JunkyardDwg - got to be careful quoting stuff inside spoiler tags I fixed your above post. The movie was very impressive, but ... Spoiler I left semi-disappointed, just because the movie was good and then the ending seemed too abrupt or short. I kept joking that I'd like to see the rest of the flick. Looking back, I guess it wasn't as bad as I initially thought. The scene in the car where Julianne Moore's character was in the passenger seat was unbelievably impressive... I don't know how long it lasted, but unless I missed something, it seemed that was done without ever cutting the camera view -- it was just one long continuous shot. I don't know if that is some sort of new trickery but it was unbelievably powerful. It just felt very real. Obviously had some political motives ("Homeland Security"), but it was an impressive movie visually for sure... Michael Caine was excellent.
Oops...was trying to be careful not to give away anything of importance. At least I didn't include this: Spoiler I did feel the sense of despair when Kee was left alone in the boat waiting for the Human Project, but then the movie was over and I was left thinking
That scene with... Spoiler Julianne Moore just rocked me back on my heals. The director made a violent death scene, something I've experienced in theatres countless times, fresh and powerful. It didn't hurt my visceral reaction by being a big fan of Moore. Just completely unexpected when it happened. Spoiler I also thought it was too short, although it was 11 minutes shy of 2 hours. You want to know what happened to the baby... whether it ultimately saved humanity or not. And being someone who prefers either a "happy," or ambiguous ending for the protagonists, the fate of Theo was a disappointment. I wish they had just faded to black, the fishing boat coming out of the mist, with the 3 of them waiting in that leaky boat. The name of the fishing boat was a bit heavy handed as well, but that could have been from the book. Damn... makes me want to read the novel.
I pretty much echo the sentiments of the above posters. Spoiler Thought it was a little too aware of itself during the last hour. I loved Caine, I thought the acting was superb, Chiwetel Ejiofor again shined and showed why he is a rising star. The political views were evident much like in V for Vendetta (which it had a lot of similiarites to), This time it's Cuaron trying to create empathy for Illegal Immigrants rather than the Wachoskis backing gay rights. Whatever, I don't care about your political views... just show be something worthy of the 9 bucks I just spent. However, I thought he at least did a good job of portraying the "Fishers" to be nearly as corrupt as the government. Ultimatley I just wasn't that into the movie. I didn't really care about any of the characters. And when they die I really don't feel anything other than a small little "oh, well that sucks" Again, I was a bit disappointed mostly because from what I heard this was "Blade Runner for the 21st century." I didn't mind the story picking up where it did, but I didn't like the abrupt ending. It was raw, it was gritty. The camera shots were incredible. I give it a 8 out of 10, but frankly I was expecting brilliance and got quasi-brilliance with a couple kinks to work out.
Spoiler I started to expect it after Julianne Moore died, and then knew it was a certainty after Michael Caine's death. Everyone he's loved (including his son) died so it only makes sense for his story arc for him to die as well. And it did feel appropriate too; these characters, Theo, Julian, Miriam, Jasper, the woman (can't remember her name) at the end with the dog that helped them when she discovered the baby, and the armed escort that got shot right before getting them to the boat, to save humanity they had to make the ultimate sacrifice.
The movie was okay. One thing I will never do again is read rottentomatoes before going in to see a movie though. Based on those reviews, I was expecting like the best picture of the year. The ending was kind of weird for me... Spoiler Just seemed kind of corny, unrealistic - how they all stop fighting, wait until they walk by, and then start fighting again like nothing happened - no questions asked, nothing. I would have expected the soldiers to take the girl and the baby.
In regards to how they handled the ending... Spoiler I'm actually a big fan of cutting to black as opposed to fading, so I was fine with that part. However, what I think would have been more powerful is if the following things transpired within the following timeframes... - Theo loses consciousness/dies - Kee and the baby are left alone, rocking in the boat in the middle of the foggy water (allow about 10 seconds of this) - Move the camera angle over Kee's right shoulder and pan back for about 7 seconds, accompanied by a musical crescendo of some sort (actually not so much music, but a single instrumental noise...something eery) - For less than a count of 2 seconds, show distant lights bobbing up and down in the fog...just enough to make your mind go "what's that?" - Immediately cut to black as the music reaches its peak and then goes silent I think if they were going to leave the end so open, they might as well left it REALLY open, to the point that you didn't even know if that was the boat or someone coming to kill/arrest her and the baby. I think I would have liked that a lot more.
I just saw this movie today, but I missed the first 7 minutes. Was there anything of significance in those first few minutes? Even though I missed the early parts, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I liked the fact that it was a short film.
Spoiler The movie starts right away. No intro credits or anything. You hear a news report of some kind about the death of the youngest person on earth. The first visual is some people in a coffee shop crowded around a TV, watching the broadcast...many of them crying. In the midst of all that, Theo walks through the crowd and up to the counter where he asks for some coffee. Then he walks back outside and after a moment there is a sudden explosion from the coffee shop. Turns out someone had planted a bomb there (supposedly terrorists, but later you find out that it was the government trying to spread fear). I don't remember exactly what happens after that, but I think he pretty much ends up at the hidden house in the woods where he talks to Michael Caine's character. Hope that helps, and that I recalled everything correctly
I saw the movie too and thought it was great. Reading everyone's posts about the movie makes me want to see it again...
Spoiler I didn't think so at all, I mean you have to consider the characters in the story are just playing out the string so to speak, they have no hope left and the baby represents something they've been missing for a generation
Spoiler I'd imagine if I hadn't seen a newborn baby in 18 years and was a hardened soldier fighting basically a lose-lose war during humanity's final days...to see a baby walking past me, I probably wouldn't know what the hell to do either except thinking to myself, that is the most beautiful site I've ever seen. That's why I loved that scene.
The directing style in this movie reminded me of 28 Days Later. I would have sworn they were the same director. Overall, a good movie, but like many others I came in with high expectations.
Spoiler I think a whole 60 seconds of Kee and the baby in the boat would've worked a whole lot better, you know give some real doubt as to whether The Tomorrow will show up or not. The entire movie was just so visceral and real but it felt so, I want to say cheesy, to have Theo die...a beat...Kee seeing the boat. Other than that actually showing the boat was fine as was the immediate cut to black with the title "Children of Men" over the sound of children laughing was perfect.
I finally saw this movie and i generally must say my Thoughts are similar to yours I'm not as generous though. .. . I was thinking more 6 out 10 I thought it got heavy handed . . and It definately need more Chiwetel Ejiofor. Cinematically. . . I thought it was great the storyline though left me. . . . numb and like. . uhm . ok . . Rocket River definately no where NEAR Blade Runner Closer to Matrix 3
