I was very impressed with this movie, once it got moving. Some absolutely incredible cinematography throughout, with a gritty cinema verite feel that gives it a sense of immediacy, even though it is set 20 years in the future. I like a science fiction film like this, that drops you into a world with very little preamble, and instead of handing all the changes to you on a plate, the changes are doled out in small quantities along the way, as if you are physically dropped into this futuristic world and it is up to you to figure out what is different and what is the same simply by observing your surroundings. Unfortunately, that same attribute got in the way of lending power to what was supposed to be a major plot turning point early in the film. I don't think nearly enough time was spent explaining what the impact of a world without children would be like prior to the scene where the young girl presents herself to the hero as being pregnant, which deflated the power that scene could have had.
Some interesting extrapolations on how a world of rampant terrorism and oppressive 'homeland security' can lead to a world where (as the old adage goes) "you wouldn't want to bring children into". Also interesting were the depictions of the 'radicals/terrorists/freedom fighters/resistance' group and the 'establishment/police/oppressors', neither portrayed as wholly evil or good, but rather using the cloak of 'high ideals' to mask and rationalize their own personal misguided goals, revenge, bloodlust, or thirst for power.
My favorite scene happens near the end where the newly born baby is paraded down the stairs of the under-siege apartment building, and the fiercely raged battle comes to an abrupt stop while everyone marvels at the miracle of the child, past the armed rebels, past the heavily armored militia, and just when you're thinking that the 'miracle baby' will cause all strife to end, BOOM a missile is fired, and everyone abruptly goes back to business as usual. Depressingly cynical, but pretty true when you take into account that millions of these miracles occur every day, and the slaughter continues unabated.
Nice adaptation of the PD James novel, although I miss the part in the book where there is a fad where old ladies carry little dolls around with them, and fuss over them, wheeling them around in carriages, but I suppose visually, that might confuse things in a film.