I have recently seen two movies that portray the future of mankind as bleak, Children of Men and Idiocracy. The first is the film adaptation of PD James's novel, and the latter is from the mind of Mike Judge who brought us Beavis and Butthead and Office Space. Their tones are so much different the one a high-falutin' angsty expression the other downright absurd comedy, but they point to the fact that mankind's future is not so bright. I liked the comdey, but the drama in Children of Men held some problems.
Several minutes into Children of Men, you are left to ponder how, scientifically, the world's human females could not produce children. In science fiction, usually that question doesn't have to be answered. You should let the story unfold. You should settle in and feel what the movie should be telling you.
Except with this movie you get doubts. Why? How does the world devolve into a state of chaos after the realization that the human race cannot reproduce? Wouldn't it be that human life has become more valuable?
It is missing the backstory. Not that every distopian future needs a backstory, but it needs to be believable that this could happen. I needed an explanation for why it was the female humans could not have babies. So that the lady with the baby becomes even more fantastic. A miracle of sorts. Without the scientific explanation, I couldn't buy into the story.
Several minutes into Idiocracy, you feel that this is the future if we don't wise up. The people are stupid because only the stupid are making babies. It points out that our worship of stupid will get us into some trouble in the future. It's stupid and funny, but downright scary and sad. "So basically it says here you're fucked up, you sound like a fag, and your shit's all retarded."
3 of 5 stars. Children of Men
4 of 5 stars. Idiocracy
Several minutes into Children of Men, you are left to ponder how, scientifically, the world's human females could not produce children. In science fiction, usually that question doesn't have to be answered. You should let the story unfold. You should settle in and feel what the movie should be telling you.
Except with this movie you get doubts. Why? How does the world devolve into a state of chaos after the realization that the human race cannot reproduce? Wouldn't it be that human life has become more valuable?
It is missing the backstory. Not that every distopian future needs a backstory, but it needs to be believable that this could happen. I needed an explanation for why it was the female humans could not have babies. So that the lady with the baby becomes even more fantastic. A miracle of sorts. Without the scientific explanation, I couldn't buy into the story.
Several minutes into Idiocracy, you feel that this is the future if we don't wise up. The people are stupid because only the stupid are making babies. It points out that our worship of stupid will get us into some trouble in the future. It's stupid and funny, but downright scary and sad. "So basically it says here you're fucked up, you sound like a fag, and your shit's all retarded."
3 of 5 stars. Children of Men
4 of 5 stars. Idiocracy
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