Children of Men

I will make this a very short review, hopefully I can say all I want succinctly. "Children of Men" is one of the best movies of 2006. The story of a world where babies are no longer born is a chilling one all by itself, but with Alfonso Caurón behind the camera and an amazing cast in front, it becomes a movie with so much power and such an incredible message it can hardly be done justice with words. Caurón is the mastermind behind "Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban," (easily the best Harry Potter movie to date, and the only one that captures the wonder of the books) and he demonstrates here, as he did there, a complete understanding of the way a camera can be dropped into a time and place to collect a story, rather than just set up for actors to cavort in front of. The cinematography is breathtaking, specifically in the most dire scenes of the film, and the colors used to convey mood and themes are sensational. Once again Clive Owen, playing a man called Theo here, proves that he is one of the best actors currently working. Michael Cane, however, steals every scene he is in from Owen, as an old hippie who cares for his wife while contemplating suicide by official mail delivered kit. Newcomer Claire-Hope Ashitey, playing Kee, the first pregnant woman in 18 years, holds her own among the many established actors. The most incredible thing about this movie, however, is neither the acting nor the direction, it is the blatant message that it sends. Here is a movie that is unafraid to point out that every single human life, no matter how young, is a miracle. It sounds cliché, but seeing it played out here in such a different and new setting forces the audience to recognize how precious and amazing a baby is. This movie is literally not to be missed, it is harsh but beautiful, terrifying but hopeful, most importantly it tells the truth.

A