Children of Men, caution possible spoilers and talk of violence

I've seen it a couple times. It's a pretty amazing story, definitely powerful and raw. I didn't feel repulsed by the violence, but I may be jaded. I thought it was violent, but necessarily so to tell such a dystopian story.

I'm slowly working my way through the novel. It seems, so far, to be paced much slower but is building up to be even darker (or seems to be).

The book and the film have very different endings. I loved them both.

I'm usually bothered by gratuitous violence but I wasn't bothered by CoM at all. Excellent execution (the camera work is fantastic! Did you see those "one long shot" sequences? Amazing), and gripping storytelling. I liked it raw and intense and intimate at the same time. Definitely not for everyone, but I loved it. I've watched it like five times now. Still slogging through the book, however (the expositions sort of put me to sleep every time)...

I was fine with the violence. I didn't think it was gratuitous at all.

The book starts with pages upon pages upon pages of back story. Usually a no-no, right? But I loved every word of it. I saw the film first, and loved it. The book was just gravy on top.

It's been several months since I watched this one, but it was very affecting. It is a film I think I could watch one more time, simply to admire the nuances of the movie (including the single-shot sequences), but not a keeper.

I am rarely bothered by violence. I love a good splatter movie, especially the supernatural kind. It's only when the violence gets too real, or crosses certain boundaries, that I become upset by it.

Children of Men is a fabulous film, definitely worth at least one view. Just watch it with caution.

I loved the film and the book even if there were differences. Ray, keep going with the book. It's worth it.

A particularly great bit in the film was Clive Owen's long dash through the battle. Superb and oh so English.

And in flip flops, no less.

I loved this movie. Definitely one of the few ones I can see more than once.

I didn’t find the violence off-putting at all. In fact I don’t think it had any more violence than your typical Hollywood big-budget movie.

But besides that, the violence was an integral part of the story. The world is coming to an end. The fabric of society is crumbling and people are losing the self-restraint they normally feel.

The world is a violent place now – can you imagine if we knew ours was the last generation? There would be no more after this. This was it. Sayonara, adieu, ciao?

Since this thread is to talk about it, I’ll tell you why I liked it.

Besides the intriguing premise, I liked the protagonist. He was an everyman (I think the best protag’s usually are), a guy who was just trying to deal with a situation.

In the beginning, the writers create sympathy for him; he’s a guy in a situation similar to many: struggling to just get through his day, wondering what it’s all about and if it’s all even worth it, feeling lost and empty as he goes about his day. He drinks heavily, hoping it’ll fill that void, probably aware that this hole inside him exists, yet unable to do anything about it.

At first, he’s just trying to do the right thing, help his ex-wife. He just wants to make some money to pay the rent. But circumstances take on a life of their own and before he knows it, he’s well into the rabbit-hole.

And suddenly, he’s a man with a purpose. A man on a mission. He’s renewed, revitalized, redeemed. All that other bullshit doesn’t matter anymore. What’s important is getting that mother with her unborn child to safety. No matter what.

In the end, even though he dies, he is victorious. We all must die, this is true – but to die for something you believe in, accomplishing something that you feel is important, is to die peacefully, with a smile on your face.

It satisfies that urge that many feel, me included: To not die in vain, to redeem yourself, to make it all worth it in the end.

Hmmm… I think I’m gonna watch it again….

I love this movie...one of the best I've seen in the past year. I'm going to have to get it this week so my friend can watch it with me.

The film made me love Clive Owen. The acting is superb, the story is amazing, and I remember sitting in my chair and shaking the entire time. It really drew me in. It was violent, yes, but I think it was realistic rather than be gratuitous (you knew Couron wasn't just putting the violence in there to make teenage boys go, "Woah, that is so cool!"). I also like the fact that Theo never fires a gun and must instead rely on his own physical power.

I could go on about this movie for ages.

vvgooding said:

I also like the fact that Theo never fires a gun and must instead rely on his own physical power.

Click to expand...

Yep, that's what I mean about it being English. An English guy in that situation wouldn't automatically look for a gun. Even if he did, the chances aren't high he'd know how to use it.

I really enjoyed the movie. It's on my to buy list. It was very disappointing that he died at the end and I was a little upset by that.

The only part that took me out of the movie was one part that was during the firefight outside and blood hit the camera that was filming the shot. It was distracting and pulled me out of the film. Although it wasn't hard to get me back in the film at all.

Another thing I forgot - a lot of the movie reminded me and even looked right out of the game Half-Life 2. An awesome game about urban conflict in the face of totalitarian rule.

Pamster said:

Almost to the end of the film here. I am so stunned by all the uprising violence just stopping when they left that building! Amazing! Just illuminates the power of the human voice, a young one can hold over us adults. I had a feeling he dies, but hopefully it's a good death, not that death is good, but not a senseless one like his friend Michael Cane had. Dealt to him by uncaring terrorists.

Click to expand...

I had a huge lump thing in my throat watching that scene. The expressions on the faces of the people at the sound of a baby's cry were wrenching.

rosemerry said:

I really enjoyed the movie. It's on my to buy list. It was very disappointing that he died at the end and I was a little upset by that.

Click to expand...

I love the ending. I think it's poetic and fitting. That he sacrificed himself (just another old fart in a world of old farts) to bring a new child -- a new beginning, a new purpose -- to the world. I think that's a beautiful ending, and meaningful. Had he lived, it would have felt different. Of course, someone said the book actually ended differently so I have to wait to read the end to compare. But with the movie, I loved the ending.

oh dear time for the outspoken voice.....

The book is FABULOUS! truely it is, one of the best books I had read in a long long time.....but what the hell happened with the movie!!!!!!!!

IT IS AWFUL! it takes the VERY VERY bare threads of the plot, then changes it too suit it's own goal.
there are so many problems with the movie compared to the book, and for me it was another jaws 4 (Yes it was that bad)
If you don't understand what I mean....jaws 4 the book actually has a plot, and there is a bit of meaning in what goes on....when they made the movie, they ripped it out and threw it on the bonfire, then made one of the worst movies in history.
Children of men done the same....I am sure PD James can not like what they done with it. I was soooo looking forward to the movie, but it was turned into something that didn't look or feel right compared to the book.
Disgusting.

Yes i feel harshly about this movie.
I URGE anyone to read the book, and then write a screenplay that at least follows it....cause it was rubbish.

Sorry peeps, but it was IMHO

I don't hold the book against the movie -- in fact, I am having a hard time reading the first few chapters -- I am sure it's a brilliant book, but I need to take my time. But aside from it not sticking to the book, what don't you like it AS a movie? Why is it the "worst" movie? I mean, is it worst than Baseketball or Plan 9 from Outer Space?

Comparing it to JAWS 4 is ludicrous, I think. JAWS 4 was pure trash. CoM is a "movie" masterpiece, IMHO, as far as production, acting, cinematography, etc. are concerned, and I have seen a lot of movies.

Maybe it makes a difference if you loved the book long before it became a movie. I read the book after the movie, and because of the movie. I think they're both great, and very different from each other. If I had to lean one way or the other I'd say the movie has more emotional impact than the book (though the book is not lacking).

sorry, i think the movie was just a lame excuse to get as much violence and blood on screen as possible....it was NOT what the book was about. IMHO Children of men was pure junk, and not worthy of a cinema release.

Don't get me wrong.

I WANTED to love it, I wanted to see a good version of the book, what I got was pure and utter junk.

I didn't like the acting, i didn't like the cinematography, the direction was wrong, and who ever wrote the script should be shot....

just remember though, this is my opinon and reviews and all that will disagree with me, as I am sure many people on here with, but the simple matter of truth is, i wanted SO hard to like it, just couldn't

I guess my question is, if you have never read the book, or if the movie wasn't "based" on the book, would you still think it's the worst movie in the world with bad acting and cinematography? Because while I can't speak of the movie vs. book, I love the acting and the cinematography, etc. and I don't think the violence was gratuitous at all so I really can't agree that it's a bad movie on it's own term. Now as a novel adaptation maybe it sucks, but that's not my criteria to judge a film on its own... Like Dolores said, could it be your expectations that alter your perception of the film, or was the film actually, all things considered, bad filmmaking?


Just a thought.

I love this quote from Michael Caine about Jaws 4:

"I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."

I love Michael Cain. He's definitely in for the money and makes no fuzz about it, and there's something refreshing about such honesty.