Children of Men *****

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Year: 2006

Book by: P.D. James "The Children of Men"

Adapted by: Alfonso Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby

Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki

For me, maybe the crowning cinematic achievement so far in sci-fi films dealing with possible future social scenarios of severe political oppression. It achieves this by commenting on current issues like immigration without making those issues the foreground of the film. Cuarón is wise enough to make the film about the characters' journey in the context of this fictional future world situation, and the backdrop becomes a sharp social-political critique maybe, but certainly a reasonable prediction based on current realities. Set and production design here is the best of any film set in the future. No we don't know what the future will be like, but I think the guess-work here is more thorough and believable than the traditionally great films of "Bladerunner" or "1984". The film resonates with the audience more deeply because of its reasonable philosophical analysis of the way humans are, and the way our organizations think and act, including government, police, refugee groups, and activist groups.

The profoundly orchestrated long takes and careful use of special effects and CGI all contribute to a perfectly painted portrait precisely because those things which technology allows the filmmaker to paint are not distracting from the overall picture. Cuarón unlike filmmakers like James Cameron, knows how to integrate technology to help him achieve greater art and more deeply impactful cinema. Storytelling is the end, technology a means... not the other way round.

Rewatching it, I remembered the thrill I got from seeing it the first time in the theater, it really should be remembered as one of the best films of the '00s and probably as the greatest film set in "the future."