The ending of Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men continues to provoke discussion decades after its release, contributing to its cult-film legacy. As a dystopian sci-fi drama, Children of Men makes use of a bleak, Orwellian aesthetic to blend philosophy and religion in its exploration of human nature. Set in a world where humanity has reached a crisis of infertility, the movie follows Theo (Clive Owen), a bureaucrat-turned-drifter who takes on the task of protecting Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), the one woman who miraculously becomes pregnant. What follows is a gripping and ultimately tragic tale of post-apocalyptic survival.

Alfonso Cuaróm's best movies are character-driven, and Children of Men focuses specifically on the fate of its two leads. However, the end of their story carries a greater meaning for the rest of humanity — a message that the screenplay manages to convey without too much exposition or genre cliches. With a healthy dose of intellectually stimulating and metaphorical allusions, Children of Men transcends the usual dystopian sci-fi tropes. Even though the movie fared poorly at the box office, its well-received ending, among other elements, has helped to cement its status as a celebrated cult favorite.

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Who Dies & Who Survives In Children Of Men?

Theo and Kee on a boat in Children of Men

Children of Men ends with a touch of tragedy and a glimmer of hope. Throughout the under-seen sci-fi masterpiece, Theo displays a great deal of personal empathy toward Kee’s struggle. Given that he lost his son, Dylan, to a flu epidemic in 2008, he knows what it feels like to lose a child. This drives him against the extremist organization The Fishes, a member of whom ends up shooting him. But with moments left to live, Theo manages to sail Kee and her eventually newborn daughter away to safety, aiming to reach a rendezvous point where they will cross paths with the Human Project Ship named Tomorrow.

Not only is Children of Men one of Clive Owen’s best movies but it also features the actor’s best character. Theo is introduced as a nihilist, but protecting Kee offers him a new purpose, even if it ultimately costs him his life. In the final scenes, a clash between the British forces and the extremists is in progress, but a dying Theo is still able to row away to safety, with the movie hinting that Kee and her daughter — aptly named Dylan after Theo’s son — will indeed reach Tomorrow. Just like the ship’s name, Children of Men offers hope for the future.

Comparisons With The Divine Comedy & The Bible

Kee on a boat in Children of Men

The book of Psalms has been referenced in modern cinema in unexpected ways. Similar to how the final Bible verse in The Power of the Dog explains that film's title and premise, P.D. James's 1992 dystopian novel The Children of Men borrows its name from a similar Psalm: "Return, ye children of men." Alfonso Cuarón’s adaptation tones down the Biblical influences, but the ending can still be deduced as a metaphor for Nativity. Dylan’s birth and the hope it offers can be compared to the Birth of Christ. Similarly, the ship Tomorrow can double as Noah’s Ark from the Old Testament.

The literary comparisons are not just limited to the scriptures, but also to classic works like Dante's Renaissance-era poem The Divine Comedy, and the Inferno part, in particular, has been used in Brawl in Cell Block 99's ending and many horror works. Children of Men sets itself apart by incorporating all of Dante's journeys from Inferno (Hell) to Purgatario (Purgatory) and finally to Paradiso (Paradise/Heaven). Theo goes through the horrors of dystopian Britain only to find a purpose in life — saving Kee's child — just like a sinner cleansing himself in Purgatory. Even though he dies, he finds hope, like Dante's protagonist in Paradise, knowing well that he has achieved his mission.

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What Do The Sanskrit Words At The End Mean?

The words Shantin Shantin Shantin on a black screen in Children of Men

In addition to its nods to Christianity, Children of Men also references aspects of Hinduism. Right before the end credits roll, the Sanskrit words "Shantih Shantih Shantih" appear on the screen. Usually, such Hindu phrases tend to be used as stereotypical depictions of Indian culture by Western media, but Alfonso Cuaron's usage here seems very relevant. The word "shantih" literally translates to "peace," and using it three times is a common way to begin and end many Hindu prayers. It only seems appropriate for an otherwise-violent and bleak film like Children of Men to end with a call for peace like this.

The usage of the phrase also serves as an interesting literary Easter egg, as T.S. Eliot’s groundbreaking modernist poem The Waste Land also ends with “Shantih Shantih Shantih." The choice of the phrase seems deliberate given that The Waste Land also explores a Britain on the brink of collapse, albeit just after World War I. Before war films like 1917 dramatized the real damage of the conflict, Eliot's poem was the prime work on post-World War I commentary on Britain. The phrase also appears earlier in Children of Men, as the words are uttered by Theo’s aging friend Jasper (Michael Caine).

How The Ending Differs From The Novel

Children of Men book cover by PD James

The ending of the book The Children of Men is vastly different from the movie, but to understand it, non-readers require some more context. In the movie, Kee replaces Julian, an anti-government dissident who is also the only fertile woman left on the planet. While the book's Theo similarly tries to ensure Julian’s safety, he must also go against his antagonistic cousin Xan. The stakes are higher as Xan is also the political leader of the UK who wishes to use Julian’s future infant for his own powerful goals. The clash turns violent with Theo shooting down his own cousin and baptizing Julian’s baby while becoming the leader himself.

Children of Men could technically be classified among movies that are vastly different from the books they're based on, though Alfonso Cuarón’s adaptation — the final draft of which he co-wrote with Timothy J. Sexton — does retain the novel’s original themes of political anarchy, human extinction, and an infertility-fueled crisis. While P.D. James’s version of the story might not kill off Theo, that doesn’t mean that it's without its own introspective and philosophical moments. Despite all the significant changes, James was actually appreciative of Cuarón’s efforts. James even wrote a letter to Universal stating that she was proud to be associated with Children of Men (via Sci Fi Weekly).

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The Real Meaning Of Children Of Men’s Ending

Children of Men ending scene

Children of Men was shot by Emmanuel Lubezki, one of the cinematographers that most movie nerds know of, and his work was heavily praised for his intense single-take sequences. Similarly, the production design trio of Jim Clay, Geoffrey Kirkland, and Jennifer Williams succeeded at building a grim and realistic picture of dystopian London. Despite its technically brilliant bleakness, though, the ending of Children of Men ultimately turns it into a tale of hope. The visually misty closing frame still has rays of early dawn in it, implying light shining out of the darkness. And with its spiritual themes and the Sanskrit verse, this hope is only exemplified further.

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