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Review: Children of Men, after due consideration.

Posted by Audiophilander (A) on January 10, 2007 at 14:01:43

I caught this film last weekend and my initial impressions were both favorable and (marginally) negative. IMHO, this is a very good film, not quite great, but taken on it's face, perhaps a flawed masterpiece in spite of itself. There is no question that it's strengths reside in it's stunning realism, solid performances and deep, thought-provoking theme, but where it falls just shy of greatness from my perspective is it's lack of a cohesive, believable story (more on that later).

If push came to shove, I'd have to say that Children of Men has a Charlie Kaufman-esque simplicity about it. Those who are enraptured by the Charlie Kaufman school of screenwriting will undoubtably love Alberto Cuaron's & Timothy J. Sexton's screenplay because of it's allegorical, slice of life approach even though it has a somewhat predictable conclusion that is more of a stopping point than an actual end to the story.

Maybe it's just me, but I like to be surprised in movies. I doubt that anyone who goes to a screening of Children of Men will fail to figure out what is going to happen in this film after the first 5 or 10 minutes, even those folks who haven't seen the trailer. That aside, I'd like to reiterate, that CoM is still a visually stunning, wholely engrossing, chase film with some of the most realistic looking street combat footage ever achieved.

Michael Caine in an excellent supporting role as an aging new-age hippy (Jasper Palmer) was perfectly cast, as were the leads. However, I kept hoping that Clive Owen (Theodore Faron) would steal a BMW, regain his super-powered driving skills and save the day (such is life after being typecast as the driver in a series of well known promotional commercials)!

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SPOILERs:

The only real surprise was the early exit of Julianne Moore who also contributed a stellar performance. This event was startling in and of itself and added to the tension built throughout the remainder of the film.

So, you may still be wondering why, in my estimation, this film falls shy of greatness, from the standpoint of storytelling? Well, the plot, that 'evil' thing which brings film-lovers into the cinema and envelopes them, suspending disbelief in order that they should care all the more about the characters weaving the story is given short-shrift to the film's cautionary theme and, ultimately, a feature length chase with an unborn child as the McGuffin.

(Don't look yet!) MORE SPOILERS:

We are never given a believable rationale for why ALL births suddenly ceased worldwide rather than declining gradually (not that an explanation wasn't attempted, it's just that the explanation lacked credibility). Also, the reaction to mankind's inability to procreate seemed as indefineable as the feature-long chase and escape of Kee ('last best hope for mankind' portrayed by Claire-hope Ashitey).

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All in all, I came away feeling that I'd just experienced a visually stunning movie with excellent acting, superb cinematography and a compelling, discussion worthy theme, but taken solely on it's own merits it wasn't a movie that would draw me back for repeated viewings like Kubrick's dystopian near-future cautionary, A Clockwork Orange.

AuPh

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