Season 1: Children of Men (2006)

In 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.

Jess' Review

Children of Men (2006) was Sam’s choice this week - a movie I’d seen long ago and had recalled only small slithers of, none of which being particular notable. But I was soon pleased to see that my memory had severed me wrong. Alfonso Cuaron’s dystopian drama kept my attention with a firm, but not overbearing grip. Given the bleak, doomsday story we’re swiftly thrown into, it remains remarkably easy-viewing. We follow our lead, Theo (Clive Owen), navigating through a uncomfortably close future - 2027 as the title reads! - plagued by human infertility. Poverty is rife in an overpopulated vision of near-apocalyptic London, immigrants are treated as less than vermin and fanatical cults dominate the streets. It’s a remarkably miserable vision, yet an artfully depicted example of world building. Perhaps some elements are a little over the top, but truthfully, nothing we see seems that wholly unbelievable. Children of Men treads a fine line between a character drama and gritty action, but never quite reaches its apex. Whilst we sympathise with Theo and more poignantly, Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), I find myself less engrossed with their personal stories, but rather the bigger picture. Instead, I’m more taken to the moments of tension. When the action hits, it’s like a gut punch. Snappy, powerful and leaving you a little winded on impact. It’s something the film excels at and despite the often-brevity of the scenes, seems to revel in. For me, Children of Men, is an ode to the darkest corners of human nature and allows audiences to get lost in the harrowing ‘what ifs’ of a desperate future. It’s a little over-exaggerated, and in my personal opinion, lacking heart and real attention to character building. But it’s an excellent, uncomfortably vivid piece of cinema to unpick. Symbolism and allegory bleeds from this script, and viewers who appreciate this will see its true worth as more than just a gloomy, action flick. 8/10

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Sam's Review

As the film begins, I cannot help but admire Alfonso Cuarón’s worldbuilding. Grimy streets littered with bulging bin bags, filthy walls lined with graffiti, exhaust fumes polluting the air. And the people are packed in. It’s feral. A bleak glimpse into a dystopian future. And then the juxtaposition of the wealthy. The gated part of the city opens to expanses of green. A spacious luxury apartment filled with priceless works of art towers above the smog of a rotting city.

The story is delectable. Infertility has cursed the human population, potentially – the cause is never explained, and the mystery adds a certain allure – started by a flu pandemic that killed many. The harsh backdrop of infertility and a pandemic is not lost on me. Due to consumption of microplastics and various chemicals, humans are facing a fertility crisis in the next few decades. And this blog only started because of the lockdown caused by COVID-19. This inadvertently heightens the tension.

The cinematography is gritty, forcefully using the darkness to escalate the anxiety of the scene. It lays the broken world bare for all to see. Theo’s a damaged man, a reluctant saviour. There’s an undercurrent of sadness that runs through the film. Summarised in a heart wrenching moment between Jasper (Michael Caine) and his wife.

Faith seems an obvious theme. Encapsulated in a later moment, when Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) and Theo (Clive Owen) walk down the stairs, the light seeming to hang onto them, and amongst the soldiers. Then there’s reference to new start-up religions in the face of disaster, which I cannot help but tip my hat at. It seems so true to humanity, and further makes me appreciate the depth of the bleak world that has been curated. And of course, the journey of a miracle baby that brings hope to the world. As someone who flits between agnostic and atheist, I found it fascinating.

As the United Kingdom is the last functioning government, people flock to our shores in search of safety. Instead, they are rounded up and caged or killed. Tactfully shot, the visuals are jarring. And the social implications are frightening.

It’s a film that is difficult to review in under 400 words. Visually it’s stunning, with an intriguing story – though the plot is a bit recycled at times. Yet with a hero like Spanish Woman (Yolanda Vazquez) it’s hard not to be hopeful.

8/10