22. Children of Men (2006), dir. Alfonso Cuarón

[strange_complex]

IMDb page here. Seen with glitzfrau and biascut at the University Chaplaincy.

Not too much about this, as I really need to go to bed. Basically, very much what I expected. Cuarón's touch is recognisable from Prisoner of Azkaban - especially in the grainy textures, muted colours and 'quiet' scenes which establish place and mood without action. There's plenty of detail to watch out for on the periphery, a nice soundtrack, some good performances and an essentially decent story to tell.

I'm not sure if all the stuff about terrorism, asylum-seekers, drugs and gang warfare was heavy-handed or just a perfectly reasonable reflection on today's society. It's pretty much what needed to be included for the kind of story the film is trying to tell - but felt rather predictable at the same time.

Anyway, not an earth-shattering masterpiece, but does what it sets out to do extremely competently.

Comments

[primitivepeople.livejournal.com]

I certainly quite enjoyed it - I'm a sucker for anything apocalyptic...

Completely different from the book, on which it is only very loosely based, and much better for it in my opinion.

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

I feel slightly more curious to read the book now I've seen the film - but not that much, because I know it is very different. And I agree about apocalyptic stories - I've always enjoyed that genre.

[primitivepeople.livejournal.com]

I've always quite fancied writing one myself, actually...one of those many projects for the future.

[ellroy.livejournal.com]

And on a completely flippant note, it does have Clive Owen in it, which, I'm afraid, is enough for me.......

;-)

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

He's not my thing, really, but I can see how his rugged, Han-Soloesque reluctant hero role in this film would appeal if he was.

[ellroy.livejournal.com]

:-) Nothing to do with the role he's playing - I don't even have that excuse. I'll watch him in anything, however bad. That's a terrible admission, is it not?

*slinks away into the nearest corner*