Charlie Hunnamhas certainly had an interesting route to stardom; although he would become widely recognized when he took on the role of Jax Teller in the critically acclaimed drama seriesSons of Anarchy, Hunnam had been met with some disappointments early on in his career, despite his praised work in theCharles DickensadaptationNicholas Nicklebyand his supporting role in the Civil War epicCold Mountain.Hunnam had expressed a desire to work with filmmakers he respectedand was very savvy in choosing roles that aligned with his career goals. Despite having a conversation withZack Snyderthat went “scene-by-scene, shot-by-shot, what300was going to be,”Hunnam chose to take on a supporting role inAlfonso Cuarón’s science fiction thrillerChildren of Men.
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Children of Menisset within the dystopian future of 2027, where nearly two decades of human infertility have led to a social and infrastructural breakdown. Although he has now chosen to become a bureaucrat, the former activist Theo (Clive Owen) is contacted by his estranged wife Julian (Julianne Moore), who claims that she needs his help in transporting the young refugee Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey). After it becomes clear that Kee is actually pregnant and expecting a child, Theo finds himself tasked with bringing her to safety.Hunnam co-stars as Patric, a member of the “Fishes” militia group that Julian had once been involved with. Although the Fishes had initially been trying to assist Theo and Julian, their new leader, Luke (Chiwetel Ejiofor), is determined to kill Theo so that Kee’s child can be used as a political tool.
Despite the brevity of his role,Hunnam gives a very memorable performance inChildren of Menthat exemplified his physicality, a strength of his that would certainly come into play when he went on to star inSons of Anarchy. Although Patric is technically one of the villains inChildren of Men, his perspective is understandable given the extreme circumstances of the film. It’s genuinely believed that Kee holds the future of humanity, and the members of the Fishes want to ensure that they have a role in shapingwhat the next stage of global development looks like.Hunnam had stated that he appeared in the film out of reverence for Cuarón, who had impressed him with his coming-of-age dramaY tu mamá también. Cuarón once again proved himself to be a very imaginative filmmaker withChildren of Men,as the infamous “one shot” car chase sequenceis often ranked asone of the best action scenes of the 21st century.
Hunnam Was Right To Choose ‘Children of Men’
While it ended up slightly underperforming at the box office,Children of Menwas the right film for Hunnam to choose, as it has since been heralded as a modern classic, and as one of thegreatest science fiction films of all time.Despite the downbeat nature of the story,Children of Mendoes end up having an optimistic message that continues to resonate with viewers,particularly given the actual world events that have transpired since the film was releasedin 2006. It would have been very easy for Hunnam to be typecast as a generic leading man, butChildren of Menindicated he was interested in choosing ambitious projects from prestigious filmmakers. He would go on to work with many other great directors, includingJames Grayon the historical adventure epicThe Lost City of Z, andGuillermo del Toroon the gothic romanceCrimson Peak.
300would not have necessarily benefited Hunnam in the long run. Although300’s use of slow motion and graphic violence certainly inspired many copycat films in the years that followed,it has since been criticizedfor its xenophobic stereotypes, fascist themes, and perpetration of toxic masculinity. That being said, choosing to decline the300role did not mean that Hunnam would never have the opportunity to work with Snyder again, as he would go on to co-star as Kai in both chapters of the NetflixRebel Moonfilm franchise.
‘Children of Men’ Is a Modern Classic
The 21st century has been surprisingly excellent for the science fiction genre, as it has seen great films emerge from many different perspectives; while there have been grandiose space operas likeInterstellarandAd Astra, there have also been smaller, more personal dramas likeA.I. Artificial IntelligenceandEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.However,Children of Menhas solidified itself as a film that will be remembered in years to comebecause of its foresight on the human condition. The depiction of the world that Cuaron imagined is certainly a bleak one, but it also does put some faith on the conceptthat heroes may emerge in desperate situations.Cuaron has made it clear that he is a fan of the work ofCharles Dickens, as evidenced by his adaptation ofGreat Expectations; in many ways, the manner in which Theo sacrifices himself for the betterment of humanity is an allusion to a similar moment during the final chapter ofA Tale of Two Cities.
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Children of Menholds a particular weight due to the comparisons that could be drawn with the COVID-19 pandemic, as the film centers on humanity being torn apart by a virus that seemingly defies scientific explanation. WhileChildren of Menis not as overtly predictive of the events of 2020 in the same way thatSteven Soderberghwas with his 2011 thrillerContagion, it is nonetheless a bit spooky to see how accurately Cuaron depicted the chaos and paranoia of such a stressful situation.There are many religious allusions that can be drawn fromChildren of Men,both in the centering of a virgin mother and the role of Theo (a name derived from the root word for “God”). However,Children of Menis also a very politically relevant film, as it examines the deeply damaging impact of xenophobia and hatred. Some of the rhetoric that the film explores bears a striking resemblance to some of the extremist politicians of today.
Although it was widely acclaimed for its brilliant writing and beautiful cinematography,Children of Menbecame a bit of a cult classicbecause of its financial underperformance. The fact that the film was a flop is not entirely surprising, as many masterful sci-fi films that are ahead of their time were initially disappointing;Blade RunnerandThe Thingactually debuted and underperformed the same weekend in the summer of 1982, as they were both faced with the overwhelming box office smash hit that wasE.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Nonetheless,Children of Menis now remembered as one of Cuarón’s best films, which is certainly no small statement considering the many masterpieces he has made thus far in his career. While Cuaron may have ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Director for bothGravityandRoma,Children of Menis his most nuanced and possibly most ambitious endeavor yet. If there’s ever any argument as to why sci-fi is the most compassionate genre,Children of Menis among the best pieces of evidence.
Children of Menis streaming on Prime Video in the United States.
