Children of men (2006)

An extraordinary visual ride.

Written and Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron.
Starring: Clive Owen and Michael Caine.

Theo (Clive Owen) walks into a coffee shop flooded by people watching a breaking news of accidental death of a youngest human alive, 18 yr old 'Baby Diego'. The year is 2027. Theo walks out of the coffee shop and waits outside a little far from the entrance to light his cigarette when suddenly there is a loud bang and we see the coffee shop blown apart. Though I saw this scene during Children of Men's Best Cinematography nomination during 2006 Academy Awards, I still was shocked at second viewing and wanted to applaude for the directorial skill .

Children of Men is a dystopian story set in 2027 UK. While Government is on a 'Holocaust' like mission to hunt down illegal immigrants and deport them, a group of people called 'Fishes' is showing resistance. But above all the greatest problem the humanity is facing is the absolute infertility. There have been no recorded births since last 18 years. Among this turmoil Theo gets a request from his ex wife Julian (Julianne Moore) to have a refugee transported to a safe location. As story continues a girl is found to be miraculously pregnant and now Theo wants to save her from the tyranny of the Army soldiers and Fishes. The premise of the story sure pulls you towards this movie but what you see is even more stunning.

The list of accolades starts with Alfonso Cuaron, who previously directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2003). Just like the amazing last sequence shot in two points of view at the end of Harry Potter, Children of Men has three single take sequences. The first car chase scene that starts with Theo taking a nap and continues till the pull over by the cops, is the greatest chase I have ever seen. Though the complexity of this chase scene and the single take war sequence makes them as impossible as a human being living 200 years, the CGI effects are of course expected but the important thing is the way the post production unit put it together. It is seamless. The smooth continuity makes those single take scenes a visual beauty. No doubt it was made easier for the post production unit by Mr Cuaron's pre mind set of how this film is going to look like. Simply brilliant and unforgettable.

Next up is screenwriting for this visual treat. There was contribution from about six people, including the director himself. One of the memorable dialogues is Jasper's (Michael Caine) explanation of entanglement of faith and chance. Also the conversation between Theo and Julian is interesting. The pace of the movie is well tackled. When Theo has to follow the messenger right after a dog-race is quite fast paced and explains the quality of time and also gives director more than one opportunity to create surprising acts in the event of pace.

Acting department has some very solid performances. Clive Owen's reaction when Jasper is talking about faith and chance or when he tries stands alone in the woods right after the car chase makes him the number one person to watch for. Michael Caine also delivers a powerful performance as Jasper. Claire Hope Ashitey as Kee is another actor with extended limits. She is quite natural. Julianne Moore looked more concerned about pronouncing the right accent, but did not distract from the movie.

In the end I would like to say that watch this movie. Solid direction, acting and striking images make this one unforgettable.

My rating: 8/10.