Children of men

Locations
Call Number: DVD Science-Fiction Children
On Shelf At: Traverwood Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Traverwood Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD Science-Fiction Children	1-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 1st Floor 1-week checkout	DVD Science-Fiction Children	1-week checkout	Due 04-23-2024
Pittsfield Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD Science-Fiction Children	1-week checkout	Due 04-21-2024
Westgate Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD Science-Fiction Children	1-week checkout	Due 04-22-2024

Based on the novel by P.D. James.
Originally released as a motion picture in 2006.
Special features: Deleted scenes; featurettes.
Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Charlie Hunnam, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Pam Ferris, Danny Huston, Peter Mullan, Jacek Koman, Oana Pellea, Paul Sharma, Michael Klesic.
London, 2027. Humanity has become infertile and no child has been born for 18 years. Science is at loss to explain the reason. Immigration is a crime and regugees are caged like animals. African and East European societies have collapsed and their dwindling populations are migrating toward England and other wealthy nations. Torn apart by nuclear fallout, rampant terrorism and political rebellion. In this climate of nationalistic violence, a London peace activist turned bureaucrat Theo Faron, joins forces with Julian, his revolutionary ex-wife, in order to save mankind by protecting a woman who has mysteriously became pregnant. These three set out on a desperate struggle to deliver the world's only pregnant woman to the Human Project with hope that they can discover the cure for global infertility. As they carefully navigate between the battling forces of military police and a pro-immigration insurgency this small group must endure a death-defying ordeal of urban warfare.
DVD, region 1, widescreen presentation; Dolby Digital.
Contents: Children of men.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Children sometimes prevent chaos and anarchy submitted by pkooger on February 22, 2010, 11:17am Children of Men is a great film in a way that many dystopian stories try for but fail. To me the reason it is successful is because it seems realistic. The world portrayed in the movie seems like it could happen, maybe because things like this have happened before. I'm not talking about the 0% human birthrate. I'm talking about the violence based in nationalism, the internment camps, the guerrilla warfare, the protests and riots, the sense of panic and anarchy in a crumbling society. This world looks real and somehow familiar.

The characters are also treated realistically, which I liked. There was no Uzi-wielding, grenade lobbing stock hero character and no evil Big Brother-esque villain available on which to pin the blame for the ugliness of humanity. What we did see was a lot of scared people trying to survive in the midst of war, and just like in reality, many of them don't.

I think I've succeeded in making Children of Men sound horribly depressing but although it certainly isn't a feel-good film, it does have moments of happiness and hope. For example Michael Caine's aging hippie character brings a sense of humor and lightness to a dark setting. Another central moment of the film is a mesmerizing scene where the cries of a newborn baby bring calm to the heart of a war-zone.

I highly recommend this film to any fans of dystopia stories, speculative fiction, babies and Clive Owen.

Absolutely beautiful submitted by crazypockets on July 26, 2013, 7:40pm I agree with everything pkooger said about this film. He put it so much better than I could. I also appreciated the realism of this and how the heroes were just ordinary people. It feels like how people would really deal with (and be able to overcome in a lot of ways) that sort of environment. Also, I have never been a sentimental person when it comes to babies, and I never really understood people who are. But this movie made me "get it" more than any other experience I've had. In this movie, a birth IS a miracle, and it's not just a cliche that people say. It's very spiritual in a way, too, and it made me think of biblical comparisons without really getting heavy into a certain religion-based theme.

It is sad in a lot of ways and suspenseful, but it's also very very beautiful and will encourage an appreciation for little things we all take for granted.

children of men submitted by hcf on July 30, 2014, 4:17pm the first time i watched this i was a bit confused; the second time made more sense

good for sci fi fans submitted by JulieCraig on August 27, 2018, 8:12pm Original, interesting movie. Dark subject matter, so its somewhat depressing. Great acting. Not for everyone but good for sci fi fans.

Better than the book submitted by caburr47 on July 21, 2019, 9:17pm This film is engaging from start to finish. This is one of the rare gems where the film takes and elevates the source material. I rarely say don’t read the book, the movie is infinitely better (and significantly different)

Very Enjoyable submitted by jibkidder on July 26, 2022, 6:15pm Easy to watch Scifi that comes off as believable and, at least to some extent, encourages reflection. Excellent sense of pacing and of course Julianne Moore is always a pleasure.

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday submitted by tarascon on June 22, 2023, 3:04pm One of my “recent” favorites. The first reviewer (pkooger) was spot on.

>>> NOT a science fiction film as much as a prophetic lament for a future which may well appear much sooner than we think if people don’t start treating each other—and the planet—kinder before it’s too late. It’s only superficially got to do with ZPG…
And kudos for the best use of “In the Court of the Crimson King” in any film (if any) I can think of.



SPOILER ALERT:
To repeat: The scene near the end where everyone stops shooting to acknowledge a miraculous event is a powerful moment. I’m hardly the weepy sentimentalist sort but every time I watch that scene I’m reminded that even the hardhearted must grow weary of hatred and needless cruelty—that perhaps they too dream of lost innocence.

Bleak but good submitted by RebeccaWittekindt on August 11, 2023, 7:25am Enjoyed this movie, and enjoyed the interesting premise. Great cast, I wish I saw Clive Owen in more things these days.