Civil War is an extremely dynamic movie. It depicts a scenario terrifying for any American that involves the country being torn apart by a second Civil War. Alex Garland’s near-future dystopian collapse of democratic values turns neighbors into vicious and brutal enemies with a realism that is quite scary. Unfortunately, given the status of current affairs it is all too believable that an authoritarian president might refuse to leave office and let power pass peacefully to someone else; this is what happens in his film. The following social order breakdown is like getting hit in the gut while watching a movie.
Riots have erupted all throughout New York City as renowned war photographer Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and her Reuters news partner Joel (Wagner Moura) arrive on scene. They’ve traveled across America documenting uprisings against President (Nick Offerman) who has just begun his third term. Soldiers from the Western Front march towards Washington D.C., appearing to turn tide in battle.
Lee, still dressed tough from years spent fighting wars herself, grabs young photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) who’s gotten too close; she doesn’t seem scared so much as starstruck standing next such journalistic legend but that changes when they’re both forced behind cover – furious now at how careless this girl could be without armor or press badge vest on – good as dead with attitude like hers.
Weary after climbing 12 flights because elevator would surely get stuck again due intermittent power supply making dangerous gamble each time anyone tries running it anyway around these parts even if knows how fix thing using coat hanger wrapped around handlebar which seems work half decently until something breaks loose inside causing whole contraption stop dead midway between floors leaving trapped hundreds feet off ground where only hope help arrives before dehydration sets causes brain shut down functions altogether best case scenario while worst probably be cannibalism few days hence nobody wants think about too hard or long least all among us other than those already past point caring what happens next come morning light when people start waking up again with hunger pangs gnawing away inside bellies like rats chewing through electrical wires trying find way out into open air where can breathe freely once more instead being stuck cramped quarters filled stench sweat fear desperation failure just another day paradise.
Thankfully, Wi-Fi works in Lee’s hotel room — though she has to take stairs because elevator is a deathtrap (intermittent power supply) — so she joins hard-drinking Joel at table with their colleagues including revered Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who wonders aloud what pair really up to; it’s surprising for her see Jessie sitting there and even more so when they’re both outside waiting in SUV next morning because Joel spilled beans about secret mission while drunk night before. This journalistic approach fills Civil War from within but also imbues various journalists’ perspectives throughout much of its runtime.
With journalist footage intercutting throughout, Lee and company go on harrowing journey marked by violence that would be protected under international law if not for one small problem: these rules don’t exist anymore. They’re supposed to observe without becoming targets themselves, but some combatants choose respect freedom press while others mark them as targets; they must navigate circuitous route where those meaning harm aren’t easily discernible – first alarming tenet film offers: how do you know friend from foe during firefight?
Civil War operates two points-of-view primarily: Lee angry at Joel for letting Jessie and Sammy tag along knowing full well he shouldn’t have brought them; Sammy doesn’t mean much here on front lines besides added weight — too old/frail run — and Jessie doesn’t understand war because her ambitions put everyone else into danger whom she claims wants learn from best like this moment will teach anyone anything about life or death other than how quick we are forgotten after dying alone somewhere strange surrounded strangers who never cared whether lived/died until now but even then only care briefly because it’s convenient for them so.
The country’s collapse into chaos is offset by the camaraderie of the characters, who form a makeshift family as they search for a purpose greater than themselves. Seeing herself in Jessie, Lee makes the photographers mirror each other’s past and future, where innocence must be lost when thrown into the fire together.Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) cracks your heart open before taking a sledgehammer to it.
The action in Civil War is real to the point of being unnerving — imagine if everything that happened in Gaza or Ukraine was happening right outside your door. Bullets tear through suburbia thanks to big-budget production values while helicopters hover above, filling the night with tracers as they drop missiles. And then murder becomes a sport.He shows unrestricted killers running amok. There are no safeguards against people who no longer value human life.Shocking would be an understatement.
But Garland never gets granular with his exposition. A president becoming a dictator is plausible given recent history (see: January 6th insurrection). But a union between California and Texas only makes sense because he needs an opponent strong enough to fight against itself within an entrenched federal government.The details don’t matter for Garland’s purposes. What’s more unsettling are others’ reactions to the war from around the country.Ignorance is bliss becomes Ignorance is bliss becomes Ignorance is bliss becomes tune out the violence and pretend it’s not happening.
Unfortunately, there are some major logistical problems with this film. The journalists arrive at every scene with ease.And their safety measures aren’t consistent.In Act One, Lee scolds Jessie for not wearing her helmet — but as things get hairier later on, they don’t follow that rule.The reason is clear. Garland wants us to see his characters’ faces clearly during one intense climax.You will never see Richard Engel without full body armor under combat duress.There’s also a pretty glaring “magical negro” component to Sammy’s role in this story that you can see coming from a mile away.
Civil War deserves praise for being unflinching and timely.Red versus blue has become a dangerous line.Militant secessionists are pushing buttons during an election year when the whole thing could explode.American democracy is seriously stressed.Civil War is required viewing in IMAX, but it should never be allowed to become prophetic. The message is clear. And scary.
