Movie Fans Are Encouraging Everyone To Watch Dystopian Thriller That Feels 'More Relevant Every Year'

Movie lovers are once again recommending a dystopian thriller that, despite being nearly two decades old, still feels incredibly relevant today—maybe even more than ever before.

The film was recently highlighted in an X thread that listed movies which bombed at the box office but turned out to be underrated gems.

It first hit theaters in 2006 and was labeled a box office disappointment. With a budget of $76 million (£56 million), it ended up making just about $70 million (£52 million) worldwide, falling short of expectations.

Even though the film didn’t have strong marketing and failed to make a splash in theaters, it’s become a fan favorite over the years.

It now holds an impressive 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an 85% audience score on the Popcornmeter, and has earned several awards.

At this point, many fans likely already know the film being discussed. It’s none other than Children of Men.

Directed and co-written by Alfonso Cuarón, the movie is based on the 1992 novel of the same name. And it’s only grown in popularity since its release.

What’s especially striking is how timely the movie feels, as viewers have pointed out. The story is set in the year 2027, which, surprisingly, isn’t all that far away anymore.

The cast is stacked with well-known names like Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Pam Ferris, and Charlie Hunnam—all delivering powerful performances.

The plot unfolds in a world where humans can no longer reproduce. Owen’s character, Theo Faron, is a government worker who becomes entangled in a mission to protect Kee (played by Clare-Hope Ashitey), a refugee who is miraculously pregnant.

The world is on the brink of extinction, and Theo becomes an unlikely hero in a race to save what may be humanity’s last hope. "He must face down his own demons and protect the planet's last remaining hope from danger." the official synopsis says.

In the movie, Britain is portrayed as the last functioning society on Earth. Against this grim backdrop, Theo works to get Kee to a safe location across the sea, hoping she’ll find refuge and safety.

It's widely regarded as a masterpiece. Universal Pictures

Both fans and critics continue to praise the film. Rotten Tomatoes captures the sentiment perfectly in its critics’ consensus: "Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live."

Over on X, one user chimed in with their thoughts: "Children of Men (2006) may have flopped at the box office, but time has revealed it as a sci-fi masterpiece. Haunting, urgent, and more relevant with every passing year."

And another review left on Rotten Tomatoes said: "Under the stunning direction of Alfonso Cuaron, Children of Men is a beautifully shot (fantastic one-take action sequences), incredibly acted and layered thriller that is packed with emotional depth and continuous suspense. There were a couple of elements that could have been handled with a little bit more flair, but all in all this was a brilliant and hugely compelling film."

The film was released back in 2006. Universal Pictures

Someone else added to the praise with: "Alfonso Cuaron's dystopian vision of a world where women have stopped getting pregnant, and society is falling into despair in the absence of hope for the future, has lost none of its power from its original release - and is perhaps rightly now regarded as one of the best films of its era."

If you’re curious to check it out or revisit it—Children of Men is currently available to stream on NOW and can be rented through platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.