The Children of Men (Rating: 4.75 Crow’s Feet)

This is a disturbing movie that is not for the faint of heart. It is set in 2027 in London, United Kingdom, one of the last remaining ‘organized’ countries. It seems that all other countries have fallen to anarchy or to militant Islamic rule. Refugees from around the globe are fighting to get into the UK. But, the UK refuses millions of illegal immigrants.

As the movie progresses, you find out that in 2008 a flu that killed many people. Then you find out that for the past 19 years, women are no longer having babies. The main character, Theo has an ex-wife that is now the leader of a militant humanist group called Fishes. She kidnaps him in order to get exit papers for a young girl from Theo’s cousin. Theo obtains the paperwork, but under the stipulation that he escorts the girl.

He is introduced to the girl, Kee and several other characters that will be traveling with them. As they are exiting London, they are ambushed by a rebel group. This group fatally wounds Theo’s ex-wife, and the rest of the group barely escapes.

The traveling group enters a Fishes safe house to regroup their plan to escape. Kee approaches Theo to share his sadness. She tells Theo that his wife said to only trust him. She tells him that she is trying to get to the Human Projecct and she shows Theo that she is pregnant; the first pregnant woman in over 19 years. Although Theo disagrees, the organization and Kee decide that it is best for her to remain at the safe house until after the baby is born.

During the night, Theo is restless and cannot sleep. He discovers that the leader of the traveling group was in on the ambush and also ordered the death of Theo’s ex-wife. The group wants the baby in order to have political leverage over the London government. Theo sneaks Kee and her midwife out of the safe house and they escape to his eclectic friend’s hidden cabin.

Jasper, Theo’s eclectic friend helps them form a plan to meet with the Human Project’s boat. He has a friend, Syd, that works for the border police and can sneak the group into a refuge camp near the meeting point. They are woken in the middle of the night by the arrival of a Fishes raid. Theo, Kee and the midwife escape and hide out on a remote hill to watch Jasper deter the Fishes. The Fishes give him little chance to talk and gun him down.

Theo, Kee and the midwife meet up with Jasper’s Syd and enter the refuge camp bus. On the way into the camp, Kee goes into labor. They enter a check point and some soldiers get on the bus and yell at Kee, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!” The midwife steps in front of them and starts praying. The soldiers are distracted and take the midwife off the bus; it is eluded that they shoot her. The refuge camp is an abandoned city that has been over run by refugees. People are living all over in old buildings and seem to have their own gangs that run the city. Theo and Kee find housing for the night where Kee gives birth to a baby girl.

In the morning they awake to Syd pounding on their door. He discovers the baby and ushers them out at gun point. He wants to get a reward for the baby. Theo and Kee escape Syd only to be captured by the Fishes who have broke into the refugee camp in order to find Kee. The Fishes take Kee and leave Theo to be shot. Luckily, the government picks this time to enter with soldiers and Theo narrowly escapes to chase after Kee.

He finally catches up with her in a building that is under fire from all groups. He gets Kee and the baby starts crying. Everyone halts and calls cease fire. Soldiers from every side part and let the baby through. They are mesmerized by the crying because they haven’t heard babies crying in over 19 years. Everyone treats the baby as some sort of a miracle.

Theo and Kee find a row boat and row out to meet the Human Project’s boat. While waiting for the boat to arrive, Kee discovers that Theo has been shot. As he dies, the Human Project’s boat arrives.

This movie was dark, and depressing. It made me think about how people might react to an international occurrence such as a pandemic/flu or to increasing terrorism. It paints a bleak future with people who have given up hope. Would you be able to maintain your scruples in such a miserable environment?

Please see this movie if only to be reminded of the great life we have.