“Children of Men”
Point of view, perspective, and mise en scene. In a big budget action, sci-fi, or adventure flick, these important ideas are often flattened in filmmaking. Often big budget films have no real feel of the director. “Children of Men,” a futuristic sci-fi film with an intriguing concept has mise en scene, and the specific feel of the director and Cinematographer, in droves. The result is nothing less than a modern masterpiece of filmmaking, simply the best film I have seen at least since “The Departed” and a film so courageous, engrossing, and effective, that walking out of the theatre is a catharsis from the upsetting and all-encompassing world that the film effectively creates.
“Children of Men” is the brainchild of Mexican auteur Alfonso Cuaron. Cuaron is the veteran Mexican director who achieved breakthrough notice with his coming of age road film “Y Tu Mama Tambien.” He followed that up with the most acclaimed of the Harry Potter films “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” I have not seen “Harry Potter” but watching “Children of Men,” I noticed immediately the same indy-film sensibility and camera technique from “Y Tu Mama Tambien-” though here employed to a larger extent.
The film’s point of view is radical and creates the world. The day before I saw the film my friend warned me…”You are in it man, you are in the world!” The opening shot is on a TV screen. It is the near future, we are in Great Britain, and for the last 18 years, women have lost the ability to reproduce. So we have a world that is doomed. Only Great Britain, we learn quickly has been able to hold any semblance of order, through a propaganda and totalitarian regime, that imprisons refugees and creates a police state. Today, the youngest man on earth, a worldwide celebrity, has been murdered, shocking and saddening the world. The camera pans down a bit. We are now with our hero, our protagonist, Theo Faron, played by Clive Owen. Theo is world weary. Can you blame him? He didn’t used to be like this, he used to be an activist, now he is a classic mercenary in the vain of “Casablanca’s” Rick, and he will take a similar journey.
The film will be a journey. Literally and metaphorically like so many literal road films, but this one is different. It is the camera, and the point of view that I have already mentioned, that will put you into this world and will not let go until the final frame. Once we pan down from that TV and are with Theo, we will stay with him. We will observe things with him, stay in his perspective. If we overhear a clandestine conversation, we hear it with Theo, as loud as he hears it, as a he sticks outside the window. The film consists of almost entirely handheld camera. The camera follows Theo to a maddening level, so that chase and action sequences are played out to a startling degree entirely with him. The effect is invigorating. The viewer is in fact in the film. Impossible sequences are carried out in one endless shot time after time. It’s rigidness begats it’s richness. The film feels no responsibility to large establishing shots to show us its futuristic world (it will often end a scene by panning off of Theo for a moment, holding on some image that paints the world in our mind, before cutting back to our hero. This is often at the end of a scene). Instead we walk thru it with Theo. We see it out the side of the bus with Theo, we glance out the window with Theo, and the result is a film so captivating, a futuristic world so fully imagined and realistic that the terrifying premise is made all the more effective.
I have talked breathlessly about the technique which I feel catapults this interesting story over the top, I do not wish to spoil much of the story. But I will tell you that Theo’s only friend is Jasper Palmer (played by the always wonderful Michael Caine). Jasper lives hidden out in the woods, he is a famous political cartoonist who smokes pot and cares for his invalid wife. Then there is Theo’s ex-wife Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore). He hasn’t seen her in years. All of the supporting cast is excellent, and the film never lets up until the final frame.
Story: A A world without hope for the future, a burned out activist. Where will hope come from?
Acting: B Great ensemble. I love Michael Caine! Clive Owen is coming to define cool.
Visuals: A Gritty handheld, goes everywhere! Daring and purposeful! An achievement!
Originality/Innovation: A A fairly original concept, an amazing execution.
Enjoyability Grade: A
Overall Grade: Simply a modern masterpiece. A +
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