Children of Men

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sulkdodds

Sulkdodds

The Freeman
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
18,846
Reaction score
27
Is anybody else really excited about this film?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwsgkurfCjE

IMDB said:
The world's youngest citizen has just died at 18, and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction. Set in and around a dystopian London fractious with violence and warring nationalistic sects, Children of Men follows the unexpected discovery of a lone pregnant woman and the desperate journey to deliver her to safety and restore faith for a future beyond those presently on Earth.
Click to expand...

Things it reminds me of:
- Y: The Last Man
- 28 Days Later
- V For Vendetta
- Half-Life 2

Can we say 'awesome'?
 
Looks really good.

V for Vendetta was awesome too
 
It's barely trailing Half Nelson and The Fountain as my most anticipated movie this fall. Can't wait.
 
I'm looking forward to this. Great cast, positive reviews, sounds all good.
 
:O?

/watches

ohmigodohmigodohmigod this movie will ****ing OWN

:D

when is this supposed to be released?
 
I was going to get tickets to see the advanced screening with a bunch of friends, but we... uh... forgot. Probably too late now.

Incidentally, I went to a friend's 18th birthday party the other day, and after much mingling I made friends with a 25 year old casual DJ who was relatively pissed off because his newcomer friend recently got contracted to make some music for this film, wheras he's completely out of work :p
 
Gah, I thought you said City of Men. I love that show.

But this does look awesome.
 
Looks good. I will wait for DVD since I don't go to the theatres anymore.
 
That looks awesome. Nice use of Sigur Ros at the end there, too.
 
and why so important the pregnant woman?

humans cant breed?
 
I remember reading about this movie in a magazine and the trailer was exactly the opposite to what the magazine led me to believe. D:
 
I've seen the trailer at least 50 times, and it never gets old. My second most-anticipated movie after The Fountain.
 
joule said:
Limited release on Christmas day.
Click to expand...

So you guys got to wait til Christmas for this? Came out today here. Might be going to see it tomorrow after seeing Clerks II. If not, next week I will.
 
SLIGHT SPOILER SLIGHT SPOILER SLIGHT SPOILER SLIGHT SPOILER SLIGHT SPOILER

So it's out and I've seen it!

com1vq0.jpg


It's very, very good.

The first thing that strikes you about the film is the technical elements - the cet design, the cinematography, etc. As a depiction of a dark future, it's one of the best I've seen (reminds me of Dark Angel). The whole dystopian mise en scene, the atmosphere, is very well done - the filmmakers made a good job of grungifying everything. I've never seen Bexhill look so dangerous. The camera weaves deftly through collapsed flats, rubble-strewn streets and filthy tenement blocks, refusing to cut away for minutes at a time, creating a sense of immediacy and authenticity that beats everything I've ever seen (if you liked Saving Private Ryan and Spielberg's War of the Worlds, this goes even further). The camera itself is almost a protagonist, and makes you feel as if you're right there in the action. In one scene, where Owen is trying to squeeze through a door which has jammed, I was willing that door to open, almost trying to physically push it.

Talking of Clive Owen, he's very well-suited in his role as the grizzled, hopeless protagonist (a beaurocrat, he never even picks up a gun!) and there are some excellent performances (especially Michael Caine as ageing hippy Jasper). The acting is persistently low-key and realistic, while still impressing at pivotal moments.

com2fn9.jpg


The tone of the film is also quite refreshing. Where it could have been sentimental, it's ruthless; where it could have been sensationalist, it was cynical and bleak; where it could so easily have been cold, it's full of emotion. It was also surprisingly funny, although jokes are very often interupted by something very nasty happening.

There were a couple of scenes where I thought "that sequence was almost entirely pointless" and some central relationships and characters (Moore/Owen, for example) were glossed over - sometimes the slow bits, the character bits, didn't seem to quite gel or ever reach the emotional hights they could have. In addition, many of the central themes weren't really explored; in many ways the film never reached its full potential - although whole 'apocalypse' motif was wonderful (society in one final death thrash, burning itself out in a great and terrible fire and clearing the way for a new order...). The same can't be said for the final 45-or-so minutes of the film, which were just utterly amazing.

Sometimes it seems almost to skim the surface of its key concerns and characters; at others, it cuts very deep and physically shocks you (there were many scenes that made me cry). Despite its flaws, however, it's one of the best films I've seen in a while, and certainly one of the most interesting. On top of all this, it's convinced me that a film of HL2 would be possible. I recommend you all see it immediately!

com3aw6.jpg
 
Nice review, Sulkdodds. That first shot is great, capturing the coffee in mid-spill n' all. :D I'm so seeing this soon. Sooooon.
 
I saw it today too.....amazing film, beautifully shot. 10/10!
 
Film of the Year.

First time I've ever heard King Crimson used in a film too. Awesome.
SPOILER: I also like how they didn't have a title card at the end giving a happy ending or something. They just kept it as "a woman has a baby" and it's up to the viewer whether they think the Human Project actually develops a cure or whatever.

Snakes on a Plane out of 10.
 
yeh really lookin forward to watching this
hope it isnt a let down
 
Wow. Why haven't I heard of this before? This looks great. I don't get out to the movies too often, but I'm definately going to see this one.
 
**** yes.

This film pushed all my buttons:

Michael Caine = Check
Julianne Moore = Check
Chiwetel Ejiofor = Check
A stoner character = Check
Dystopian near future Britain= Check
End of the World Scenario = Check
Evil-bastard government = Check
Gritty, Private Ryan-esque urban battle scenes = Check
Beautifully shot, written and directed = Check

9/10

EDIT: Also, ive never really liked Clive Owen, but he was really excellent in this.
 
So its already released and not here yet? :( Yar, har yes I am a pirate! I will go see it in the theatres when it comes out (to get the giant screen experience) and then buy it on DVD. The reviews are exactly what I was expecting. Good! :cheese:
 
Awesome film :D All those incredible, minutes-long shots are worth the price of admission alone. The last one is simply awe-inspiring.
 
Yeah wtf... so is this out in NA or what?

+ thx for the new avie :)
 
Now you know what we have to put up with.
 
I'm just trying to get my head around how they did THAT shot at the end, where it's something crazy, like 7 minutes long with no cut aways, always following Theo around.
 
Just seen it. Thought it was okay. Technically brilliant, but I felt the plot was a bit lacking, and I'd like there to have been a bit more exposition on certain elements. There was also a certain thing lacking that was also lacking in other similar British films (28 Days Later and Dog Soldiers), but I can't put my finger on it. Lacking a core confidence perhaps...
 
pomegranate said:
Just seen it. Thought it was okay. Technically brilliant, but I felt the plot was a bit lacking, and I'd like there to have been a bit more exposition on certain elements. There was also a certain thing lacking that was also lacking in other similar British films (28 Days Later and Dog Soldiers), but I can't put my finger on it. Lacking a core confidence perhaps...
Click to expand...

http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=lacking&x=0&y=0

;)
 
OH THE IRONY!!!!!!!!!!! our last hope is a black lady :O
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
Children of Men = Half Life 2?????
Replies
32
Views
6K
Smoke
Smoke
T
Children of Men and HL2
Replies
3
Views
753
Oppressor
Oppressor
Ennui
Uprising: inspired by Children of Men
Replies
12
Views
951
Jerry_111
Jerry_111
DeusExMachina
Upcoming Films
Replies
15
Views
1K
Ridge
Ridge
Sprafa
History of Sin
2 3
Replies
81
Views
3K
DeusExMachina
DeusExMachina
Back
Top