on the earth and hence the barren womb, or the despair of the barren womb lead to our trashing and disregard of the habitat.

Sh'shank said...

you know what I wrote something about this when it had come out...
The pattern of humans wanting to become creators and in essence killing ourselves is a trend which is quite a valid progression...
Seen Matrix Reloaded?
Dialogue between The architect and Neo... Its a vicious circle... Man will die and its creation will kill him... In essence !!!

EXSENO said...

I know what you mean, I loved this movie.

AVIANA said...

wow...thanks for the review...it will definitely be in my netflix queue list now....

how are you?

thanks for stopping by today! I''m glad I give you new artists for your to discover and enjoy...but fyi...i put new music or so on each posting....i post about 2-3 times a week which MEANS...you have to come by to my blog at least twice a week to see what new artist you haven't heard of I'm featuring ...hmmmm....:)

have a nice monday!

Lisa

Dr. Deb said...

I heard this was a MUST SEE film. I will put it on my list.

Anonymous said...

Even though the plot of the movie was awesome, i somehow didn't like the movie! It was because of the rampant killing, the inhuman condition of people and the despairness of people around made me really uncomfortable. I disturbed my mental peace of next few days after seeing the movie.

Anonymous said...

you know this is how we are acting right now with our dear Planet Earth. however, we can never lose hope in our acts.

-U.N

Dr. Deb said...

Just wanted to say that I rented this movie and it was so haunting and moving. Amazing how and what people will do for "hope". I loved this movie.

Thanks for recommending it.