Last weekend, Scott, Sheena, and I saw the much anticipated Children of Men (IMDB) starring Clive Owen. Unfortunately, I screwed up the showtime, so we missed the first few minutes of the movie. I was a little nauseous toward the end because we had to sit in the third row and the entire movie was filmed in the jerky handheld camera style. The scenes on the rocking row boat didn't help either.
The apocalyptic sci-fi movie takes place in the near future, 2027, after the youngest person in the world dies at age 18. I loved how it showed what people of my generation and younger will look like at middle age (old wrinkled tattoos and piercings). Since we missed the beginning, we probably missed some of the set-up. However, I read and heard several reviews and interviews, so I think I know what happened. This movie will definitely be something I'll re-watch on DVD.
I loved the movie's detailed setting. However, the movie is a little too sci-fi in that so much of the movie is about showcasing its premise. The story is predictable and the ending was unsatisfying (no great mysteries solved). I'm not sure if Owen's performance of the central character was too unemotional or whether he was attempting to convey the detachment of someone living life through the end times. The backstory of Owen's former wife (Julianne Moore) and death of their son didn't add anything to the story. Also, I was surprised that there was a lack of any mention of religion (other than new age spirituality) since certainly there are Christian fundamentalists who would definitely have seen the setting as the end of time.
Over all, a good movie that either needed to widen its scope or develop a more satisfying ending.
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