There has been a huge surge in dystopian thrillers this year, with series like The Last of Us captivating television audiences and films such as 28 Years Later set to hit cinemas this June. With so much choice it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, but if you are looking for one of the dystopian genre’s all-time greats, I highly recommend watching Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men.
I only recently watched Children of Men and was at the edge of my seat right from the first scene. It has quickly become one of my favourite movies of all time and I really loved how oddly optimistic it was despite being set in such a dark post-apocalyptic world.
What is Children of Men about?
Children of Men is set in a near-future London where humanity has been infertile for 18 years and children do not exist any more.
This world has become completely chaotic as people struggle to come to terms with their nearing extinction. The United Kingdom is one of the few remaining counties still functioning, although under an authoritarian government.
Theo Faron is a disillusioned former activist who has stopped fighting and now drifts through life as a civil servant. He is so detached from the world that he barely notices when he sees bombings, refugees in cages, and public executions while on his way to work.
One day, Theo is kidnapped by his ex-wife Julian, who is the leader of a rebel group called The Fishes, who are fighting against the government for refugee-rights. Julian asks Theo’s help protecting Kee, a young African refugee and help get her safely out of the country.
However, Theo soon learns that Kee is miraculously pregnant, carrying the only known baby in the world. Theo decides to risk his life to help Kee keep her pregnancy a secret and help her reach the mysterious Human Project, a group of scientists trying to find the cure for infertility.
Why watch this movie?
I found Children of Men to be a sobering movie as it seems the dystopia could be frightfully possible as it tackles themes that are unfortunately still relevant today almost 20 years after it was released.
It would be fair to describe Children of Men as bleak, but the fact that the main character Theo is willing to sacrifice so much just for the possibility of a better world makes it such an hopeful movie.
Despite the chaos so many people go out of their way to help Kee, which shows despite how dark the world may seem humans are still kind and have not lost their way.
What I first really loved about Children of Men is that so much of the world feels realistic and lived-in as we learn background information just through news segments, advertisements and flyers the characters walk past.
It is a movie that rewards you for paying close attention and you will want to watch it again right away just to see all the major details you missed.
What do other people think of Children of Men?
Children of Men came in 2006 but it has quickly become a British classic in just a few decades. It has been ranked 13th on the BBC’s list of the 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century, and the film earned its place based on the rankings of over 150 film critics from around the world.
It currently holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on over 250 reviews from critics and was nominated for three Oscars (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Editing) in 2007.
Brian Tallerico from UGO shared the Children of Men “feels more relevant than almost every film set in the present day and is better than almost every other film made this year.”
Kathi Maio from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction said: “This is one movie that will have a lasting impact even if you are forced to watch it on a ten-inch black and white Zenith.”
Peter Travers from Rolling Stone at the time ranked it second on his list of best films of the 2000s. He said: “No movie this decade was more redolent of sorrowful beauty and exhilarating action. You don’t just watch the car ambush scene (pure camera wizardry)—you live inside it. That’s Cuarón’s magic: He makes you believe”
Where can you watch Children of Men?
Children of Men can be watched on Apple TV on an £8.99 monthly subscription or on Now TV if you have a Cinema membership at £9.99 a month. It can also be bought on Amazon Prime for £5.99.