‘CHILDREN OF MEN’

Set in a dystopian future where women have inexplicably become infertile, the main character, Theo, meets up with Kee, the first woman to become pregnant in 18 years. His mission is to protect her and the baby in a violent world that is falling apart. The movie focuses on their journey to safety in something called “The Human Project”. The Cultural Context of this movie is evident in its setting; an imagined dystopian future London, England 2027 where all hope is lost. As in many dystopian dramas, the London of 2027 is a projection of current conditions taken to an extreme. The General Vision and Viewpoint of this text is highly negative throughout as we see the inhumanities and horrors in a world where civilisation and order have given way to depravity. The ending provides a welcome reprieve and the director allows us to see hope for the future. This is also a film that was beautifully shot. Cuaròn deftly uses all the tricks available to the filmmaker without making the film seem like a cartoon. His use of imagery is particularly effective. The trio of Theo, Kee and the baby, bear obvious resemblance to the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Their dangerous journey to safety also mirrors the journey of the Holy Family in the bible. It is also important to notice that Kee reveals her pregnancy to Theo in a barn, which also links to Jesus’s birth in a stable. Of further note, is Cuaròn use of sound effects, the ringing in Theo’s ears after the bomb is one of the movie’s metaphors for loss. Julian points it out to him by saying, “You know that ringing in your ears? That eeeee ... that’s the sound of the ear cells dying like a swan song. Once it’s gone, you’ll never hear that frequency again. Enjoy it while it lasts.” This sound continually appears again and again throughout the movie. Finally, Cuaròn’s impressive tracking shots and mise en scene make this dystopian setting shockingly believable for the audience.