Alfonso Cuarón loves working with sci-fi, but while Children of Men focuses on a dystopian future, Gravity is set in space. Both movies have now become modern classics and are considered some of the greatest feature films of the 21st century.
But because of such iconic status, the two often get compared by fans who want to decide which of the two is superior and can be named Cuarón's best work. To do this, it's worth looking at the two movies and comparing their different aspects to see what works and what doesn't.
Children Of Men: The Costume And Set Design Is More Detailed
The costume and set design in Children of Men is the kind that makes the story even more believable even though it is set in a possible future rather than the past that has already happened.
All the costumes look like they had a lot of thought put into them with the smallest details making them look as real as they should. Moreover, the sets are just as detailed helping the worldbuilding of the movie.
Gravity: The CGI Looks Very Real
On the other hand, the CGI looks very real in Gravity. In fact, it is probably one of the most realistic-looking movies of the recent years set in space though the filmmakers did use some artistic license here and there.
All the details of the spacecrafts were carefully created by CGI artists as were most of the set pieces. It's truly incredible how much work was put into the movie in this respect.
Children Of Men: The Concept Is More Unique
Though Gravity is an original screenplay written by Alfonso Cuarón and his son Jonas Cuarón while Children of Men is based on P.D. James' book of the same name, the concept of the latter is more unique.
Imagining a dystopian future like that is a tough task when trying to do it in a realistic way. And besides, the premise of Children of Men does sound more unique the first time anyone hears it.
Gravity: The Plot Keeps Viewers On The Edges Of Their Seats
Both Gravity and Children of Men are quite intense movies with a lot going on and the characters constantly having to find solutions in difficult situations.
And yet, Gravity does a much better job with its tension. The movie's plot keeps viewers on the edges of their seats all the time and never lets them have a break until the main heroine gets herself to safety.
Children Of Men: The Ensemble Cast Elevates The Story
One of the biggest strengths of Gravity is that it lets its small selection of actors shine - and particularly, it lets Sandra Bullock deliver one of the best performances in her career.
But the strength of Children of Men lies in something different. Namely, in its cast. The ensemble cast of the movie elevates the story to a new level showing a more complete picture of the world these characters live in.
Gravity: The Lead Actress Did An Amazing Job
That being said, it's impossible to ignore just how great of a job Sandra Bullock did when playing the lead character Dr. Ryan Stone in Gravity.
It's no wonder that Bullock was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as well as getting nominations at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs.
Children Of Men: The Cinematography Is Groundbreaking
Both movies had one of the greatest cinematographers of the 21st century working on their "look" - none other than Emmanuel Lubezki himself. And while Lubezki won an Academy Award for his work on Gravity while only get a nomination for Children of Men, it seems that the latter movie has more groundbreaking cinematography.
There are multiple single-shot sequences in Children of Men with very complex actions taking place during them which was obviously very difficult to film.
Gravity: The Action Is Very Dynamic
Speaking of action, both movies have plenty of it but not to the point that it takes up the majority of the runtime. And even though the action in Children of Men is impressive, Gravity's action sequences are very dynamic.
What's peculiar is that the trailers showed explosions in space with added sound while the movie doesn't have these sounds. The filmmakers wanted to stay true to reality - and in reality, explosions can't be heard in space.
Children Of Men: The Symbolism Adds Layers To The Story
Children of Men is notorious for having symbolism sprinkled all about here and there. In fact, the movie is full of symbolism that was purposefully placed there by Alfonso Cuarón.
But these images don't prevent the story from shining - in fact, the symbolism adds layers to the story bringing its themes of religion and faith to the forefront.
Gravity: The Themes Make Audiences Think
And yet, when it comes to themes specifically, Gravity handles the matter in a more delicate manner making audiences think to figure out what was meant by certain themes in the movie.
For instance, the movie itself is very similar to those in the survival genre because Bullock's character finds herself in a very similar situation. Thus, such themes as resilience, transformation, persistence, and even human evolution are brought up.