Children Of Men Opening Scene Analysis
The opening scene to this film is really engaging and dynamic. The start of the film consists of the title shots, however in the background we hear a news report about 'the youngest person on earth' being murdered, this makes us feel as if we were there in the film listening to the news report as if it had really happened. We then cut to the first shot of the film after the sound of a news report over few black title shots - this scene is of a shop full of people watching and listening to a news report together. This tells us that this news story has caught everyone's attention and is a serious matter. Clive Owen's character comes into view from the back of the shop and he buys a coffee and seems different to the other people in shot because he doesn't seem too bothered about the situation in which everyone seems so broken about. It seems as if he knew this was coming and he was not surprised which much us wonder what is happening. By the news report saying 'The youngest person on Earth has died' this will leave the audience with some understanding of what the film will be about.
When he leaves the shop we realise the film is set in a future Britain as we see a wide long shot of a London street with futuristic adverts on the buildings - we also see that this man will be the protagonist of the film as he is being focused on throughout the opening. They have chosen to keep London buses as we know them today, along with police officers' uniforms, because this is an iconic feature of London and is recognisable to an international audience. We also see that We then see the character put alcohol in his coffee which makes us think he may be an alcoholic or he does this for another reason as he may have issues going on in his life.
As the camera drifts round to his left side, out of nowhere, we see the shop that our protagonist was just inside, explodes from the inside. Seconds before this explosion, we see what looks like a couple meeting up just next to the shop going in for a hug, this part just gives the real world simulation, as if it were real life where people go by there day to day lives and have stories behind them - the couple are thrown down by each other as the explosion happens for protection. After the explosion we here the digetic sound of people screaming and as the camera runs towards the scene of the explosion, we see a woman coming out with her own arm in her hand - however the majority of the audience will only realise this when the scene is actually over, as this part is roughly 2 seconds long. This audience will look at it wondering and only realise what that really was that the woman was carrying - but by the time the audience are able to process this, the scene will have cut to the title - "Children Of Men". This scene will leave the audience on edge and questioning the reason for this explosion, they may question whether this is an attack or not.
As the camera drifts round to his left side, out of nowhere, we see the shop that our protagonist was just inside, explodes from the inside. Seconds before this explosion, we see what looks like a couple meeting up just next to the shop going in for a hug, this part just gives the real world simulation, as if it were real life where people go by there day to day lives and have stories behind them - the couple are thrown down by each other as the explosion happens for protection. After the explosion we here the digetic sound of people screaming and as the camera runs towards the scene of the explosion, we see a woman coming out with her own arm in her hand - however the majority of the audience will only realise this when the scene is actually over, as this part is roughly 2 seconds long. This audience will look at it wondering and only realise what that really was that the woman was carrying - but by the time the audience are able to process this, the scene will have cut to the title - "Children Of Men". This scene will leave the audience on edge and questioning the reason for this explosion, they may question whether this is an attack or not.
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