The chilling, thought-provoking “Civil War” imagines what would happen if the United States found itself in a modern day civil war. The most disturbing aspect of writer / director Alex Garland‘s dystopian thriller is the sheer plausibility of a conflict like this erupting on our home turf, accelerated by a cancer of disinformation, polarization, and contempt that could rot America from within and cause the government to collapse. The film is provocative in a way that doesn’t feel inflammatory or even controversial, but more like a warning alarm that is growing louder at a highly distressing rate. It’s shocking, disturbing, and downright frightening, but this disquieting portrayal of the toll of war also transcends political narratives with a highly emotional and touching story that’s told from the point of view of a group of Reuters journalists.
In the not-so-distant future, the United States has become a nation torn apart by violent unrest. Texas and California have seceded to become the Western Forces, and violence is taking over the country in the form of a civil war between regional factions and an authoritarian federal government. In a quest to interview the president (Nick Offerman) before the White House is seized, famous war photographer Lee (Kirsten Dunst) is traveling with her longtime colleague Joel (Wagner Moura), Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), their elderly mentor from The New York Times, and aspiring photojournalist Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a cub reporter who may be in over her head. The group is driving from New York City to Washington, D.C., documenting the gruesome scenes they encounter along the route.
Whatever you think this movie is going to be, it’s probably not what you expect. Garland’s writing is powerful, especially when he delves into the psyche of his characters. These are complex people who are grappling, each in their own way, with the horrors they witness and the moral dilemmas they face. Garland has created something different here thematically as well, and it’s one of the more interesting films in years when you consider what’s left unsaid. He chooses to focus on the human toll of war with an impressive ability to remain non-partisan and a refusal to tell audiences how or what to think. This doesn’t feel like an attempt to neither quell nor spark controversy, it’s just quality storytelling all around.
With Garland leaving the ideology of both sides unclear, I can understand how this may prove frustrating to those expecting a highly political doctrine or an action packed film about a raging battle, but who is fighting for what isn’t really all that important to the heart of the story. This is a film about extremism and the toll that war takes on the people who are living it. (Although hints are dropped here and there, like the fact that the president has disbanded several government departments, has changed the Constitution so he’s been allowed to serve three terms, and is ordering attacks on American citizens). What you won’t find is a clearly liberal or blisteringly conservative movie, but one with an aura of objectivity that works extremely well within the narrative of members of the media reporting on what they see. There’s no political motive, just good, old fashioned neutrality, which can seem like a lost art in the field of journalism nowadays.
This is where Garland’s writing really shines. There is an abundance of compelling material here that would’ve been rich enough for an extended series instead of packed into a feature length movie. His script is sure to be one of my favorites of the year, and it hit me, hard. The story embraces the group of journalists and their unique emotional responses to the violence they are being paid to document, which range from rage and grief to passion and excitement. The story takes on a deeper meaning when you consider that journalists seem to be the most distrusted (and even hated) groups in certain circles nowadays, and this film gives them back their power and importance.
The film is punctuated with strong performances and equally unforgettable scenes that have an incredible amount of staying power. Perhaps the most haunting of all is a brief scene (anchored by a truly terrifying performance from Jesse Plemons) where militiamen are disposing of dozens of dead bodies while interrogating the main characters at gunpoint, asking “what kind of American are you?” It’s one of those moments that feels all too real, like it could legitimately happen if our country found itself in a modern-day world war.
“Civil War” is a film that not only makes you think, but it will most certainly spark important conversations that we all need to be having. This is a horror movie for uncertain times, especially when you consider the current turbulent and fractured climate of the United States. This film shook me to the core, and if you’re paying attention, it will do the same to you.
