Although it leaves you wondering what happened, this is a movie that sticks in your brain. Like a good meal, you will think about it afterward. Disturbing and entertaining.

Children of Men is the best film of 2006. Hands down. It's so good, it easily makes my top 5 films of all time. Alfonso Cuaron has crafted the most important film of the year, and one that will be remembered for generations to come. Clive Owen brings quiet anger and desperation as Theo, an ex-activist who, like everyone else on Earth, is mourning the loss of Baby Diego, an 18-year-old who is the last born person on the planet. The year is 2027, and everyone has been mysteriously infertile since 2009. Terrorism is rampant, and the country (the film takes place in Great Britain) is in lockdown. However, small rebel groups are sill trying to figure this mystery out on their own. Among them are the Fishes, lead by Julian (Julianne Moore), an activist, and ex-lover of Theo, with the passion of having lost a child. Julian is a woman who finds answers at any cost, and due to his pull, she needs Theo. Once he's pulled into her plan (he initially does it for money, but you get the sense that there's still some spark left in their romance), he can't get out. Theo is a man who has lost hope, but he is reminded that hope exists when he's introduced to Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), a young woman who is pregnant and desperately needs the aid of sources outside of Britain. Using all of his resources, including his stoner compadre Jasper (a wonderful Michael Caine), Theo vows to help Kee, a living miracle who brings hope back to a man who believed it was lost forever. Cuaron's directing is top-notch, and he was robbed of an Oscar nomination. And the performances; some of the best of the year. Owen is a force to be reckoned with. He perfectly captures the sadness, the menace, and the compassion lurking beneath Theo's rough exterior. Caine is a hoot and a heart-breaker as Jasper, a man who has faith in a world that has lost their's. As Julian, Moore is fierce as a one-woman army of integrity and force. And as Kee, new comer Claire-Hope Ashitey makes Kee a young girl forced to become a woman, and one of strong will. With no one to use as a reference for pregnancy, she's a scared girl that is going through something that is not only life changing, but history making. Children of Men is fantastic film making, and brings about a message of hope in desperate and challenging times. It really couldn't have come at a better time.… Expand

One of those movies you wish would never end. The sets are wonderful. The characters are likable and believable. An excellent anti-utopia with tense action scenes.

An excellent and deeply disturbing film, that ended five minutes early.

If you keep the politics out as requested one would not accuse the movie of being liberal fear mongering. It may be exactly what you say it is, but your demons are your own. I saw a great movie with actors I like and enjoyed the storyline and action. After I saw the movie I read why people dislike it, mostly, they hate it for political reasons. Nice.

P.B., if you had any perception you'd have noticed that this movie was beyond and above politics (only people with ridiculous shortsightedness could accuse the film's motives of being political). It's a terrific thriller with something too many thrillers lack; a real heart. It's not out to preach politics. Stunningly filmed and deep without being to bleak, it's one of the best movies of the last few years.… Expand

Best movie I've seen this year. Cinematography is brilliant. Great sci-fi, great acting, great actors. Please go see it.

Without a doubt, the best, most startling movie of the year, if not the decade. It MUST be seen. It brings clearly into focus a world which is just around the corner--if not here already. Brilliant performances mixed with so many stunning moments...if the Oscars were anything more than a joke, this film would win in every catagory. See it. Now.

Powerful, thrilling and utterly immersing! This seemed to slip under the radar on the back end of 2006 without recieving the acclaim I think it deserves, and really was one of the best films of the year. This one will stick with you, a must see!

Departing from the trend in recent movie-making history, Cuarón crafts a movie that doesn't have to spell everything out, because the story isn't about the tragedy of infertility, but the tragedy of apathy in a society facing its own demise. Well thought-out, and stunning in presentation and value.

Movie of the year. Mark my words, the car chase alone will be subject of study in many Film Schools from years to come. A truly inspired movie in all respects, wich let us make the final thoughts, and as in all masterpieces, it doesn't need to answer all the questions, only morons which need everything digested and can't think for themselves may whine about the film's "loose ends". This movie is a true example of innovative film narration where any kind of prize there is falls short against this masterpiece, wich in many respects takes some of what interactive narration has given us, to achieve an unprecedent feel of inmersion, where we are not just spectators but participants as well.… Expand

The seeds of this movie scenario have already been sown in the real world and this film shows us the ugly flowering that could occur in twenty years if we fail to protect our civil liberties now. The gritty realism propels us into the sheer terror of this universe in a way the excellent, but more ideological, V for Vendetta did not.

The best movie I've seen from 2006. Everything is not all wrapped up at the end - and that's a great thing as it allows our imagination be a part of the story. I purposefully did not read any reviews or plot synopsis's going in, and was duly rewarded. Thus, I'm not going to say anything about the plot. I'll just say this: This is what a movie is supposed to feel like. Brilliant.… Expand

The second half of this movie is action packed.

A very good film with interesting scenes. It shows future with an alternative way and not as happy as some others films do!

Run, don't walk, to pick up the DVD for this movie. It's the most unsettling film that I've seen since "A Clockwork Orange." It's harrowing, mesmerizing, and, finally, devastating. There's a scene toward the end (you'll know which one when you watch it) that left me sitting on my sofa with tears streaming down my face ... it was an affirmation of the power of life in the face of certain death ... Alfonso Cuaron is turning out to be our best living director, and this is the best film released in 2007. Is it the best movie ever? Perhaps it sums up our post-9/11 age better than any film ever has ... it's definitely an unexpected masterpiece.… Expand

Wow! Reading all these reviews, I guess you either love it or hate it. I love this film for the same reason a lot of people hate it- because not everything is explained. I think a lot of people posting low scores have been conditioned to expect Hollywood formula where you get a nice cosy package and don't have to think too hard. This was like a snapshot of the future focussing on one man; why do we nee to know his past or the intricacies of governemnt ideology? This painted a believable vision of consumer society gone mad; the acting was tremendous- a career high for Michael Caine.… Expand

This was a beautifully made film, it wasn't pretentious, it was raw, gritty and real.

One of the most thoughtful and heartfelt thrillers I have ever seen. Alfonso Cuaron has crafted a masterpiece that will not be forgotten. It is arguably one of the most overlooked films of the past ten years.

Personally I find this movie to be a full 10 out of 10 due to the intellectual stimulation it offers if nothing else. It dares to challenge the mind. I cannot speak for the book itself but as any sort of adaptation it shines as brilliantly as Lord of the Rings or Bladerunner. On the other hand the cinematic presentation of the material was absolutely stunning with massive uncut scenes that made it a definitively realistic viewing. Despite this many audience members may not enjoy the movie fully due to the simple fact that many people do not enjoy viewing movies to be intellectually stimulated on any high level. Suffice to say you will not enjoy this movie if you cannot question it. I would say it's a must have for any serious movie collection, regardless.… Expand

Visually amazing

In my opinion, this is the best film of 2006. Simply put, this is flawless filmmaking and a brilliantly conceived premise and execution. The whole cast and crew deserve high praise. The much esteemed tracking shots are not overrated in the least. There are many scenes in this masterpiece that made my jaw drop in their cinematic splendor. Pay close attention to the assault by hooligans on a traveling vehicle carrying pivotal characters. How did they do that? Wow! Great film and a definite must-see.… Expand

One of the greatest visual master pieces that I have seen in a long time. Alfonso has proved himself an excellent director, primely with his choice of long single take action sequences, which gives the film an even more believable appeal. It is one of the best sci-fi movies that have ever been brought to life on screen.

This is a great movie. It was emotionally captivating, had great action sequences and gave the right balance between solving the mysteries and letting us think for ourself. I honestly don't understand those who think this movie suck.

The characters and the world in which they find themselve struggling to survive (and save the human species) moved me moreso than any other film has in ages, But, ultimately, it was the story of disillusioned, beaten-down, ordinary people trying to make their way in a brutal world that can sometimes be quite beautiful but often is not and how they somehow find it in themselves to rise to the occasion and be heroic in ways they could never have expected of themselves. I watched the movie and immediately calculated my age in November 2027 to be 64. It's far enough away to be a world we can avoid if we elect the right leaders and globally make the right decisions, but it's also a world that's already here in so many ways - a world where Iraq is never contained and the entire world except possibly the United Kingdom has become Iraq. It's beautifully filmed and remarkably edited. The acting and writing is the best of 2006, possibly the best of the past ten years. It's despairing and anxiety-producing and supremely upsetting. And, strangely, it is the most hopeful movie I have seen in a long time. Many questions aren't answered - such as why women are infertile and no child has been born since 2009. But the people who live in this dystopian future, namely us 20 years from now, don't know these answers either. So would it really have been fair for me sitting confortably at the theater in Battery Park City to know when they didn't? See this movie. Wait a month or two and see it again. Then have a long conversation over pie and coffee with two friends who've also seen it more than once. It is uncommonly good filmmaking. Oh, and one more thing - in two scenes there are shots panning newspaper and magazine clippings; pay close attention and learn what's happened since 2006 - i.e. "Kazahkstan Annihilated" - the film delivers exposition as good as I've ever seen it.… Expand

Only intelligent people who don't need to be spoon-fed every single plot point should watch it. This movie plays out as the book, relies on stark realism of how the world would be without children, without a future. However it doesn't tell you anything, and the ending is left open. The director said it's up to the viewer to decide their own ending. An optimistic person will say 'happily ever after.' and A pessimist the opposite. And the average moronic moviegoer will say "But what happens next? ZOMG THIS MOVIE DIDNT TELL ME EVERYTHING IT SUCKS" So... what are you?… Expand

Anyone who rides this film off as no-braining idiot culture obviously has a clue on, well, not much at all... With it's surreal presentation, Children of Men gives just a tiny, oh so sweet taste on several powerful problems that could potentially rock the human race in times too come. As the director and producers explore and apply their philosophies, an interesting, albeit quite bland story emerges. However it is the way the world of Children of Men exacts itself on the viewer that makes this movie what it is. Hidden in the subtlties is indeed something rich that sets this movie apart and defines it as a must see.… Expand

The finest movie I have seen in a VERY long time. Superbly put together, the scary part was what was presented was just far enough to be in the future yet close enough to be disturbing. Brilliant.

An emotionally powerful movie with some unforgettable and shockingly realistic action scenes. My favorite film of 2006.

This is one of the few relevant, compelling, engaging, interesting, thought provoking, exciting and worthwhile films released this decade. Richard F. is right about his comparison with Half Life 2... both are cinematic adventures that ask us to reevaluate how we treat each other and the world around us. Both are done with great attention to detail and transport the viewer into a world alien enough to allow for fantasy, and real enough to provoke thought and emotion. Did you miss the theme when you played through HL2 as well? I feel only condescending pity towards those who blow off this film or otherwise just don't "get it". Do us a favor and stop eating all our food!… Expand

Wow. I highly recommend this film. I have never seen a movie with better cinematography.

The movie of the year, period. It was so fully realized and well acted. Funny, touching, terrifying, and thrilling. My only complaint was that it ended when it did. I could have taken another hour.

One of the best movies ever made, sensational acting from Clive Owen, love the photography, the argument, mindblowing movie. Every review against it is so simplistic an shallow that is simply not to be taken into consideration.

One of the best films I've seen in a long time. I think this puts Curaon up there with Kubrick as one of the most devastingly good directors ever. The atmosphere, the textures, the details to every scene, the way he puts the viewer inside the story, it's all done like a master of film. Good performances, amazing action, food for thought, and heavy emotions hang under the surface. If you're ok with not having everything explained or wrapped up for you about the background story of the world in chaos, then you're in for a fanstastic story. I think to explain all the back story would either come across as too simplistic or take too much time from what essentially is a nativity story set in a crumbling violent world.… Expand

Good plot, well acted, surprising finale.

Brilliant movie. The plot is pretty good but could do with a little more explanation. However the pace is brilliant as is the acting. Where this movie scores best is the cinematography...absolutely incredible. It has to be some of the most important filmaking in recent memory. See it for yourselves!!

A rare treat. it has some very clever camera work. the story seems to be told from Clive Owens perspective so you only know what he knows you never understand who the fish are and why various groups are fighting but for me that makes the film focus on the charactors and there are some touching moments. look at this film as the journey of one man that gets caught up in something much bigger himself. watch it and enjoy the journey.… Expand

That one part near the end (don't want to spoil it!!!) is easily one of the most moving scenes I have ever seen in a film.

Certainly one of the finest films I have seen in years...why can't they make more films like this???

Children of Men is gripping and exciting from beginning to end. It should win the Academey Awards for screenwriting, edting and cinematography.

This was an amazing movie. The use of the camera in intense situations was quite beautiful. Kept me entertained the whole way and wasn't predictable. My guess is that McDonald's is the reason people become infertile in the near future. Cheers!

An instant classic, remarkably rich in detail on every level, remarkably expressive in its use of every cinematic tool, and remarkably successful in exploring its ambitious themes and ideas. Required viewing for everyone on this planet, this is not just the film of the year, but the film of decade.

An epic movie with many dystopian elements. Amazingly directed creating a memorizing environment which places you in the movie. Michael Caine gives a charming performance of optimism. Clive Owen plays somewhat of a working class hero which is reflected by the musical theme of the movie. I could watch it over and over and over. In fact I already have, ha!

Chilling, horrible, thought-provoking, gripping, original, and scariest of all--a real possibility in the not to distant future. This is an absolute must-see for any movie enthusiast.

Spectacular and ravishing, Alfonso Cuaron proves once again he is one of the greatest filmmakers we have ever seen.But the thing Cuaron really knows how to do is give realistic emotion to the characters;because of him,we can feel for any character on screen.Rarely can a movie director pull that off.The best picture of the year,in my opinion.

Brilliant movie, which grabbed me immediately and hasn't let go yet. Some here have mentioned "unanswered questions" and "inconsistencies," but I found it to be deeply thought provoking. When I can spend time after walking out of a theater still going over the film, wondering, piecing together, analyzing -- then I feel like I've really got my money's worth. Cuaron makes it believable, in that there are so many different reactions to the situation in which humanity finds itself 18 years after the last child is born. Those who turn to (self-flagellating) religious cults, the deniers, those who just don't think about it, the government and big companies who continue on through sheer force of momentum, the angry rebels, the solution seekers, the hopelessly depressed who turn to quiet suicice. All of this is presented almost as background, in flashes of imagery or brief sequences. The reactions to the death of Baby Diego in the opening scene took me right back to September 11, the numb shock that overtook us all that day. There was so much packed into this movie (my husband caught things I didn't, and vice-versa), that I intend to see it again unencumbered by the anxiety of "what happens next?" I will also eagerly await Cuaron's next film; my respect for him has grown with each of his movies, and I expect even greater works from him in the (hopefully not this bleak) future.… Expand

Spectacular cinematography and layout throughout of the movie. Deep intellectual thinking and symbology tie seamlessly into the movie and gives one a chance to think about today's complications. Beautifully ended to give chance of imagination.

The first movie in which the portrayal of the future seems both palpable and imminent. The future is not some far-off land dotted with replicants and cyborgs, rather, a grim and grainy place with immigrant camps, terrorists, and bombs filmed with amazing fluid shots.

Brilliant. Not Boring in any moment. The cinematography is unbelievable!

This movie is not viewed with the thought that this is either a good or bad film. The story is that important and complex. Frightening and intriguing is the concept that only one small area of the world will be barely civilized with the remainder of the world struggling to enter. Even more frightening is the realization that much of the story is not science fiction, is not of the future...it is now.… Expand

An incredibly moving Sci-Fi film. Very heavy. Not a film you can recommend to everyone becuase of its depressing subject matter but in all ways a fantastic film.

Don't read any of the reviews, just see the movie. I rarely hand out a score of 10 to anything--even women--but this movie astonished me. I disagree with critics who declare that the story is not credible--that a siege in Seattle that lasts a thousand days makes no sense. I believe that people would slowly go insane in a world where the human race is sterile. To be faced with the mortality of humanity, not just oneself, is terrifying and just cause for civilization to collapse. A great film.… Expand

One of the very best films of the last five years, this film is absolutely stunning. Cuaron has done it yet again, and he's at the top of his game. Of course the cinematography and music are obvious standouts, but its the film's ability to allow the viewer to think for themselves that makes this a fantastic movie. We aren't given a back story or anything. That's not what the movie's about. It's been 18 years since the last child, and since then, most people don't talk about the reason...they just accept it and moved on. That's why it is never explained. Having someone 18 years after the fact sit there and explain every little thing just so we as audiences don't think for ourselves, well that's ridiculous. That's Cuaron's greatest gift and achievement: believing in his audience. As for the lot of you that need everything explained, go see Night at the Museum. Leave the thinking to us.… Expand

This is one of the most unforgettable films I have ever seen. Cuaron wastes no time, thrusting you directly into the plot and never letting up for the entire 109 minutes. And what a plot it is - I won't spoil anything, but this is a very relevent tale and I believe everyone can learn a thing or two from it. The intriguing thing about the film is the screen play; it doesn't give too many details or much backstory on a lot of things, so it leaves the audience feeling as clueless about certain things as Clive Owen's character (after all, no one is omniscient) which makes the experience much more believable. Everyone already knows about the brilliant cinematography. Most complaints I've heard have been that it leaves many questions unanswered. There are some that aren't, and for good reason (see the script comment above), but this is a very fast paced film and you must not divert your attention for a second or you may miss something. This is the most believable and horrific presentation of the future I have ever seen. A great film with something for everyone, this is by far the best film of the decade and one of the best I have ever seen. It will be a shame if the film and Cuaron get snubbed come Oscar time.… Collapse

This movie was excellent. It's more about human nature than politics. The government isn't the villain of the movie. In fact, it's the rebels that betray their own. Those who see the movie for something it isn't only prove the point. We all have our own agenda, and only a few manage to break the pattern.

Cassandra, sounds like your typical brain washed fox news fangirl (did I leave out brain washed christian too?). Why do people let their second-hand opinions about politics and religion, dictate their opinions that they actually have control over? This movie was much better than a 1. Good acting and great technical prowless 9 times out of 10 trumps anything that usually comes out of Hollywood.

This was the best movie I saw all year, hands down. The cinematography alone will capture your mind and not let go. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and go now!

The best movie of 2006, perfect. Original, emotional, intelligent, dark. Great script, great characters, great story. And the best of it is the amazing approach of Alfonso Cuaron. Amazing

I just got back from giving Babel a 2. Mainly because it failed miserably at everything this movie was able to accomplish. Children of Men is much more relevent to our worried and paranoid times, and top that off with some flat out mindblowing scenes (those who have seen it know which one in particular I'm talking about). Babel takes our fears as a society and does nothing but exploit them as Oscar bait. Children doesn't use them, but shows us our fears in order to bring us closer as a race and give us hope. Easily the most important film to come from post-9/11 cinema.… Expand

Without question, the best film of 2006 and, for me, the best film of the last ten years. Superb!!

An excellent adaptation of a compelling novel. The difference between the two is a telling comment on our post 9/11 world. Whereas the novel depicts a benevolent but ineffectual government helping its aging citizens come to terms with the extinction of their species, the movie shows a grim and fiercely defensive government locking down the last surviving bastion of civilization. The end results of both are the same: a semi-hopeful yet resigned plunge into the inevitable. The image from the movie that continues to haunt me is one of a mushroom cloud over Manhattan that appears in a montage show on a video screen while Theo rides the bus. It's a grimly familiar site that grips me with a deep chill.… Expand

Politics from any side turns people into monsters. Left wingers are not immune to the politicized images presented. To think that this film is solely a critique of the Bush administration is a farcical statement at best. There is a reason why the camera follows the action over Clive Owen's shoulder, and not anyone else's. Clive Owen is no bleeding heart liberal--the movie makes that much clear--so put the ideology away and watch a masterpiece in character development unfold in some of those rivettingly shot scenes in cinematic history. Boom.… Expand

Easily the most intense movie I've seen since Aliens. It's also the first movie I've ever seen that made both myself and my teetotaling fiancee utter "I need a drink".

Unbelievable. I didn't even blink until it was over.

i dont need to praise this unique, wonderful film any more than it has been. im just here to laugh at the people who give it 0 or 1, to be contrary and make a spectacle of themselves. get back to confessions of a window cleaner! its all you're good for!

there are good and bad reviews for this film because there are good and bad people on this planet. The good ones will give this film a high mark for the things that it is: gripping (unbelievably so), exhilirating, moving.... however, if this film is calling you out and in the case of the hometowns of a few of the aforementioned reviewers who have dragged down the score by trying to attack the 'plot' of a film that is content not to dot every i and cross every t because it is knowing and insightful in its understanding of the knowledge that finds its home in the space between things. Such reviewers and/or bad people deal with absolutes and the film will make them uncomfortable - I believe in fact that it intends too and thus is a movie that avoided across the board tens b/c it wanted to be better than that...and it is. A movie you will sit and thing about a day later.... and find a tear or two cutting a swathe down your cheek. Oh...and I hate (hated?) Clive Owen as an actor and he always annoyed me - yet he was so masterful in this role, so understated and human, I found that I cared more for him and his plight and his loss than I have for any character or charcters since Shadowlands. Brilliant. Unless your brain or heart are a step behind where they need to be of course - then it's a 'clumsy' mess that 'has more questions than answers'....as Borat would say: "Sure it does...............................................NOT!" Do yourself a favour.....this is the most fully realised and presented films in years. Truly and wholly original when it seems it can't be, this is movie magic of the sort you only 'wondered' was possible. However, ironically, (sorry) it is probably a film best scene thinking it'll just be very good, like I did - only to be blown away despite the fact (oft-used by idiots) that I knew nothing more than I did before I started the film. So what!? Not all of us live in a country or countries, or behave in such a way in our lives, that we need a message in every, single, bloody film we see. Of course there ARE very strong messages in the film and FAR more than the ones the blockhead reviewers and users have put up riddles with freudian slips and rampant ignorance. Yet, the film would be so very strong without any of them as the fear, the hope and the endeavour of the protagonists is so palpable that it could be about absolutely nothing more and still be a winner. To be honest, I feel reviewers are scared of giving big marks to genre-beding films.....too much for them when they consult their plot, theme and charcters handbook and look up their mark. There's still time to save your souls, but in hte meantime, please stop reviewing films and misleading films. Real things matter to real people - and this film is real. I got things I rarely get these days in films - frights, moved, shocked and then those rarer moments when you stop for a second after the conclusion of a scene and go - "fuck! this is good." No surprise then that he isn't an American director...whoops! can't say that...forgot. Suggestion: start collating your reviews from people alittle bit more 'wordly'. Just a thought. Bottom line - best film of the year (have not seen Pan's yet), and not in a 'I have half a brain and no full and rounded knowledge of the hearts and minds of actual people so Crash is the best film of the year' kind of way either. Just in an actually the best film kind of way. Hopefully that will suffice.… Expand

The affinity between the moment of dystopian and the moment utopian thought has long been recognized (they are in many ways the flip side of the same coin). Yet never have we had such a bleak and striking dystopian depiction of what exactly a world in which utopian politics as such are rendered more or less impossible by the sudden lack of any posterity for the world to prepare for at all. One of the best movies of the last ten years. (If we are, in the end, to judge works of art politically.) Beyond politics, the execution of the premise was adept and subtle and exhilarating.… Expand

One of the finest movies I've seen in the last decade. Bravura filmmaking techniques (for example, the single four minute shot as they first attempt to drive Kee out of the country), excellent acting, and (yes) actual meaningful themes reward repeated viewings. I can't recall the last time I felt so anxious for the main characters while watching a movie. My heart was racing the entire time! These days, movies that have any meaning deeper than "hero beat up bad guy yay" seem to be falling out of favor with the world. A shame. If you want an action blockbuster, look somewhere else. If you want a tense road trip that explores where our world might be going and delivers a great story, this might be one for you.… Expand

This has gone into my top five movies along with requiem for a dream, dead man's shoes, eternal sunshine and sideways. It is a unique vision of the future that actually feels like it could happen. The acts of terrorism and social disorder are quite prevalent in todays society now so if a situation where infertility arose then the dystopian society depicted in this movie is well realized. One of the criticisms of this movie i have come across is that the cause of the infertility is never explained, why is this a problem? We live in a world where there are no easy answers. It also leads us to the ambiguity of this society who are thinking that they are let down by science or religion. One of the most interesting points of this film is the importance of children to our future and is beautifully illustrated in the exquisite scene when Clive Owen walks through the battle zone with a new-born and everything goes quiet until a shell goes off and the fighting continues. This enforces the fragility of our existence and the improbability of the human race getting this far. Is it evolution last attempt to carry on the human race encapsulated in this child or is it divine intervention?. When i was watching this film i was hoping it wouldn't end in a typically Hollywood ending where there is closure. Luckily the film ends in a downbeat but also in a fashion an optimistic way. There is a light at the end of the tunnel albeit a pinprick of light. This film blew me away. The action was tense and well thought out and believable. The cinematography was bleak but beautiful. Clive Owen is tremendous in a subtle and nuanced role which made you feel for him and believe in the arc his character goes through.… Expand

Greatest movie of the century which can change the world if the whole world see this movie together.

This movie is spine-tinglingly, blood-curdlingly, skin-crawlingly good. It is filmed in such a dynamic, constant-shot fashion that the realism is disturbing. When I first saw the movie, I was constantly questioning the main premise: How were all the women infertile? And why? What changed things? But in the end I realized that these questions are not the important part of the movie. It9;s the pure humanity portrayed, a humanity that is so true to form that you never forget it. When a character dies, it feels horrifically bland and absolute, as if it were real life. Don't watch this as a captivating sci-fi or a intricate action; watch it for the human nature that is so convincing in this picture.… Expand

Great acting, great story, great suspense, great everything really. Its flaws are minor and its strengths are amazing. Bravo.

Pretentious at times, but overshadowed by consistent excellence in the form of an odd-but-good coupling of minimalist filmmaking and pervasive epic-ness. I'm making up terms.

One of the best movies i watched in a LONG time. Sure, there isn't much different from a lot of other action movies "Someone is important, and he/she has to survive till he/she made the destination", but the story, the suspense, acting and a brutal look at how our future might look like if something like this might ever happen. I wont go in further details, all i can say is that i loved it, and i recommend everybody to check it out.… Expand

I've never seen violence filmed so well before. It feels like you're watching footage, and not film. The use of less cuts and more one-shot "following behind the protagonist" and using less action music to create a more intense effect. I also like how the characters are genuinely fearing for their lives when under violence. The environments look the part beautifully. Very immersive film.… Expand

This was good for thinking but it needed answers not questions!!!!!

This film is fantastic. The dystopian future that Clive Owen's character Theo has to live in is believable and grim. Theo lives in a future where women are all infertile and the youngest person is 18 and has just been killed. Theo is understandably cynical and bordering on alcoholic. His true friend being an hippy played my Michael Caine. Hope is rekindled in Theo when he is introduced by his ex-wife to a young girl who is pregnant and needs them to take her to a rendezvous point. The film is about Theo's journey and his realisation that he is playing a part in something which is much bigger than him. The concept and vision of a world without children is a scary prospect and is something I never thought about until I watched this film. There are criticisms I have heard from friends. The first is the film doesn't explain why this infertility epidemic arose. My opinion on this is that it reflects real life, no one knows how Aids originated for instance. The second criticism is the low key ending which I personally love, I love the ambiguity of this ending which imbues the nature of sacrifice and your own pessimism or optimism will determine whether that was in vain.… Expand

Not only does it have action and suspense to rival the best thrillers but it is also deep and enchanting. The directing alone makes this film a must see, but combined with everything else it is even more of a masterpeice.

Unsetting and conceivable, hits close to home in what direction the world is moving. So many small details slip by that tell even a deeper story of what has happened to the world. True violence portrayed in a way that is realistic, heartbreaking. Best film I have seen in a long long time.

The movie doesn't explain much, and there are few gradations between good and evil, but this story of hope and redemption is heartbreakingly played out. The fight scene in the refugee camp, which was shot in a single take with the cameraman following clive owen's character for about 7-11 minutes is an example of filmmaking bravura at its best.

It's a difficult thing, defining a masterpiece, especially when the term is thrown about all too casually. And I wouldn't want to call this film 'important' either, because I don't believe it is a word that should ever be used when defining ANY work of art. A film (or anything at all for that matter) is only as important as you're willing to make it. I sometimes wish people wouldn't be so shallow as to spend so much of their precious time and energy on something as superficial as a series of moving images projected onto a large white screen, no matter its contents. Yet here I am, like many of you, spending both my time and energy typing away about this film (even if I do so implicitly). And so, I find that I am left with two possibilities; either I am just another shallow western civilian wasting away in contemplation of foolish things, or Children Of Men is truly important to me. In reality, both of these are true...and in a nutshell, this is what Children Of Men is all about. It's about most us, those of us who are 'aware' yet not bothered enough to transcend their mere 'awareness' of the problem. That is, until something comes along and lights a fire under their asses. For me, it may be this mere film, Children Of Men.… Expand

I've never felt so physically present in a movie, or as convinced of a near-future world. Amazing.

the scene where Clive and the mother and daughter walk out of the building, past the adoring refugees and the stunned soldiers is pure brilliance.

This is not only my favorite movie of the year, but one of my favorite movies of all time. I had to go back to the theater to see it again. This is the proper way to tell a story on the screen, anyone who wishes to make a good film in the future had better take notes from this one. The story was good and simple, straightforward from beginning to end and had me on the edge of my seat for more than half the scenes. For once, there were no loose ends, nothing left needing, the story was full and finished. And the cinematography was unbelievable, almost impossibly fantastic in two much talked about long shots. But the reason I call this movie one of the greatest is the gripping untensity that I have never experienced in any movie I have ever seen. I will see this many more times.… Expand

Reading comments by ignorant fucks like Brian K. just aggrivate the shit out of me. His examples of why the movie was bad were just dreadful. Mention of a specific cause for the sudden infertility isn't necessary because it wouldn't have added anything to the overall message of the film (here I'll make a name of the disease up for you Brian-"You're a fucking cuntface-itis"). The ending was perfect. Rather than showing Khia being taken in and examined and the baby examined, etc. we just get a shot of the boat coming to rescue her. What more could you ask for? As for the blood on the camera, yea it had no specific purpose, but these guys are doing bravura long takes and the one that happened to be the best one was the one where blood happened to spray on the camera. It's really not that big of a deal and to have such an insignificant thing lend to you giving the movie a 3 is just ridiculous. I hope I never have to meet you Brian K. or anyone like you because it would just make me wish your mother would have been struck with a disease that rendered her incapable of having children.… Expand

Truely a frightening cinematic masterpiece of a future right on our doorstep!

You can touch the real future in this film.

Please ignore the ones and twos inexplicably given by some viewers of this film. If someone is unable to follow the taut, driven narrative of this film, they probably can't find their way home without a map. Cuaron brilliantly illumiinates the razor's edge world in which we live, and crafts a deeply felt parable about where we look for hope amidst hopelessness, and the dangers of ideology run rampant, whether from the right OR the left.… Expand

The most harrowing and thrilling movie I've seen in a long time. Great cinematography and message. Instant classic.

Just saw it today and absolutely loved it. It was gritty, it was grimy. It was real.

Outstanding film. From its opening moments it really grabbed me. While the film is riveting, t's got some great moments of black comedy, too. Definitely one of the best films I've seen in ages. Cuaron is a superb director.

Riveting and visually stunning. A frightful view of what the future could be. The story was unpredictable, unsettling and completely and utterly engrossing. I Iaughed, I cried, I spent most of the time with my mouth open. Superbly acted and a technical masterpiece. You must see this. In the theater. Absolutely.

First of all, the movie is NOT trying to reflect any US policy, nor is it about politics. For the person who couldn't understand why the animals reproduced but the humans became infertile, you are comparing apples to oranges. The "cease-fire" happened because no one had seen a baby in 18 years! The movie did not wrap up neatly because nothing in life wraps up neatly. If the movie had answered every question, e.g. "what is the human project" or "how did humans become infertile" it would not have allowed me to come up with answers on my own. That's what makes the movie engaging.… Expand

A Brilliant, Visionary film. The first movie set in the future that is at times terrifying simply because it is so real to the direction the world is heading today. The music and production design are perfect right down to the smallest detail, but it is the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezski that takes giant leaps into how the camera is everything to the pulse of a movie. There are scenes in this movie that simply swallow you into screen like shots of adrenelin and give you cinematic rushes like you've never seen or felt before! It is a bleak, yet amazing story and Alfonso Cuaron balances it to perfection. Any mind that concieve a scene with "Court of the Crimson King" playing on a set inspired by the cover of Pink Floyd's Animals is pure Genius!! Children of Men is one of the 5 Best Pictures of the Year!!… Expand

The most daring vision brought to screen in recent years. Pic's brand of chaotic, interactive filmmaking pioneered by the likes of Cuaron and Paul Greengrass make for an intense and heartbraking journey that never once exploits its profound themes. For some reason, people have decided that movies cannot be both depressing and good at the same time, even if they convey authentic truths about the world. This film will be considered depressing by those who do not actively engage it. Those of us who give ourselves over to the experience will come away inspired.… Expand

This is hands down the best movie of the year, a stunning example of how to craft an action-thriller. Despite the futuristic setting this is not by any means sci-fi. Rather, it is a dystopian vision of the future with a focus on the characters. This is a story about people, not advanced technology and complex action sequences (although that is not to say the film lacks excitement; if any thing, your attachment to the characters heightens it). As much as I enjoy mindless action, Children of Men proves that the genre is capable of producing more than cheap entertainment. This movie dark tone and underlying cynicism probably won't win it any Oscars, but if their is any justice, it will go down as classic.… Expand

I can't add anything to the rightly glowing reviews and numbers that, in this nearly lone case, I agree with. Masterful, moving, harrowing. I've always liked Clive Owen but confess to having felt him a bit overrated for his narrow toughguy stance; but here he is loose and vulnerable and I'd like to shake his hand for carrying this important film that I know must have been a very difficult to make.… Expand

Simply a great movie, incredible action, acting and a moving story.