IQ tests show six fatherless children, all the same age but of different races and countries, have intellects far greater than other humans. The interest of two scientists, a psychologist (Ian Hendry) and a geneticist (Alan Badel), makes the various governments aware of their super-children. Before each country can use its child to gain an advantage in world politics, the children use mind control powers to escape and fortify themselves in a church.
While billed as a sequel to Village of the Damned, Children of the Damned has no connection except that both have children who can control minds and were born without fathers. These new children lack the blonde hair, and bad hair style, famous from the first film. It’s even more questionable if this is an alien film at all (these children might be mutations, though like the first, nothing is explained about their origins). If you view this film as a separate entity, apart from Village, it’s not bad. However, it is very, very depressing.
Far from being damned, these multi-racial children are sympathetic. Yes, they kill, but only when forced to. They might be the saviors of humanity, or just a group that wants to be left alone, though no one will ever give them the chance to do either.
This is a semi-cold war parable. “Semi” because it doesn’t focus on the 1950s-1960s era problems of East vs. West. All countries are presented as fearful of every other country. Trusting no one, and not liking them either, each nation cares only to gain power, or make sure that no one else can. The thing that brings them together is the fear of a new power, the children. With this framework, the politics are as relevant now as they were forty years ago.
The question Children of the Damned asks is, can we rise above our distrust and hatred to make a unified and peaceful world? And it answers: No. We have set up our societies such that conflict is inevitable. Even if we decide we want an equitable peace, it is out of reach. The world is on a razor’s edge, and anything, even an accident, even a falling screwdriver, can destroy us. (That screwdriver line will make more sense once you’ve watched the film.) Well, maybe things have changed a little over the years. With a nuclear holocaust looking unlikely anytime soon, the metaphorical devastation in Children of the Damned would take a few extra mistakes and accidents: two or three falling screwdrivers. (Really, if you see the film, all those screwdriver statements will mean something.)
The film cares more about its metaphors than its characters. Everyone’s actions, child and adult, depend less on their personalities and more on the requirements of the plot. Why are all the super-children brought to London? Why is every country using the same IQ test and then giving the results to the English? Why do the children reveal themselves when taking the tests? Why do they move into an abandoned church and bring along the one cute girl in the film as their unneeded negotiator? Why does a government try a pathetic assassination plan (when it would be simple to come up with ten or twelve that would actually work)? In all cases, the answer is to move along the plot, which in turn makes a political statement.
The two scientists are almost a comedy team for the first half of the film, which brings some needed lightness to the story. After that, watching the film becomes frustrating as poor decisions are made and even the single person who is on the children’s side makes suggestions that could only lead to tragedy. I wanted the kids to kill some people and escape into the night, something they should have done at the halfway mark. But this is a film about man’s foolishness. There’s no escaping.
In the opening minutes, when it looks like this might be a horror film, we meet the mother of one of the boys, who is bitter, tortured, and a bit sleazy. Later we learn another mother has become an unstable streetwalker. A whole film could have been made from just those elements. Even though these children are good, they are still children. What would it be like caring for a massively intelligent toddler who can control your mind? One tantrum and mom is in deep trouble. It’s no wonder their minds are shattered. I’m not sure what the filmmakers were trying to say with regard to the mothers’ sexual appetites but I see a bit of Oedipus at work.
If you don’t mind your political messages poured on thick, Children of the Damned is an interesting experience. I like watching it, but not too often.