When writer/director Alex Garland announced that his next film was about a civil war in the United States, I was a bit concerned. Considering how divided we are as a country; I didn’t think a film about civil war in this country would be a good idea. When a trailer was released, I was still skeptical. But after seeing the film, I thought it was one of the best I’ve seen this year.
There’s no mention of the time but as the story begins, America is at war with itself. The President of the United States (Nick Offerman) offers to support his forces as they take on his enemies. We learned that the President may not have much time left in the White House. Photojournalist Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and partner Joel (Wagner Moura) decided to go across dangerous terrain to reach Washington, D.C., hoping to get an interview with the leader before he lost his power.
Joining the pair are Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), an aged veteran and Lee’s mentor, and Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a young photographer who looks up to Lee. While on this journey, the foursome encountered random battles, a town that seemed oblivious to the war, and some psychopath soldiers led by an unnamed leader (Jesse Plemmons).
In this dystopian thriller, the war isn’t clearly defined and that’s the point. In Garland’s screenplay, he has created this hazy conflict between Loyalists and the Western Forces, while the Florida Alliance is also in play. The script avoided getting specific regarding sides, deliberately keeping viewers disoriented as the characters enter battle zones.
Garland decided to make the story more about the journalists rather than about the politics. And that may disappoint some people who hoped to see “their” side of politics in the film. Visually, Garland and his usual cinematographer, Rob Hardy, shot a gritty yet beautiful-looking film. The battle sequences looked real and very intense.
I haven’t seen Dunst in anything for a long time but she’s excellent here as the war veteran journalist who’s seen the worst things humans can do to one another during wartime. She didn’t want the younger and ambitious Jessie to experience what she’d experienced throughout her career. Spaeny was also good as a young and ambitious photographer who wanted to experience the true horror of war. After his excellent turn as Pablo Escobar in Narcos, Moura has appeared in a lot of American films and TV shows and he’s terrific here again as the second lead.
Stephen Henderson is always great as an old and wise character despite his limited screen time. Plemmons is always a standout. Here he plays an obviously racist killer who asks our protagonists what type of American they are. It’s one of the most intense and scariest scenes here.
The film may not satisfy people who want to see a more political take on the subject, but Garland wisely ignored that and created a story from the point of view of journalists. It’s an intense look at what could happen if a civil war does break out in this country.
So have you seen CIVIL WAR? Well, what do you think?
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FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
I was going to see this last month and other films but I’ve been dealing with various illnesses relating to my allergies as well as some odd things including a brief bout of the flu. I think I’m not going to be seeing a lot of films this year in the theaters.
Sorry to hear you’ve been ill, Steven, take care of yourself and get better soon!
I haven’t seen this one either, I’d rather see this at home later on VOD given the subject matter.
Hope you’ll feel better! I’m with you, I don’t see myself going to the theaters that much this year. I love the summer movie season but most of this summer’s movies doesn’t look that interesting to me.
Exactly. There’s nothing really exciting as only Furiosa and Inside Out 2 are the ones that I want to see.
You liked it a bit more than I did. I was so annoyed with Cailee Spaeny’s character. The ending just didn’t do it for me.
I can see why some people would find her character annoying and I think that’s the point. She’s young and kind of clueless when it comes the real world. As for the ending, I think that’s the only they can end it since the story didn’t focus on the conflict or politics of the war but it’s about journalists’ journey. I appreciate that Garland didn’t hit us over the head with his political beliefs.
So, no I haven’t seen “Civil War”.
I like the way the movie sounds, from your review. We don’t need to take sides on the politics. We only need to know the horrors that will befall us if we enter into such an idiotic scenario.
I fear there are many who think differently. May calmer, wiser heads prevail!
Another excellent review. I didn’t see this film because of my lack of interest in the political subject matter. That being said, your review has compelled me to give it a chance. I do enjoy stories tackling dark nature of American politics, and this appears to be one of them. I’m also a fan of the star-studded cast. Every actor in the cast has had an illustrious career, but Jesse Plemons definitely stands out. Over the past couple of years, Plemons has proven to be a promising actor. He steals the show in nearly every movie. For instance, he was extraordinary in “Killers of the Flower Moon”. So, I will probably see “Civil War” for him alone.
Here’s why adored “Killers of the Flower Moon”: