Review – Children of Men

Several critics compared this grim bit of science fiction to Blade Runner. That’s apt to the extent that both movies had better visuals than scripts. However, this round of dystopia is both more and less sophisticated than the Ridley Scott classic. This isn’t a startling departure from the real world; none of the technology would seem terribly out of place in 2006. But the subtle shifts in cars, televisions, and many of the other trappings of everyday life underscore the dramatic change in the world’s politics. Something has rendered the entire human race infertile. The resulting social chaos and fascist backlash serves at the backdrop for the story of an average guy who gets dragged into a desperate attempt to rescue a miraculously-pregnant woman from the government and various rebel / criminal elements. The story is plenty depressing, so this made a vaguely inappropriate choice for Sunday evening viewing. But if you can stand a bit of a bummer, the art direction and cinematography alone are worth the rental price. Mildly amusing