Wednesday, January 10, 2007
A(nother) Bleak Future
After the surprising box office take last weekend and the near unanimous critic approval, I decided to see Children of Men tonight. It's not too often futuristic thrillers are met with this kind of acclaim. But while it is a serviceable film, it certainly does not live up to the expectations.
The film takes place in London in 2027 and begins with the news of the assassination of the world's youngest person, 18-year-old Diego something. The government is exiling all illegal immigrants, there are various factions of people fighting for some cause or another, and there's Theo (Clive Owen), our hero, who must safely transport a pregnant woman, Kee, to a safe haven known as The Human Project.
Kee eventually gives birth while Theo leads them past one dangerous episode after another. So while this post-apocalyptic nativity scene is playing out at the end of the movie, we're still left wondering why and for what.
A lot of critics are falling all over themselves, but they are admittedly overlooking serious flaws in order to praise director Alfonso Cuaron's vision. It's all style over substance. There are no questions answered, no thoughts provoked, and just the occasional wink at the current state of world affairs ("Homeland Security" deporting all illegal immigrants).
I agree - I think it is a great vision of a harrowing future, where technology is advanced more for entertainment and death (a suicide drug called Quietus) than anything truly important. But if that's all that we as moviegoers are going to be able to take away from this film - then it's a massive waste and missed on some wonderful opportunities to present a compelling story.
Michael Caine in a supporting role as a friend of Theo's is fantastic, and there is a nice homage to the album cover for Pink Floyd's Animals. But neither of these things can save Children of Men from being merely average.
It's a disappointment from a director who did a great job with the Harry Potter franchise and directed one of my favorite movies of the decade, Y tu mama tambien.
The film takes place in London in 2027 and begins with the news of the assassination of the world's youngest person, 18-year-old Diego something. The government is exiling all illegal immigrants, there are various factions of people fighting for some cause or another, and there's Theo (Clive Owen), our hero, who must safely transport a pregnant woman, Kee, to a safe haven known as The Human Project.
Kee eventually gives birth while Theo leads them past one dangerous episode after another. So while this post-apocalyptic nativity scene is playing out at the end of the movie, we're still left wondering why and for what.
A lot of critics are falling all over themselves, but they are admittedly overlooking serious flaws in order to praise director Alfonso Cuaron's vision. It's all style over substance. There are no questions answered, no thoughts provoked, and just the occasional wink at the current state of world affairs ("Homeland Security" deporting all illegal immigrants).
I agree - I think it is a great vision of a harrowing future, where technology is advanced more for entertainment and death (a suicide drug called Quietus) than anything truly important. But if that's all that we as moviegoers are going to be able to take away from this film - then it's a massive waste and missed on some wonderful opportunities to present a compelling story.
Michael Caine in a supporting role as a friend of Theo's is fantastic, and there is a nice homage to the album cover for Pink Floyd's Animals. But neither of these things can save Children of Men from being merely average.
It's a disappointment from a director who did a great job with the Harry Potter franchise and directed one of my favorite movies of the decade, Y tu mama tambien.
