Terrible failure at the box office upon its release, “The Sons of Man” by Alfonso Cuarón was nevertheless hailed as one of the greatest science fiction films of recent years. A serious re-evaluation or discovery is required. Watch on Netflix.
In a futuristic society where human beings are no longer able to reproduce, the announcement of the death of the youngest person, aged 18, sets the population in turmoil. At the same time, a woman becomes pregnant – something that has not happened for twenty years – and at the same time becomes the most envied and sought-after person on Earth. A man is responsible for its protection…
In 2013, Alfonso Cuaron propelled amazed spectators into orbit with his great tour de force that was Gravity. Crowned with seven Oscars including that of best director, the film collected more than $723 million at the worldwide box office.
Enough to erase the painful memory of the big failure of his previous film, The Sons of Man. Unanimously hailed as one of the greatest science fiction films of recent years, carried at arm’s length by a sensational casting including Clive Owen in the main role, the film nevertheless crashed on the doors of the American market in picking up only $35 million, out of the $76 million budget. Same thing internationally.
“This film is a mirror that reflects back to the viewer their own vision”
Adaptation of the homonymous novel by PD James published in 1993, The Sons of Man takes place in 2027. A future that is no longer so distant and terribly anxiety-provoking. After surveying those around them about their vision of the future, Alfonso Cuarón and his writing partner, Timothy J. Sexton, decided to focus on two key issues: the development of vast migratory movements on a planetary scale and the “boomerang” effect of these three centuries of colonization.
“We developed a personal timeline that could lead to this vision of London in 2027, and we realized that certain events described in our scenario had already begun“, confided the filmmaker.
Adding: “I am not, however, trying to provide the viewer with ready-made answers. I rather invite them to question themselves. They will then discover that this film is a mirror which reflects back to them their own vision, more or less optimistic, of the future”.
Powerfully staged, tense to the point, sublimated by the sumptuous photography of Emmanuel Lubezki who will be triple Oscar-winning from 2014 to 2016 (for GravityBirdman and The Revenant) and boasting some of cinema’s most memorable sequence shots, The Sons of Man is a breathtaking work.
To watch or rewatch on Netflix.