Children of Men

Absolute victory of form over content and story. Even though, in its almost metaphorical conception of human incapacity to reproduce, it can drive a few bugs into the viewer's mind. It's a pity that it doesn't develop the central idea too much, it doesn't provide a cohesive resolution and rather serves as a screen for the camera and editing. But oh, for what purpose! The expression "raw" has never applied to any other film as much as it does to The Descendants. The attack on the car and especially Thea's journey through the battle tumult resonate in me longer than after the closing credits start rolling, and I am afraid that some unnecessary and mainly pre-condemned plagiarists will try to shoot a scene that will be better or longer and fatally fail. Definitely not the film of the year, but perfect for contemplation and amazement from a visual standpoint. (22/12/2006)

This is no milestone in the history of cinema, for that Cuarón would have to be as good a screenwriter as he is a director, but it’s definitely a film that can only be recommended. At least 2 scenes – the carjacking and the wartime turmoil in the refugee zone – are worthy of inclusion in the proverbial "hall of fame" of memorable scenes; the only thing I missed while watching them was an involuntary "Holy shit!". Another thing worth praise is the interestingly portrayed atmosphere of the near future: bleak and troubled, free from exaggerated technological trappings, but with an emphasis on one of the expected future problems of Western civilization, which is already beginning to rear its ugly head (see this year's events in France), namely the problem of illegal immigrants and the related rise of xenophobia. Clive Owen is a very charismatic guy and a good actor, I'm rooting for his current status as a major leading man, just a shame that in his case it didn't come sooner. (28/12/2006)

Of all the film premieres of 2006, Children of Men left the biggest impression on me, and because I didn't hesitate to go to the movie theater to watch it, I was rewarded with an experience on the big screen. It is a film that is brilliantly directed, a masterpiece by Alfonso Cuarón, where you can feel the touch of an extraordinarily talented filmmaker in every shot. However, I have one problem with Children of Men: Yes, is brilliantly filmed, but I am concerned with what it is about. The literary source by P. D. James is just an average story from the science fiction genre, and in my library, there are hundreds of novels and stories that deserve such precise adaptation far more than this. The basic motif, namely the fact that children have stopped being born, is essentially nonsensical and can only be seen as a metaphor. But I have a slight issue with the divine punishment in the sci-fi movie. Furthermore, the world of the author is not very functional. Why should the planet fall into chaos and only Great Britain survive as an island of stability? In moments of crisis, old proven dictatorships usually take over, regardless of their nature, and in a world where older people prevail, the desire for stability prevails as well. Nevertheless, my overall impression is a reliable 90%. It combines three basic prerequisites for the creation of a good film - an original story, a strong theme, and unique execution. Practically every scene is captured with remarkable invention and persuasiveness. The strongest impression a viewer takes away is from the depiction of battle scenes in a ravaged refugee camp. Cuarón has an extraordinary ability to tell a dramatic story and doesn't need frantic and shaky camera shots like notorious B-movie directors. At the same time, it's not overly sentimental or just cheap entertainment. It is a directorially alarming and exceptionally emotional film. It is already part of the golden fund of science fiction works today. (24/01/2008)

If Children of Men didn’t have such a simple plot, there wouldn’t be anything to reproach it for. The plot wouldn’t even be a problem, but the end result is merely a patchwork of a bunch of incredibly intense scenes that don't seem particularly consistent as a whole. Even without the long takes, Children of Men would be worth seeing. However, the scenes are there, and they constitute the proverbial icing on the cake, which elevates Children to a clear "must see" affair that we haven’t been treated to in our movie theaters for a long time. And probably won't for a long time to come. (10/11/2006)

A riveting film with a pretty realistic portrayal of our near future. The world in 2027: misery, filth, people living in unsustainable social conditions; not that different from our present. If you multiply today’s problems in Europe, you will get something unpleasantly similar to Children of Men. This socio-political insight gives the film an uncompromising undertone, while the main storyline provides a sufficiently solid base for the viewer to consider it real and factually important. The camera for the most part is a couple of paces behind the protagonist and in several scenes it pulls you directly into the events taking place on screen, making you go through a brutal shoot-out, a bus full of hiding wretches and a semi-demolished building. Everything feels incredibly alive but depressive at the same time, and the glimmer of hope in the form of a baby by the end works the way it should. (21/01/2008)