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I’m a person given to hyperbole, but don’t let that cause you to disregard this comment. “Children of Men” is an amazing movie. It is sad, tragic, and dark while also being beautiful. If you are not familiar with it, the movie is based in the year 2027, and for some reason, women are no longer able to get pregnant. This has moved the world into fascism, terrorism, and disillusionment. Theo, a government agent discovers that miraculously there is a woman who has become pregnant, and he risks everything to keep her safe and help her give birth.
What makes “Children of Men” beautiful amid such a bleak landscape is the director, Alfonso Cuaron’s deft touch. His directing is like finding a daisy among a crumbled building. Despite very few reasons for hope, he gives it to Theo (and us) in this pseudo-futuristic nativity story. And here is the crazy thing…it is real hope, not sappy superficial cinematic hope. You walk away thinking, “Yes. That is the spirit of hope that is real.” In addition, Cuaron weaves religious imagery into the movie without being heavy handed. The metaphors are obvious but not burdensome.
It would appear that Theo (Theos is Greek for God) is intended to be a deitific figure whose task is to deliver the salvation child to a lost and dying world. Kee, the pregnant mother, is obviously a Mary figure and the key to the world’s hope. With a soft hand, we see Theo having to wear flip-flops because he cut his foot and no other shoes fit. You get this sense of him being pierced and becoming Christ-like. That scene was one of my favorites because it plays itself out with no drama. It just happens. In addition, some of the more tense scenes have no score underneath allowing the viewer to honestly feel the fear and terror without it being created through an orchestra. But all of the metaphors and themes might appear burdensome if it weren’t for Cuaron’s creation of a realistic world without hope (The youngest person in the world is 18 years old leaving everyone to wonder when the human race will become extinct). One character notes, “As the sound of the playgrounds faded, the despair set in. Very odd, what happens in a world without children's voices.” In such a world, what difference would one child make? That is the beauty and the mystery of the film, and the answering of the question is played out amid a terrorism and warfare that today’s viewers know all too well.
Aside from the religious imagery, the movie works enjoyably as a sci-fi movie as well, which is rare. It is not every day that true sci-fi breaks out of its sub-genre world to move people in an honest way. It was the intention of the father’s of sci-fi, but rarely does it happen. Here it does. You will not be disappointed.
Gordon Duncan is the pastor/church planter of Sovereign King Church in Garner, NC. He blogs daily.
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Thanks. Great insight--I had hear mixed reviews from believers, but from what you've said, I must see it.
I appreciated your thoughts about this movie. I saw it recently and I thought it was quite thought-provoking because it had many different levels. I hadn't thought about the nativity analogy necessarily, but I agree that it fits. Good insight! I thought the movie dealt quite effectively with the idea of hope: on one level, literally, in the sense of the continuity of the human race; but on a more esoteric level, the effect that a new child would have on restoring a sense of innocence to the humanity which continued to exist.
"restoring a sense of innocence to the humanity "
i like that phrase. without children, so much of life was lost in that society. children serve to make us simple and kind and future oriented again. i notice that in small in my own family as we are 4-6 weeks away from welcoming the first one in the next generation.
Good insight into a great. You have observed well many of the easily deciphered Biblicaly parallels. These are the kinds of movies that make "Christian" movies look silly. I've found that most often it's the movies that aren't trying to be Christian that have some of the best Christian messages. You have to dig for those messages, but I believe there is a much greater chance at a wider audience getting that message then when a Christian film company tries to sell its Christian movie. I'll probably see the movie again and head into it with a treasure hunter mentality, looking for those hidden gems.
Ok, so I forgot to spell check it. Sorry, it should be, "Biblical" in the second sentence.
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Thanks. Great insight--I had hear mixed reviews from believers, but from what you've said, I must see it. Posted by Vanessa | Posted at 01/13/2007 6:16 PM
I appreciated your thoughts about this movie. I saw it recently and I thought it was quite thought-provoking because it had many different levels. I hadn't thought about the nativity analogy necessarily, but I agree that it fits. Good insight! I thought the movie dealt quite effectively with the idea of hope: on one level, literally, in the sense of the continuity of the human race; but on a more esoteric level, the effect that a new child would have on restoring a sense of innocence to the humanity which continued to exist. Posted by Stephanie | Posted at 01/13/2007 7:02 PM
"restoring a sense of innocence to the humanity "
i like that phrase. without children, so much of life was lost in that society. children serve to make us simple and kind and future oriented again. i notice that in small in my own family as we are 4-6 weeks away from welcoming the first one in the next generation.
Posted by tammy | Posted at 01/15/2007 3:29 PMGood insight into a great. You have observed well many of the easily deciphered Biblicaly parallels. These are the kinds of movies that make "Christian" movies look silly. I've found that most often it's the movies that aren't trying to be Christian that have some of the best Christian messages. You have to dig for those messages, but I believe there is a much greater chance at a wider audience getting that message then when a Christian film company tries to sell its Christian movie. I'll probably see the movie again and head into it with a treasure hunter mentality, looking for those hidden gems. Posted by Evan Lauer | Posted at 01/17/2007 11:06 AM
Ok, so I forgot to spell check it. Sorry, it should be, "Biblical" in the second sentence. Posted by Evan Lauer | Posted at 01/17/2007 11:09 AM