Civil War Review

The Scary Possibility of the Future

If I were to imagine what Civil War would be like in America now, it wouldn’t come close to the bleak conflict that writer/director Alex Garland has created. The horror of war has never felt so real to me with the visceral nature of the action and the intense quiet moments in the film. There’s a lot of movies that I enjoy in the moment, but otherwise don’t leave much of an impression. Civil War has impacted me in a way that most films don’t. Films should be thought provoking and inspire conversation. Alex Garland has created something special that I can see being referenced by other creators for years to come.

The conflict in Civil War is set in the near future between The United States of America vs. the Western Forces. The Western Forces are comprised of an unlikely alliance between California and Texas. The story follows a group of journalists who travel the war-torn country with the hopes of reaching Washington D.C. The group ultimately wishes to reach the President to get a statement from him for the people. The story has a fast paced flow that focuses on smaller vignettes and situations that keep the story moving.

While the backdrop of the film is the brutal Civil War in America, the story is much more centered on the specific characters and their relationships. Lee, played by Kirsten Dunst is the veteran journalist who pushes the small team to keep moving forward. I was shocked by how she handled situations with coming off as very cold and steadfast. Lee reluctantly takes on the amateur photographer Jessie who is very excited about meeting her idol. Jessie starts off inexperienced and naive, but eventually does warm up to her mentor. Jessie is basically the vessel for the audience to take in the carnage that is rampant across America on their journey. Joel, played by Wagner Moura, is a good friend of Lee’s that plays the role of support and lends some levity to the story here and there.

Civil War is very effective in showcasing the dangerous field of War Journalism. I admit that I don’t have a lot of knowledge when it comes to the risk that these men and women go through, so I was shocked to see how hazardous this is. There are many situations that made me feel uncomfortable in the film such as when Lee photographs a soldier that is basically on his death bed bleeding out. It seems very insensitive at the moment, but that is her job. For moost of the film, the journalists are on the frontlines with the vanguard soldiers, with nothing to protect themselves but a kevlar vest and a helmet. They are vulnerable and fearless to be doing this all the time. The film could have easily been about another war hero or super soldier saving the day, instead Alex Garlen shines a lot on a profession that I don’t think gets enough accolades.

The film showcases the intensity of war in ways that I haven’t seen before. The firefights are intense and lengthy at times. The tactics of the soldiers are precise and provide a level of authenticity to the film. Civil War spares no expense with tanks, helicopters, car chases, sniper holdouts. The horror of war is demonstrated with gruesome situations as well.

The Sound in Civil War is a standout element. The mixing of 2 drastically different tones such as bright, upbeat music, juxtaposed to a brutal riot. Also, the absense of sound when a bomb goes off to simulate the disorientation and loss of sound with the cacophony of the blast. Even the gunshots had me jumping out of my seat due to the extreme loud and succinct nature of the sound. The audio felt like a character in it’s own right.

Alex Garland creates moments with incredible amounts of tension. The tension is there because the characters are strong and I actually cared about them. At no point in this film is anyone safe. A moment that highlights this is when the team runs into a character in Middle America that has them at gunpoint. He asks the loaded question “What kind of American are You?” This is also one of the themes that echos throughout the film.

Civil War contains so much detail that leads credence to this scenario being plausible someday. Examples include such monotonous activities like getting gas for vehicles. Approaching any stranger can be a risk with not knowing exactly who they are allied to. Some settlements or towns even try to ignore the war, thinking that they can’t do anything to sway either side. It’s almost like every man for themselves when the government goes downhill. Currency becomes prohibitively inflated, cell phone service is not available. etc.

The one gripe I do have with Civil War is it’s lack of exposition. We don’t know exactly how the war started or what the motivations of the Western Forces are. In today’s world, California and Texas having an alliance is one of the most far fetched ideas. It would have been very interesting to see how they would have come together for a common goal. Even just have a single line of dialogue to acknowledge some details could have gone a long way. However, this movie is more about the characters and their relationships and the war is just an external plot device.

Civil War is a tour de force with shock and awe. Alex Garland created a gripping story that begs to asks questions. The great character work and writing lead to meaningful scenes that added a lot more depth to the main characters involved. There are upbeat moments that do help to ease out of the intense scenes. Films are meant to entertain, but should also get us to reflect. Civil War helped me realize how we take for granted the luxuries we have in times of peace.

9/10