20 Years Later, Julianne Moore's 92% RT Sci-Fi Thriller Still Has the Greatest Ending

Published Sep 24, 2026, 7:04 AM EDT Rotten Tomatoes | Letterboxd | Metacritic Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King. Oscar winner Julianne Moore has more than earned her accolades, but one of her best roles was in the pinnacle of science fiction. 20 years after its debut, Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men is more topical than ever. Set in a world where infertility has halted reproduction for 18 years, the world's morale is at an all-time low. England, one of the last bastions of society, is rife with prejudice against refugees. Set in the far-off future of 2027, Children of Men is almost depressingly more topical than ever. Moore’s character is only in the first act, but the movie is nothing without her. Julian (Moore) is the leader of the Fishes, an extremist group fighting for the rights of refugees. While her screen time is short, Moore is phenomenal in the role of a grieving mother who uses extremism to cope. One of the most powerful scenes of Children of Men is the ambush on her caravan and the horrifying events that follow. The film simply does not stop for its hour and 49-minute runtime, with its ending putting a satisfying cap on one of the best hard sci-fi movies of all time. ‘Children of Men’ Concludes With a Powerful Message of Hope The bleakness of Children of Men is unavoidable, just like the future it seemed to uncannily predict. Clive Owen portrays Theo, a man who has lost all hope, seemingly at the end of the world. When he meets the first woman to be pregnant in almost two decades, his priorities shift. There is literally nothing more important than preserving this optimism for the future that was once thought to be lost. Children of Men weaves a tale about the power of hope, even when it seems that there is no way forward. The young woman’s name is Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), and she is one of the refugees maligned by the English government. Refugees are scapegoated for the ills of the world, but Kee will be the person to bring it back together. Though Theo is a brooding alcoholic, raw from the pain of grief, he finds purpose in protecting Kee from those who would wish to use her for their own purposes. Children of Men ends powerfully when, on the way to find refuge with the Human Project, Kee gives birth. They had been hiding her condition to protect her, but when she is discovered, it is not a stretch to say that the whole world stops. The Fishes battle it out with the military, but all watch in awe as Kee carries the first baby in a generation. Many break down weeping while others holster their weapons entirely. This form of hope may seem impossible in an increasingly divisive time, but Alfonso Cuarón made a masterpiece when he filmed this powerful ending. His powerful filming style guides Theo and Kee through war-torn streets until they can finally make it to the boat to the Human Project. Even though there is loss and a hard-won battle, the ending still encourages hope. Theo risked everything so that his life would mean something again. Julian's death destroyed him because he too grieved the premature loss of their child. Theo lives his life as though nothing matters, but in the final sequence of Children of Men, he can finally make a choice that matters. His sacrifice allows the human race to continue again, ensuring that Kee can raise her child just the way she wants. The world may seem bleak now, but Children of Men is the type of movie that encourages viewers to carry on under the most dire of circumstances. Release Date January 5, 2007 Runtime 109 minutes Director Alfonso Cuarón Writers Alfonso Cuarón, David Arata, Timothy J. Sexton, Hawk Ostby, Mark Fergus, P. D. James Producers Eric Newman, Hilary Shor, Iain Smith, Marc Abraham, Tony Smith