Children of Men

Just saw this movie tonight. So for all of you, a review.

Warning: I will do my best not to put spoilers but don't blame me if I say something you didn't want to hear.

Plot: It's 2027 in Britain and there hasn't been a birth in just over 18 years. The world is in shambles as war is going on all over the place while Britain remains somewhat safe and secluded from all the violence. Britain is (just like in V for Vendetta) facist and there is a large movement to rid of all immigrants, legality doesn't matter. The main character, Theodore (called Theo), works for the government. He is asked by the resistance movement to get a foreign woman, Kee, out of the country. He finds out that she is the first woman in 18 years to reach the 8th month of pregnancy without a miscarriage.

Characters: A huge diversity of personalities are used. We've got a pothead, spiritual woman, arrogant pricks, scheming... schemers, and other sorts of people. The distribution of races and nationalities in this movie are more believable than most others (which often have the standard 2 white people, one black, one hispanic, and one asian person as main characters). This gives the movie a realistic feel and did well to keep me interested in the charactors.

Setting: The world has gone to crap and the movie definately shows it. London looks like crap, and while some futuristic elements have been implemented (video paper and advertisements, some futuristic pieces of technology), it still does not look like a great place to live. It's exactly how I expected the world to look.

Atmosphere: The camerawork and editing of the movie reminded me a lot of 28 Days Later. Much of the music in the movie comes from an actual source within a scene (amplified through the system). The camera is usually very close to the main characters and almost never leaves the side of Theo. The lighting of the scenes was gloomy to remind you of their predicament and very realistic. It seemed like they wanted the audience to be paranoid for the characters and it worked really well. Throughout the movie there were constant reminders of the hell that they were in. People dying, crying, in poverty, dirty, being beaten, and other atrocities. Plenty of comic quips were inserted to lighten the mood at times.

Acting: The characters did a very convincing job of their roles. Often when you meet a new person you could tell that they would be exactly the kind of person that their demeanor shows about them. It was some of the best acting I've ever seen IMO.

Effects: Considering that there was quite a bit of action, effects can be considered. Besides a point blank tank shot exploding almost a second after the gun was fired, everything from the sounds to visuals was very realistic and it made me feel like I was close to the action.

Verdict: Worth it. I was very entertained and the plot was unique enough not to be some formula movie. Also, considering that the year it happens is within almost all of us forumers' lifetimes, it should give you a lot to think about after the movie ends.

Go see it. You will not be disappointed.

Children of men?

Yeah, I really want to see this one too....Pretty great looking....

The plot sorta, at least the way you explained it, doesn't seem to make sense though. Why would you throw out the immigrants and have wars when the population is dwindling anyway? Still need workers don't ya?

I want to see it as well - I think it's based on a true story

tallen702 wrote: .Ryan wrote: Yeah, I really want to see this one too....Pretty great looking....The plot sorta, at least the way you explained it, doesn't seem to make sense though. Why would you throw out the immigrants and have wars when the population is dwindling anyway? Still need workers don't ya? Well, you have to remember this, in a world gone to anarchy around the "last bastion" of Britain, there is literally no-one producing any kind of raw resources anymore. Oil stops flowing, coal is no-longer mined, the raw materials which make the world move and work are no longer available on the scale necessary to provide power, water, food, and fuel to a large population. So how do you control the supply so that you can still maintain at least a modicum of civilization? You give the resources to only those people who "belong" to your group.

Good point. I would say though that with the whole world going to crap, the mortality rate of the sick/injured would probably be way up, even in the last bastion. Not to mention short resources and poverty usually result in more crime, which results in more death, especially under fascism....I don't know, you'd need mortality rates and labor requirements for that world to prove the point I was getting at....But you know what I'm sayin.


Edited by .Ryan - 06 January 2007 at 10:29am

.Ryan wrote: Pretty great looking

Thanks

.Ryan wrote: phil_stl wrote: .Ryan wrote: Pretty great looking Thanks

HEY EVERYONE LOOK ABOVE!!!! SOMEONE APPRECIATED MY HUMOUR OH YAA!!!

WOOT WOOT!!

*Phil gives himself a high five*
*Phil looks in the mirror and congratulates himself*
*Phil tells himself he is "pretty great looking"*
*Phil gives himself another high five*
*Phil starts thinking about how nobody else is celebrating with him*
*Phil starts thinking about almost no one ever appreciates his humour*
*Phil starts thinking about how only his mom and .Ryan have told him that he was "pretty great looking'*

*Phil starts to cry*
*Phil starts balling very loudly*
*Phil starts screaming WHY ME! WHY ME!!*
*Phil starts yelling at his Asian roommate telling her that its all her fault cause she's Asian*
*Phil starts to punch Asian roommate*
*Asian roommate does her Asian karate moves on him*
*Phil gets his ass kicked*
*Phil goes back to his room crying*
*Phil starts to punch his pillow*
*Phil starts punching the wall*
*Phil goes to ice his bloody knuckles*

*Phil starts crying again*
*Phil starts balling very loudly*
*Phil starts screaming WHY ME! WHY ME!!*
*Phil starts yelling at his Asian roommate telling her that its all her fault cause she's Asian*
*Phil starts to punch Asian roommate*
etc.

Edit --
*cycle repeated itself many times until Phil waited till his asian roommate was least expecting him.* (She was pinching a loaf).
*Phil walks in and starts yelling at his Asian roommate telling her that its all her fault cause she's Asian*
*Asian roommate who knew the drill, knew Phil was soon going to throw a punch*
*Asian roommate tries to hurry up with her loaf pinching, but she was constipated*
*Phil throws a punch and hits her off the toilet seat*
*Details get dirty from here on out, let's just say some s**t really hit the fan*
*Phil finally comes out victor of the "mud" wrestling match and goes to his mirror to congratulate himself and tell himself that he is "pretty great looking"*

Edit2--
*Phil goes out to rent Children of Men*


Edited by phil_stl - 06 January 2007 at 8:09pm