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Movies / On DVD / Children of Men
Children of Men

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Children of Men (2006)

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Reviews Counted:199

Fresh:183

Rotten:16

Average Rating:8/10

Consensus: Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live. This taut and thought-provoking tale may not have the showy special effects normally found in movies of this genre, but you won't care one bit after the story kicks in, about a dystopic future where women can no longer conceive and hope lies within one woman who holds the key to humanity's survival. It will have you riveted.

Rated: 15

Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Theatrical Release:22-09-2006

Synopsis: CHILDREN OF MEN is not a popcorn movie. With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the future, Alfonso Cuarón's film doesn't make for pleasant viewing. But it's an exhilarating experience... CHILDREN OF MEN is not a popcorn movie. With its almost relentlessly bleak perspective on the future, Alfonso Cuarón's film doesn't make for pleasant viewing. But it's an exhilarating experience because the picture is an amazing dystopian drama that lacks all the typical trappings of the genre. Set uncomfortably close to the present, it paints a frighteningly realistic picture of the future. In 2027, every woman on earth is infertile. With the loss of the ability to have children, the world has also lost hope. Clive Owen (CLOSER) plays Theo, an Englishman attempting to make a life in a hellish world. His estranged wife (Julianne Moore) convinces him to help transport a young woman to safety. When Theo learns that the woman is pregnant, their journey takes on a significance--and a danger--he never imagined. This is Cuarón's best film to date, a strong statement considering his wonderful HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN and Y TU MAMA TAMBIÉN. Filmed using a handheld camera, the action draws the audience close, making the horror that much more real. In addition to its remarkable car-chase scenes, the film features impressive acting. With his expressive face and voice, Owen gives a nuanced performance that ranks with the best of his career. As a reclusive hippie, Michael Caine shares a charming counterculture view of the crumbling world. Chiwetel Ejiofor (DIRTY PRETTY THINGS) brings gravitas to the role of a terrorist. Just when the film threatens to overwhelm with its sense of dread, small moments of comedy show through in Owen's wry sense of humor and Caine's perfect delivery. When the credits roll, CHILDREN OF MEN leaves the audience feeling shell-shocked, not only because of its brutal prophecy, but also because of its brilliance. [More]

Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chjwetel Ejiofor

Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chjwetel Ejiofor, Peter Mullan, Charlie Hunnam, Pam Ferris, Danny Huston, Jacek Koman

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Screenwriter: Timothy J. Sexton, Alfonso Cuaron
Producer: Hilary Shor, Marc Abraham, Tony Smith, Eric Newman, Iain Smith
Composer: John Tavener
Studio: Universal Pictures

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for Children of Men

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

What the narrative demands, and what Cuaron provides, is moral ambiguity and a teasing hopefulness that suggests the possibility of redemption.This is quite an achievement.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
01/20/07
Philip French
Philip French
Observer [UK]

This futuristic London thriller is so well filmed and acted that it grabs hold of us and never lets go.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
09/30/06
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

The real power is in the simple contrast of despair and hope, the latter embodied in a pregnant woman who seeks protection from a typically world-weary Clive Owen.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
09/26/06
Stella Papamichael
Stella Papamichael
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This explosively violent future-nightmare thriller, directed by Alfonso Cuarón and adapted from the novel by PD James, has simply the most extraordinary look of any movie around.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
09/23/06
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A visually stunning Swiftian satire, Children Of Men may appear clumsy, but its message is simple, heartfelt and ultimately rather moving.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
09/22/06
Damon Wise
Damon Wise
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It’s a movie that only sci-fi nerds are going to enjoy.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment 8 Comments
09/22/06
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

This is as real and as provocative as the future gets on screen.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
09/21/06
Dave Calhoun
Dave Calhoun
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Clive Owen is simply terrific in the lead - he seems to get better and better with every film.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment 2 Comments
09/21/06
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Few recent films have so stunned me in segments, and so frustrated me as a whole

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
08/28/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion

Cuaron asks us to find hope in a grim nativity story where a reluctant hero and scared would-be mother try to find shelter in a land that desperately needs a newborn savior.

Full Review Source: I.E. Weekly | comment Comment
05/15/09
Amy Nicholson
Amy Nicholson
I.E. Weekly
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
04/23/09
Peter Keough
Peter Keough
Boston Phoenix

Children of Men is a glorious mess. It's a Frankenstein monster of a movie. Part sci-fi, part thriller, part action genre, part religious allegory, it flays and lumbers after meaning-- sending off occasional sparks of style.

Full Review Source: Fayetteville Free Weekly | comment Comment
02/02/09
Tony Macklin
Tony Macklin
Fayetteville Free Weekly

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
10/29/08
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: NPR.org | comment Comment
10/18/08
Bob Mondello
Bob Mondello
NPR.org

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jonathan Kiefer
Jonathan Kiefer
Sacramento News & Review

This is an astounding piece of work - easily one of the best films of 2006.

Full Review Source: ESplatter | comment Comment
07/07/08
Steve Biodrowski
Steve Biodrowski
ESplatter

I was entranced by this movie. Hypnotized. Spellbound. In a thrall. The final quarter of the film is nothing short of an evolutionary leap forward in filmmaking.

Full Review Source: BrandonFibbs.com | comment Comment
02/28/08
Brandon Fibbs
Brandon Fibbs
BrandonFibbs.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/15/08
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

Cuaron fulfills the promise of futuristic fiction; characters do not wear strange costumes or visit the moon, and the cities are not plastic hallucinations, but look just like today, except tired and shabby.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/05/07
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It does the job, it does it well, and the fact that it's being called a masterpiece for doing so speaks unwell of the current state of movies.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
09/24/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Children of Men

June 28, 2009: Five Favourite Films with Diego Luna
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