His charge is the first pregnant woman in 19 years, and needs out of dangerous British borders. Her expected child, to say the least, represents humanity's last hope — a miracle birth. At this point, Children of Men turns into a chase film, as Theo tries to protect Kee and safely move her through an internment camp, where he's supposed to link up with members of the legendary Human Project, but as these things go, the way is paved with danger and friends turn out to be enemies and, well, vice-versa.

It's a solid action movie, shot like a gritty combat documentary in locations of urban decay, with many unexpected plot twists. The film holds Owen's most believable performance to date and a scene-stealing cameo from Michael Caine as his aged hippie friend.

Cuarón (who revitalized the Harry Potter franchise with The Prisoner of Azkaban) expertly draws upon our dissolution fears. He covers entire scenes in single minutes-long takes via Emmanuel Lubezki's jaw-dropping handheld camera style and with only a light touch of special effects keeps the chase involving.