20 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Children Of Men
3. The Movie Magic Behind The Film's Epic Shots
As mentioned before, some of the most memorable shots in Children of Men were either improvised or featured a slight flaw. Despite this, their final presentations were near-perfect and played a crucial role in giving the film its immersive and intense nature.
For starters, the first single take shot in the film (the nail-biting chase sequence) was envisioned as being this brutal, almost matter-of-fact event rather than the stylized and spectacle-driven fare seen in most action films.
Similarly, the oner near the film’s end is not driven by massive action beats but rather desperation, and this is reflected in its desolate setting. The decision by Cuaron and Lubezki to avoid using green-screen and other superfluous digital effects helped give the film’s set pieces their visceral feeling while still feeling technically accomplished and terrifying to watch.