Clive Owen- you are the father!

Clive Owen gets bloody, muddy and runs a lot. in other words, it's a Clive Owen movie.

Maury Povich's worst dreams are realized in the sci fi thriller Children of Men (2006). Children of Men presents a near future 20 years from now where a plague has caused worldwide infertility. Along with the plague, the civilized world has descended into pure anarchy except for Britian. Britian is held together by an Orwellian government that monitors and dictates action and uses the threat of terrorism to keep people in line. But even in Britian, there are Mad Max like anarchists and an uprising threatening to overthrow the government. Immigration is not allowed, as anyone attempting to enter the country are thrown into Nazi like concentration camp systems (barbwire cages, prison bus transports with random victims selected for extra beatings) that have them wind up in a place that looks a lot like Iraq.

In the middle of all this, Clive Owen's character is a burnt out activist who is now a government drone in the Energy department. Until his activist ex-lover drags him into a mission to bring the first pregnant woman to the Human Project-a group of scientists who wants to find a cure to the plague. Owen quickly finds out that everyone wants the baby for political aims. He must guide the mother through hell to get her to the Project.

Alfonso Cuaron directs with a style that effectively blends smooth cinematic camera work with shaky hand held shots. The action sequences are filmed with a reality tv style normally seen on Cops - a brilliant sequence where a minivan is attacked by destitute by a waiting band of mauraders even tops Steven Speilberg's minivan sequence from War of the Worlds. The camera swings around with the exact motion and range of vision of a human head, making the action seem much more real.

Clive Owen does well in the role he always plays-the downtroden idealist hiding under a jaded exterior. Michael Caine continues to play variations of the mentor role he perfected in Cider House Rules. Julianne Moore gets second billing but is barely in the movie. The rest of the cast delivers capable and engaging performances.

Children of Men manages to pull together its story and social commentary without ever seeming false or contrived. The messages-a government that reigns by fear and torture, the terrorism it breeds, the environmental cost of unchecked pollution, and a strong anti-Iraq war stance come through without distracting from the story. Add a great classic rock soundtrack (even imagery, there's an extended shot of a pig balloon flying next to a smokestack) that includes the second best use of a King Crimson song in film ("In the Hall of the Crimson King" in this case) and you've got a great movie.