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...