In a storied career that lasted for over 70 years and brought in two Academy Awards, Michael Caine has plenty of great works in his filmography. One of his most lauded works is Children of Men, a dystopian action-thriller from 2006.
It is directed and co-written by acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, with the British film being based on PD James's 1992 novel. The action is set in the UK in 2027, with two decades of infertility having left human civilisation on the brink of collapse.
At the centre of the story is Theo Faron, a civil servant and former activist who is grieving following the death of his son. He comes across Kee, a refugee who is the world's first pregnant woman in 18 years, and the pair embark on a perilous journey to save humanity.
Boasting a stacked cast of international talent, the dystopian action-thriller is considered one of the finest works of the 2000s. And in even better news, it's now streaming in the UK, so read on to find out more!
Who's in Children of Men?
• Clive Owen as Theo Faron
• Clare-Hope Ashitey as Kee
• Julianne Moore as Julian
• Michael Caine as Jasper
• Chiwetel Ejiofor as Luke
• Charlie Hunnam as Patric
• Pam Ferris as Miriam
• Peter Mullan as Syd
• Danny Huston as Nigel
What did critics say about Children of Men?
The film was lauded upon its release, winning BAFTA Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Production Design. On Rotten Tomatoes, the British thriller has an impressive approval rating of 92% from 254 reviews.
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"Cuarón stages some terrific set-pieces, and the production designers deserve credit for making London in 2027 look like the grunge capital of the world," noted The Independent, while Seattle Times (via Rotten Tomatoes) dubbed it a "dystopian masterpiece of misery".
The Globe and Mail was also full of praise in a maximum-star review, writing: "Instantly up to speed and powered by that rarest of cinematic fuels - intelligent action - Children of Men is a nativity story for the ages, this or any other."
"Made with palpable energy, intensity and excitement, it compellingly creates a world gone mad," said Los Angeles Times, while Slate dubbed it the "movie of the millennium" as they called it "dense, dark and layered".
Where can I watch Children of Men?
Children of Men is currently available to stream in the UK on BBC iPlayer, having been added to the service after airing on BBC Two on Sunday (14 June). You'll have to hurry, however, as the listing is due to expire on 14 July.
Other Michael Caine movies you can stream now
Elsewhere on BBC iPlayer, you can watch violent vigilante tale Harry Brown or British drama The Great Escaper, the latter of which was Caine's final role before his retirement from acting in 2023.
If you have Sky Cinema, then you can view classic caper The Italian Job as well as Inception and Interstellar, both of which were directed by Christopher Nolan. Other collaborations with the filmmaker, including The Prestige and The Dark Knight, are on Netflix.
Children of Men is streaming now on BBC iPlayer.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
