In a stark vision of a near-future America, “Civil War” plunges audiences into a nation fractured by internal conflict. Follow a team of intrepid war journalists as they embark on a perilous journey across a landscape scarred by division, racing against time to reach the beleaguered White House before rebel factions seize control. This adrenaline-fueled thriller promises a harrowing exploration of survival and the brutal realities of a country turned against itself.
Prepare for a visceral experience as director Alex Garland meticulously crafts a world teetering on the edge of chaos. With stunning visuals and unflinching realism, “Civil War” aims to be a potent commentary on the fragility of democracy and the human cost of extremism. This is not just a movie; it’s a stark warning, a chilling glimpse into a potential tomorrow that feels uncomfortably close to today.
Review by Ben Dover
Alright, so I went to see “Civil War.” And let me tell you, when I heard “Civil War,” I was expecting something with clear sides, maybe some actual politics, some reason for all the mayhem. What I got was basically a road trip with a bunch of gloomy photojournalists and explosions. It’s like Garland said, “Let’s make a war movie, but let’s make sure nobody knows why anyone’s fighting!” Are we supposed to guess? Is it a pop quiz? Because frankly, my brain cells are too busy remembering where I left my reading glasses to try and decipher this mess.
The whole premise is that these journalists, led by Kirsten Dunst, who frankly looks like she hasn’t slept since the last millennium, are trying to get to D.C. to interview the President. The President, by the way, is Nick Offerman, and he’s apparently a fascist, but we don’t get much more than that. So, we’ve got a war, a “Western Forces” alliance of Texas and California (go figure), and a president who’s a bad guy. Fine, whatever. But why are they fighting? What are the ideologies? Is it about who gets to decide what flavor of ice cream is best? I’m 60 years old, I need some context here! These young folks today, they just wanna see stuff blow up without any pesky explanations.
The movie tries to be all “journalistic integrity” and “unbiased observation,” which is fine, I guess. But when you’re watching people get slaughtered and you’re just clicking away with your camera, it starts to feel a little… exploitative. Like a bunch of vultures with fancy lenses. And the young whippersnapper, Jessie, she starts off all timid and then suddenly she’s got a bloodlust for the perfect shot. What is this, “America’s Next Top War Photographer”? It’s supposed to be a cautionary tale, but it felt more like an action flick with a slightly preachy undertone that never quite landed.
Now, for all my griping, the film looks good. The cinematography is slick, and when the bullets start flying, it’s intense. Garland knows how to make a battle feel real, messy, and terrifying. You feel the chaos, the suddenness of violence. It’s not a grand, sweeping epic; it’s tight, claustrophobic bursts of sheer panic. But then it cuts back to these journalists bickering in their car, and you just want to fast-forward to the next explosion. Honestly, if you stripped out all the “deep” commentary, you’d have a pretty decent action movie. But then, what’s the point?
Overall, it’s a grim ride. It’s a reminder that war is hell, which, you know, we already knew. It’s got some powerful moments, but the lack of a clear narrative “why” makes it feel a bit hollow. I left the theater feeling less like I’d seen a warning and more like I’d just witnessed a very expensive, very well-shot snuff film that forgot its own plot.
Starring
- Kirsten Dunst as Lee, a jaded war photographer who’s seen too much. She’s got that thousand-yard stare down pat, probably from staring at Gen Z’s TikToks too long.
- Wagner Moura as Joel, a reporter and Lee’s colleague. He’s the more outwardly optimistic, or perhaps just delusional, one of the bunch.
- Cailee Spaeny as Jessie, a young, aspiring photojournalist who tags along. She’s supposed to represent the innocence lost, but frankly, she just got more annoying as the movie went on.
- Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy, an older, veteran journalist. He’s the wise old man, probably the only one in the entire film who I could tolerate for more than five minutes.
- Nick Offerman as the President. He’s got about five minutes of screen time, but he makes an impression as the guy who clearly overstayed his welcome in the Oval Office.
- Jesse Plemons as the Militia Soldier. This guy steals the show in his short appearance. He’s genuinely chilling and provides one of the film’s most memorable, albeit disturbing, encounters.
Special Effects
The special effects are where this movie truly shines, which, given my general grumbling, is saying something. They’re top-notch. Framestore did an amazing job recreating a devastated Washington D.C., and you can tell they put in the work. Every bombed-out building, every destroyed landmark, it all looks incredibly real. The explosions, the gunfire, the crumbling infrastructure – it’s all rendered with a grim, gritty realism that makes you feel like you’re actually there. They didn’t go for flashy, over-the-top Hollywood explosions; instead, they focused on making everything look as terrifyingly authentic as possible. Even the digital crowds and the minute details like street lamps and traffic lights in the digitally built D.C. contribute to an immersive, believable, and utterly horrifying environment. It really sells the “America in ruins” vibe, which, I guess, was the whole point.
Music
The score, by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, is mostly atmospheric and unsettling, which fits the grim tone of the film. It’s less about memorable melodies and more about creating a sense of dread and tension. They use a lot of ambient sounds and low, rumbling tracks that just get under your skin. However, the film also sprinkles in some surprising needle drops, like old punk rock tunes from Suicide or even a Skid Row song. It’s a strange juxtaposition – intense, realistic warfare set to upbeat, sometimes jarring, classic rock. It’s clearly a deliberate choice by Garland, meant to highlight the surreal nature of the conflict or perhaps the disconnect between the horror and the almost casual way some characters approach it. Personally, I found it a bit odd, like watching a funeral with a disco ball. But hey, these young directors always have to be “artistic,” don’t they?
Rating
★★☆☆☆ (2 out of 5 stars)
Look, it’s a good-looking movie, and it certainly makes you feel uneasy, which I guess is what they were going for. But a movie needs more than just pretty explosions and a vague sense of dread. It needs a story. It needs characters I care about. It needs a reason for me to sit there for almost two hours. Two stars for the visuals and the sheer intensity of some scenes, but everything else felt as empty as a politician’s promise.
Synopsis and Plot Breakdown
“Civil War” is set in a near-future United States, engulfed in a brutal civil conflict. The film follows a team of four journalists: Lee (Kirsten Dunst), a renowned war photographer; Joel (Wagner Moura), a seasoned reporter; Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), an older journalist; and Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a young, aspiring photographer whom Lee reluctantly takes under her wing after witnessing Jessie’s near-death experience during a suicide bombing.
The group is based in New York City, part of the “Western Forces” (WF), an alliance formed by Texas and California. Their ultimate goal is to reach Washington D.C. to interview the President (Nick Offerman), who is in his unconstitutional third term and has disbanded the FBI and launched air strikes on American citizens. The journalists believe this interview will be the last opportunity to get a statement from him before the WF forces, now closing in, overthrow his government.
Their journey across the war-torn country is fraught with peril. They encounter various factions and situations that highlight the widespread chaos and moral decay. They pass through ghost towns, areas controlled by heavily armed militias, and communities attempting to maintain a facade of normalcy while surrounded by violence. A particularly harrowing encounter involves a psychopathic militia soldier (Jesse Plemons) who indiscriminately executes people based on their “American” identity, narrowly sparing the journalists due to their “press” designation. This scene is a brutal depiction of the arbitrary nature of violence in a civil war.
As they get closer to D.C., Sammy is gravely wounded in a shootout and eventually dies, a tragic loss that deeply impacts the remaining trio. Jessie, initially timid and traumatized by the violence, begins to evolve, becoming increasingly desensitized and almost eager to capture the horrors through her lens, mirroring Lee’s own hardened demeanor.
The climax of the film sees the journalists embedded with WF troops during their final assault on Washington D.C. They witness the brutal house-to-house fighting as the Western Forces push towards the White House. Lee, in a moment of self-sacrifice, saves Jessie from enemy fire, taking the fatal bullet herself. Jessie, now completely transformed, photographs Lee’s dying moments, fulfilling Lee’s earlier, cynical advice about a war photographer’s ultimate responsibility. Joel finally confronts the President, who is cowering in the Oval Office, and secures his final, desperate words before WF soldiers execute him. The film ends with Joel capturing the image of the executed President, leaving the audience to ponder the meaning of their journalistic mission in a shattered nation. The “why” of the war remains largely unaddressed, focusing instead on the devastating “what.”
Famous Quotes
- “We are closer than we have ever been…” – The President, rehearsing a speech at the beginning.
- “Just make sure you get the words out before the piano wire around your neck.” – Sammy, sarcastically to Joel about interviewing the President.
- “I’ve never felt more scared and more alive at the same time.” – Jessie, after a particularly harrowing experience.
- “What kind of American are you?” – Militia Soldier, to a captive.
- “Yeah, that’ll do.” – Joel, after the President’s final words.
Notes from the Movie
- The film deliberately avoids detailing the political origins or specific factions of the civil war, aiming to be a commentary on the nature of civil conflict itself rather than a partisan statement. Director Alex Garland stated he wanted to avoid creating a “polemic.”
- The alliance of Texas and California as the “Western Forces” is an unlikely pairing, designed to further emphasize the non-partisan, hypothetical nature of the conflict.
- Much of the film was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, with extensive visual effects used to transform it into a devastated Washington D.C.
- Kirsten Dunst prepared for her role by researching the experiences of real-life war photojournalists, seeking to understand the psychological toll of their work.
- The film uses a mix of real combat sound effects and a sparse, unsettling original score, aiming for a realistic and immersive auditory experience during action sequences.
