Children of Men (2006)

Children of Men is a 2006 American-British science fiction film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel The Children of Men. It stars Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Pam Ferris, Claire-Hope Ashitey and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Set in the United Kingdom of 2027, the film explores a grim world in which two decades of global human infertility have left humanity with less than a century to survive. Societal collapse, terrorism, and environmental destruction accompany the impending extinction. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom—perhaps the last functioning government—persecutes a seemingly endless wave of illegal immigrant refugees seeking sanctuary. In the midst of this chaos, Theo Faron (Clive Owen) must find safe transit for Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), a pregnant African refugee. The film was released on 22 September 2006 in the UK, 19 October 2006 in Australia and on 25 December 2006 in the U.S. Critics noted the relationship between the Christmas opening and the film's themes of hope, redemption, and faith. Children of Men was not a financial success, but attracted positive reviews from critics and acclaim from filmgoers. The film was recognised for its achievements in screenwriting, cinematography, art direction, and innovative single-shot action sequences, receiving three Academy Award nominations and winning two BAFTA awards.

It is 2027 and no children have been born in the world for 18 years, due to a genetic fertility defect in women. With the world collapsing, the United Kingdom is one of the few stable countries and has millions of asylum seekers entering the country. In response, Britain becomes a militarised police state as British forces round up and detain immigrants. Former activist and now office worker Theo Faron (Clive Owen) is kidnapped by an immigrant rights group known as "The Fishes", where he is surprised to see their leader is his estranged wife Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore). The couple parted ways after their son died from a flu pandemic in 2008. Julian offers Theo money for a permit for a young female refugee named Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), which Theo obtains from his cousin Nigel (Danny Huston), a minister. However, it requires the bearer to be accompanied, so Theo agrees to escort Kee in exchange for a raise. Luke (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Fishes member, drives Theo, Kee, Julian, and Miriam (Pam Ferris), a midwife, towards the coast to a boat. They are ambushed by an armed gang and Julian is fatally shot. Two police officers stop their car but Luke kills them and they escape to a safe house. Kee reveals to Theo that she is pregnant, and that Julian told her that she should trust only him. Julian had intended to hand Kee over to the "Human Project", a group of scientists dedicated to curing infertility, supposedly based in the Azores. However, Luke proposes keeping Kee and she agrees to stay. Later that night, Theo awakens and eavesdrops on a meeting of Luke and other members. He discovers that Julian's death was orchestrated by the Fishes so they could use Kee's baby as a tool to support the upcoming revolution. Theo wakes Kee and Miriam and they steal a car, escaping to the secluded hideaway of aging hippie Jasper Palmer (Michael Caine), a former political cartoonist and Theo's friend. A plan is formulated to board the Human Project ship Tomorrow which will arrive offshore from the Bexhill refugee camp. Jasper proposes getting Syd (Peter Mullan), a camp guard, to smuggle them in. The Fishes trail the group to Jasper's hideout, but Theo, Miriam, and Kee get away as Jasper stays behind and gives Quietus to his catatonic wife and to his dog. Theo watches horrified from a distance as Jasper is murdered by the Fishes. Later, they meet Syd, who transports them to Bexhill as fake prisoners. When Kee begins having contractions on a bus, Miriam distracts a suspicious guard with religious mania, and is taken away. Theo and Kee then meet Marichka (Oana Pellea), who provides a room where Kee gives birth to a girl. The next day, Syd informs Theo and Kee that a full-scale war between the refugees, including the Fishes, and the Army has begun. Discovering the baby and their police murder, Syd attempts to turn them in. The group beat off Syd and escape. Amidst the war, the Fishes capture Kee, but come under fire from British troops. Theo then tracks Kee and her baby to an apartment building and frees them. Luke dies from a tank shell and the combatants stop fighting momentarily, awed by the presence of a baby. Marichka leads them to a boat in a sewer, but refuses to join. As Theo rows away, he reveals he was shot. They then witness a full-scale aerial bombing of Bexhill by the Royal Air Force, and Kee decides to call her baby "Dylan" after Theo's deceased son. Theo slumps dead just before the Tomorrow emerges from the thick fog. Kee sings a lullaby to her baby as the ship approaches. In the end, children are heard laughing.