Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34799 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-01-15
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Dutch, German
• Dubbed in: German
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 105 minutes

Amazon.com
Presenting a bleak, harrowing, and yet ultimately hopeful vision of humankind's not-too-distant future, Children of Men is a riveting cautionary tale of potential things to come. Set in the crisis-ravaged future of 2027, and based on the atypical novel by British mystery writer P.D. James, the anxiety-inducing, action-packed story is set in a dystopian England where humanity has become infertile (the last baby was born in 2009), immigration is a crime, refugees (or "fugees") are caged like animals, and the world has been torn apart by nuclear fallout, rampant terrorism, and political rebellion. In this seemingly hopeless landscape of hardscrabble survival, a jaded bureaucrat named Theo (Clive Owen) is drawn into a desperate struggle to deliver Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), the world's only pregnant woman, to a secret group called the Human Project that hopes to discover a cure for global infertility.

As they carefully navigate between the battling forces of military police and a pro-immigration insurgency, Theo, Kee, and their secretive allies endure a death-defying ordeal of urban warfare, and director Alfonso Cuaron (with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki) capture the action with you-are-there intensity. There's just enough humour to balance the film's darker content (much of it coming from Michael Caine, as Theo's aging hippie cohort), and although Children of Men glosses over many of the specifics about its sociopolitical worst-case scenario (which includes Julianne Moore in a brief but pivotal role), it's still an immensely satisfying, pulse-pounding vision of a future that represents a frightening extrapolation of early 21st-century history. --Jeff Shannon

Synopsis
Set in a dystopian future where infertility has led mankind to the brink of extinction, a sole pregnant woman holds the key to the survival of humanity. In 2027, the world's youngest person has died at the age of 18. Infertility has ravaged the world, leading it into anarchy. Eastern European and African societies have collapsed, causing their remaining populace to flee to England. Set against a backdrop of warring nationalistic sects, mankind's last remaining hope arrives in the form of Earth's only known pregnant woman. It is up to bureaucrat Theodore Faron (Clive Owen, SIN CITY) and his revolutionary former wife Julian (Julianne Moore, MAGNOLIA) to help deliver the woman to a sanctuary at sea where it is hoped that the birth of her child could help scientists to find out how to save humanity. Based on a dystopian P.D. James science fiction novel, CHILDREN OF MEN is set in a dying anarchic world, devoid of hope, until a pregnant woman proves to be a possible saviour of mankind. Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron (Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN) has made a powerful, slickly shot film set in an all too believable dystopian future. The tense thriller focuses on various present day concerns of nationalism, racism and government control over its citizens, much in the same way that V FOR VENDETTA did. CHILDREN OF MEN features a superb cast and rattles along with restless energy.

Customer Reviews

An awesome example of bleak British sci-fi!
Quite aside from the phenomenal acting and wonderful direction of this film, the storyline is solid and works on so many different levels. Although set in a slightly different time period from the original novel, the plot has been translated perfectly to a near-future which is 100% believable, given the current state of the world... some wonderful real-world ideas are brought 'up-to-date' with the future timeline, and you find yourself chilled by the familiarity of Cuaron's vision.

The action sequences are presented in the 'hyper-real' style of Spielberg's best (such as 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'War of the Worlds') with some inspired cinematography, and there are some moments of horrific action which will have you literally squirming in your seat. You'll not find any superhero protagonists shrugging off bullets here - this is 'one-shot-and-you're-dead' cinema.

I have a strong suspicion that I'll be teaching this film to my media students for years to come. Absolutely breathtaking stuff!

superb futuristic thriller for thinking persons
The movie is superb. I watched it (twice) in a good cinema with good and loud stereo, and it makes a difference. The sound effects are awesome and I guess some impact must be lost on the small screen. It is a mixture of elements of sci-fi, thriller, drama, the road and even war film. It is very well directed, especially when hand held camera is used, and brilliantly shot. It contains some of the most convincing scenes of urban warfare I've ever seen. Acting is good - especially by Owen and Caine. The script, upon closer examination, has more to it than at first meets the eye, I think its meanings could be discussed even at psychology, religion or philosophy seminars. As usual with a very good film, it can be admired for a few reasons.

My number 1 film of the year
The images and sounds from this film have stayed with me in the weeks since I first saw it. It has a melancholic, immersive, and earthy quality that is quite special, and builds a slowly dawning sense of hope and grace against the growing despair of the world it depicts. A few critics have marked it down slightly saying it is 'flawed'. I don't know what this means - surely everything is flawed in some way and it feels like they are looking for ways to not give 5 stars to what they see as a 'sci-fi' film. This film not only has the best technical direction of 2006, but addresses our most important contemporary issues with genuine heart and from-the-gut emotions. And I can't think of any other film that is so 'tactile': mud, wet grass, crumbling buildings, the dawn light, the wind in the trees. No film this year will deliver such a moving blend of sadness, wonder and hope.