Children of Men

Alfonso Cuarón, UK, 2006, 100 minutes

Many countries are concerned with a falling birth-rate, however by the year 2027 the situation is critical as no woman has given birth for over 18 years. Theo Faron goes to work and hears on the news that 'Baby Diego’, the youngest human, has been stabbed and the world is in mourning. London is in chaos anyway with a totalitarian government enforcing its authority by creating fear of terrorism and refugees and enforcing a ludicrous jingoism (sound familiar?).

In the midst of this Theo is contacted by an old flame of his. Theo is cousin to the dictator of Britain and they need to get a pass to get a refugee out of the country. He does this - and it turns out that she is pregnant.

However politics plays its part, the pregnant Kee is afraid of the government and being used as a political pawn, however the activists among whom she has sought shelter also have their own agendas and Kee’s pregnancy is going to be the vehicle by which they advance their manifesto - and there is a lot of infighting, in the midst of this forgetting her wellbeing. As soon as this becomes clear Kee and Theo flee in a tense race to reach safety but can hope triumph?

It is rare that a film is better than the book but this film easily eclipses the dull P.D James novel upon which this is based. Alfonso Cuaron is one of the most imaginative directors working today and he creates an entirely believable dystopia of an aggressive Britain on the verge of collapse with no hope for the future. In a world without children indifference and despair have set in to an almost intolerable degree as encapsulated in the almost pathologically apathetic Theo (an always excellent Clive Owen). Britain is awful yet no one can be bothered to fight as what is the point in fighting? Hope is as fragile as the baby Kee is carrying.

It is at times an almost ethereal film and John Tavener’s beautiful soundtrack highlights the mystical nature of the events taking place and the reverence shown to the commonplace miracle of birth displayed shows us what it means to be human.

A well deserved winner of many awards at the Venice film festival this was one of the best films of 2006.

Review by Louise Oliver
Written for EUFS Programme Spring 2007

Adapted from a PD James short story, Children of Men is set in 2027; since 2009 infertility has ravaged the globe, leaving a declining and depressed population behind. Theo (Clive Owen), an activist now turned alcoholic government worker, is contacted by his former partner Julianne (Moore) regarding the safe passage of an immigrant called "Kee" out of the UK - immigrants having been banned by the neo-orwellian government. Unsurprisingly, the passage is not all that safe, as both police and militant groups hunt the pair. The end goal is delivering Kee (via the sprawling immigrant camps on the south coast) to "The Human Project", allegedly a group with the facilities to explore and effect changes in the 0% fertility rate (although Theo - and many others - think the Project is a myth).

The film does an excellent job of showing what a country under such pressures would look like - from the propaganda regarding fertility testing, immigrants and suspicious activity to the policies of such an oppressive government - a government which hands out anti-depressants and voluntary euthanasia kits in its rations to citizens, whilst forcing them to carry ID cards, transit papers and so on. The film's pace is excellent and is a boon to modern sci-fi - although you can see the film draws heavily on Orwell (the pub scene especially). Director Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) also has screenwriting credit, and his influence and talent enriches this film.

Whilst the idea of global infertility is far-fetched, the metaphor evident in the film - regarding the need to reform/reinforce connections with kin even in times where the usual family system is breaking down - is one most people should get behind. This film is definitely worth a watch - both in terms of its visual quality, plus the debates it will no doubt generate on your walk home.

Review by Niko Ovenden
Written for EUFS Programme Spring 2007