Children of Men on DVD

Based on the P.D. James novel of the same name, "Children of Men" very vividly portrays a dystopia set 20 years in the future, in which the world has been torn by terrorism, social unrest, and political uprising, all stemming from a mysterious state of infertility that has threatened to send the human race straight into extinction.

Director Alfonso Cuarón makes a name for himself with this one, a film with amazing cinematography that simply dazzles with a flawless mix of thrilling story-telling, heart-pounding action, and gut-wrenching drama, sprinkled with a helping of religious and political themes. Hailed by critics accordingly, the film did not fail to gain its share of Academy Award nominations.

In a future where England's is the only funtional government that has still maintained some order and peace, Clive Owen plays Theo Faron, a former political activist who finds himself caught in a war between the English government and the "Fishes," a group of activists (labeled as "terrorists" by the government) fighting for the rights of illegal immigrants, known as "fugees," fugitives to the government, and led by Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore), Faron's estranged wife.

Faron becomes the primary protector of Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), a young African fugitive who has, miraculously enough, become the first woman who has been with child in nearly two decades. Only by getting Kee and her baby safely to the Human Project, a secret group of researchers working to solve the mystery of the aforementioned infertility, can the future of mankind be secured. However, with the involvement of the English military, as well as the revelation of the Fishes' true intentions, to use the baby for their own political gain, and a betrayal resulting in the death of Moore's character (with plenty more on-screen deaths to follow), Faron becomes the one person that Kee can trust, as he desperately tries to keep her and her unborn child safe.

The film, although set in the near future, paints a world that is no longer one that people would recognize, where despair and hopelessness have come to be accepted in a society that is barely functional. Death and suffering has become the norm in a world where the days of the human race have already been numbered. And yet, one unborn baby may hold the key to preserving mankind and restoring peace and order to a world now completely without.

The DVD release includes several worthwhile extras, including a documentary by Cuarón which explores even deeper the film's religious and political themes. There is also a vivid look at the production and designing of the "futuristic world" in which the film takes place, as well as interviews with the cast, a look at the car chase and action scenes, and of course, a handful of deleted scenes.

My Rating for "Children of Men," Directed by Alfonso Cuarón:
7.8/10 (A-)