Children of Men

Children of Men is currently streaming in Australia on Paramount Plus, and in the UK on BBC iPlayer, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Clive Owen's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Available now on Paramount Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Children of Men is worth clearing space for. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Children of Men through its more ambitious moments. In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind. Clive Owen and Clare-Hope Ashitey lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. Children of Men came out in 2006. The world-building is meticulous enough to sustain multiple rewatches, with details early on that only make sense later. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Children of Men is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Clive Owen anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.