Prime Video consistently acquires excellent sci-fi films for streaming. They offer both original content, such as the often-overlooked The Vast of Night, and timeless classics like RoboCop & Escape From New York. Plus, you can even find newer releases like Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on the platform. However, one of the very best films available on all of Prime Video is surprisingly easy to miss, and it might be a challenging experience for viewers who start it in 2025 without knowing what it is.
Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men, released in 2006, received high praise and was nominated for three Academy Awards – and that’s high praise considering Cuarón’s impressive body of work. Many dedicated film lovers consider this movie a landmark achievement of 21st-century cinema, and it continues to resonate with audiences today. While it may not have been a huge box office success initially, it’s since become recognized as a truly great film, and is highly recommended viewing for any science fiction enthusiast.
Children of Men Is Pure Sci-fi, but it Pushes Genre Boundaries
The story of Children of Men centers around a bleak, futuristic world. In the film, all women have become unable to have children, meaning no babies have been born for 18 years. This has created a very tense and dangerous situation worldwide. Clive Owen plays Theo, a man who used to be an activist and government worker. He gets caught up in an unexpected situation when his former wife asks him to help a pregnant woman escape the country.
As mentioned, the story of Children of Men is deeply rooted in the setting of a dystopian science-fiction world, but the film goes beyond that typical framework. At times, it feels like a straightforward action movie, featuring intense sequences defined by Cuarón’s distinctive style (we’ll explore that later), and a palpable sense of tension. However, the action isn’t the over-the-top kind you’d find in a blockbuster; instead, it places the film closer to the War genre, with little hope and conflicts that always have serious, life-or-death stakes. Even in quieter moments, the realistic and powerful human emotions in Children of Men add another layer of depth. It’s a difficult movie to categorize, offering a lot to those who are willing to truly engage with it.
Children of Men Is Even Harder to Watch in 2025, Not Because of Availability
Many movies are difficult to find on streaming services in 2025 due to unresolved rights issues, perhaps because older contracts didn’t account for streaming. Children of Men isn’t one of those; it’s challenging to watch today because it’s set just two years in the future from now, and its depiction of the world might feel unsettlingly close to reality for some viewers.
The central conflict in Children of Men revolves around the unexpected birth of a baby in a world where humanity has lost the ability to reproduce. However, the film’s rich world-building adds significant depth to the story. Created after the events of 9/11 and the start of America’s Operation Iraqi Freedom, the movie focuses on powerful imagery depicting militarized police states, large-scale immigration, detention camps, internal terrorism, and the looming threat of civil war.
Even though Children of Men is now almost 20 years old, its broad portrayal of a world nearing total collapse is still relevant today, and may even be unsettling for some. What’s potentially even more disheartening is that the global political situation hasn’t improved in the two decades since the film’s release – it may have even gotten worse, making the movie feel even more bleak.
Children of Men’s Action Is a Masterclass
A key feature of Children of Men is a technique director Cuarón often uses: long, unbroken shots that look like they’re filmed in a single take. We see this in other films like Gravity and Roma, and even Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. However, Children of Men arguably showcases this technique more effectively than any of his other movies.
The film Children of Men features two important scenes that utilize this approach. The first happens when Theo and his companions are driving and are unexpectedly attacked by a group in a remote location. Not only does a burning car obstruct their way, forcing them to back up, but they are also chased on foot and by motorcycle as they attempt to escape. The scene doesn’t conclude even at its most intense moment-with a character being shot-as police then join the chase in the final moments.
Ultimately, this scene highlights not only Theo’s ability to adapt and respond to his surroundings, but also his rapid dedication to the situation he finds himself in. What truly stands out, however, is how Cuarón and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki skillfully maneuver the camera inside the car, all while keeping the visuals smooth and connected throughout the entire sequence.
The second notable sequence lasts a little over six minutes and is filmed in a single, uninterrupted shot. The scene shows Theo running through the ruins of a city-formerly a detention camp, now a battleground-where soldiers on both sides are constantly shooting. What sets this sequence apart from many others is that the camera follows Theo as he navigates the environment: crossing streets, walking through buses, entering buildings, and climbing stairs. Throughout his journey, he passes mourning civilians, moving tanks, and even live animals.
This sequence demonstrates a brilliant grasp of cinematic staging and perfectly blends the movie’s overall tones into a single, powerful moment. It not only makes the life-or-death stakes incredibly clear, but also seamlessly combines intense action with deeply moving drama, all presented with a raw, realistic, and almost documentary-like portrayal of war. It’s a masterclass in filmmaking and really elevates the emotional impact of the story.
If you enjoy science fiction and want a captivating, though potentially somber, viewing experience, Children of Men is an excellent choice. It’s currently available on Prime Video, though it isn’t prominently featured.
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2025-10-01 15:42