Although technically exceptional and effectively portraying the devastation and horrors of a twenty-first-century civil war, Alex Garland’s dystopian film lacks bold storytelling and suffers from thin characterization, leaving viewers dissatisfied and yearning for more.
The film takes place in a near-dystopian future where a nationwide civil war has broken out in the United States of America under the rule of a fascist president (Nick Offerman) seeking a third term in office; he has also abolished the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and treats members of the media as his enemies. As a result of the civil war, the country has split into various regional factions. Veteran war photographer Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) and his reporter colleague Joel (Wagner Maura) are covering a fight between the Rebels and the authorities in Brooklyn when Smith rescues an aspiring photojournalist, Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), from a suicide bombing. Later that night, Lee and Joel meet with Lee’s mentor, Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), and notify him that they are on their way to Washington, D.C., to interview the President before the rebels attack the White House and the city falls. Sammy asks to accompany them as far as Charlottesville, and against Lee’s wishes, Jessie joins them too, at Joel’s insistence, as they embark on a journey throughout war-torn and hostile America, experiencing several traumatic situations and bearing witness to the devastation caused by the conflict.
One of the film’s redeeming characteristics is its meticulous construction of a war-ravaged nation, which, combined with the fact that the film’s setting looks to be not too far from the present, produces a sense of discomfort and dread. By treating this like a road film, Alex Garland effectively paints a terrifying picture of what a country looks like during a civil war, complete with the devastation it can wreak on its citizens and the country as a whole. Gunfights and shootouts are prevalent; individuals who aren’t part of any group or cause are also resorting to violence just to stay alive. Some have even embraced the philosophy of “Ignorance is Bliss,” choosing to ignore the chaos around them and act as if nothing is wrong. He also illustrates how the war has turned humans into savages and psychopaths who take pleasure in brutally killing and torturing others. In one of the best scenes in the film, Jessie and her team get captured by a group of militants. Among them is a Xenophobe, played by Jesse Plemons, and they are shown unloading a truck full of corpses and dumping them into a large grave, evoking memories of the Nazis’ mass execution of Jews inside concentration camps. Plemons plays the character as a demented, unpredictable, murderous lunatic who has lost his mind and finds pleasure in carrying out random acts of violence. After he kills a couple of Joel’s journalist pals (who they meet on the road) unexpectedly, the situation is fraught with tension about how Jessie, Lee, Joel, and Sammy would avoid being killed by this psychopath.
Alex Garland adeptly communicates that the film is a cautionary tale and that war is the worst-case scenario if the nation continues to be further fragmented and polarized and if people do not learn the ability to cooperate, communicate, and co-exist. Additionally, the film’s action choreography is top-notch, particularly in the climactic action sequence, which feels realistic and brutal. By avoiding frequent cuts and utilizing wide shots, the makers establish the action’s geography clearly, and by choosing to show it from the journalists’ point of view, they make us feel like an integral part of it, which makes for a visceral and raw experience.
The film depicts the United States of America divided into four factions: loyalist states, the Western Front, the Florida Alliance, and the New People’s Army. However, very little is known regarding how that happened, the groups’ motivations, ultimate goals, and political orientation. We also don’t know who the good and bad guys are in this fight or what’s at stake here, which may have increased the film’s urgency, even potentially benefiting it. The film suffers from Alex Garland’s choice to play it safe by staying politically neutral, which makes the plot appear shallow and undeveloped.
Civil War intends to be mainly about journalists’ bravery and their ethical standards. However, aside from Lee Smith, no one else looks or acts like a professional journalist. Jessie gives the impression of an amateur photographer with no professional training in the field who has taken up this career as a pastime. Her background and the reasons for her unwavering commitment to journalism, for which she is willing to sacrifice her life, remain largely unknown. Sammy simply sits in the car, doing nothing. Joel is supposed to be a reporter, yet despite being in the thick of the action, he doesn’t do any reporting. Instead, it feels like he’s just tagging along for the ride and getting his kicks for being in dangerous situations. The two reporters who make a brief appearance toward the end appear to be doing more reporting than the people we have been following throughout the film.
Civil War movie links: IMDB, Letterboxd
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