A sublime visionary achievement that not only outdoes Cuarón’s previous high-water mark, Y Tu Mamá También, but also manages to rank with other dystopian masterworks.
Children of Men (2006)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
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.
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
Reviews for Children of Men
A disturbing glimpse of what would happen in the world if women stopped bearing children, Alfonso Cuaron's harrowing "Children of Men" manages to effectively convey the paranoia and despair of a humanity that is about to be extinguished.
There's so much despair and anger and grief layered just into the background of Alfonso Cuarón's film that I can't shake its gray grimness -- I've been haunted by this film for weeks now...
The human race's sudden infertility is unexplained, and that's okay. It's a device, a metaphor for the loss of hope in the face of destruction, a more aggressive extension of today's global issues.
Easy to watch and hard to shake, Children of Men is an action-adventure film/socio-political nightmare.
With this panting, ragged chase through the end of the world, Cuarón and Lubezski have reinvented the language of the action film.
Dystopian take on a world without children that includes pointed to current abuses in the "war on terror" and the xenophobia gripping Great Britain and other countries.
Even if you don’t buy the main conceit, the scumbled texture of the movie makes it feel not just plausible but recognizable, and Cuarón takes care never to paint the future as consolingly different.
This is how humanity ends ... annihilated not all at once, but piecemeal, slowly ground to bits between the codependent ideologies of terror and fascism.
Narratively, the film may be an uneasy blend of genres, but technically it's brilliant, with lengthy set pieces-- staged and shot in gritty style with handheld camera by ace lenser Emmanuel Lubezki and his team--that should serve as textbook material.
Fans of the novel may argue about Cuarón's many departures. Some heighten the story's connections to present-day crises; others cloud James' moral vision.
While it's best to know as little as possible about this movie going into the theater, the story is so fast-paced that you won't be thinking about this review or any other.
In Cuarón's highly-skilled hands, Children of Men continuously threatens to develop into something more fascinating than it is.
The picture is a conceptual muddle. Fortunately, Cuarón is such a talented filmmaker that the movie is interesting on other levels.
I did enjoy the film overall, but didn’t get bowled over by it as so many other fans have.
A second viewing, which Children of Men richly rewards, deepens our understanding.
There is a genuine feel, in the film's look, of a world on the brink of total collapse.
Latest News for Children of Men
June 28, 2009:
Five Favourite Films with Diego Luna
Diego Luna is bristling at RT's suggestion he pick just five favourite films. "It's really unfair to have to say only five films," he complains as he picks his final choice.... More...
June 26, 2009:
RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
Brother of Children Of Men helmer Alfonso Cuaron and Oscar-nominated screenwriter of sizzling Mexican roadtripper Y Tu Mama Tambien, Carlos Cuaron makes his directorial debut... More...
March 26, 2009:
Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
The news that one of the greatest sci-fi franchises of all time was to get a full-fat reboot predictably sent cyborg fanboys into paroxysms of joy. For about 10 minutes. That... More...
January 07, 2009:
Ten Sci-Fi Flicks for the Thinking Man
Unless you've been living in a cave for the last four years, you know that the cheesy old sci-fi TV series known as Battlestar Galactica got picked up, dusted off, and given the... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Children of Men at Rotten Tomatoes
- Children of Men at IGN
- Children of Men at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.





