Children of Men – The relevance it has still today
Do to a recent influx of new subscribers I feel obligated to finally write something new. I struggled a little bit to find a topic, but I think talking about one of my favorite movies of all time will do for now. Even more, because I think it is quite underrated.
Children of Men is a dystopian Sci-Fi movie directed by Alfonso Cuaròn and with Clive Owen in the leading role. Recently I watched it again with a few friends and I was surprised who impactfull it still is and how it seems still relevant today.
The setting is very dark. Do to unknown reasons all of humanity is infertile. The last child was born 18 years ago. Because of this the world has fallen into depression and chaos. Religions begin to rise again, because the masses need hope. Others drown in Nihilism. Most of the world has deteriorated into anarchy, with large movements of millions of refugees everywhere. Briton is one of the last more or less stable nations and the only reason for this is a policy on Isolation, oppression and a stop to all immigration. Our protagonist Theo Faron lives in London and slowly sees everything crumble, until one day his Ex-Wife – who is part of an resistance group – makes contact with him, because she needs him to transport somebody very important across the land: the first pregnant woman in nearly two decades.
First and foremost it must be said that this is a very depressing movie. Almost all the shots are filmed in a dark matter. Even the sun cannot be seen most of the time. The hopelessness of the situation drips from every frame. Why care about nature, when there will be now children who will inherent the earth? Why care about politics, when everything will be gone is less than a century? Why care about art? Love? Anything? Simply doing something important seems to be a waste of time, because there will nobody to remember you.
To illustrate how fucked up this fictional world is: the government here gives out kits, that will guarantee a safe and painless suicide.
I must say, only 1984 itself was more dark than this movie. If you want a lighthearted, good time, this in not the movie for you. You will also be disappointed, when you hope to see a lot of crazy Sci-Fi-technology.
The world here looks a lot like ours and thereare only little hints that this is the future, like little blinking icons in the windows of the cars. But for me this helps me to immerse myself more into the movie, because it just seems so real.
The story itself takes some twists and turns and has some clashes of ideology. There are some people who turned to political extremism – despite or maybe even because of the hopeless situation – and they want to use the pregnant woman for their propaganda. These guys are basically the radical conclusion to Antifa.
Theo on the other hand doesn't care about politics, oppression or unfairness. This woman is a cure for the curse, that has befallen humanity. She is a new hope. Nothing else matters. Nothing. He sides with no one and is dedicated to bring here to a place, where she can be examined for a cure.
That is what I like the most about this movie. It is very A-political. Most sides are rotten to the core, because the world itself is rotten. Of course they think they are the good guys, but their methods are not very that better, then the ones of their enemy. Sometimes the question even arises, if this fucked up world is still worth saving. Theo himself has this doubts in the beginning, but after meeting the pregnant woman these doubts are blown away. All the other problems are secondary and must be addressed after the main issue is resolved: the future extinction of humanity.
The movie leaves it open, which side is right. Maybe the British government made the right call by closing the borders and cramming all the refugees into concentration camps. This may seem immoral, but maybe the other alternatives were much worse and threatened the stability of the nation. Or maybe the actions of the resistance, who wants to help the refugees, are to some extend justified, because the government cracks down way to hard. Or maybe both are wrong and there is no good solutions to anything.
By the way. Disregarding the infertility, this movies shows to a frightened extent the consequences of a huge refugee-influx into Europe: The crumbling of nations, extremism and the rise of police states. And it was made in 2006!
On a technical level it has some amazing camerawork. A lot of the sober, not over the top action sequences are shot in very long takes, with not visible cuts, so that you will never be pulled out of the tension. And trust me you will stop breathing at some points. The score relies heavily on sad, almost church-choir like vocal pieces.
To conclude: Children of man is a dark trip from start to finish. Its presents itself as very realistic and has a unique premise, which is explored thoroughly and in all its tragic detail. There is atmosphere, character, suspense, brilliant camerawork and the uncomfortable feeling, that some if the stuff here relates way to much to our world today.