Alex Garland‘s Civil War (2024) poses a grim painful future for the USA. The movie feels more like frontline footage of a real war. Rob Hardy‘s cinematography and the editing by Jake Roberts completes the illusion of a battle for the White House. This is a feature with no humour and a heavy dose of cynicism.
The Story
America is fighting itself. With states seceding and joining forces, the White House is under siege and a group of journalists rush to cover the death of a nation. A state of war exists almost everywhere within the borders of the country.
Musings
The acting for Garland’s film is top notch. Kirsten Dunst proves that no role is beyond her grasp. Her thousand yard stare feels real. Her character has an unenviable arc and by the end of the day we wonder if the voyage was worth it.
Cailee Spaeny shows that Bad Times at the El Royale was no fluke. This actor has chops for days. Her character grows the most and we fear that her future may not be a good one.
Nick Offerman as the POTUS has little screen time but he makes the most of it. Wagner Moura (Narcos, The Grey Man) as the conscience of the group helps to move the painful journey along. Jefferson White from Yellowstone manages to impress in a smaller role.
Stephen McKinley Henderson knocks his role out of the park and then some.
Keep an eye out for Dunst’s significant other, Jesse Plemons in an uncredited role.
Alex Garland as a writer and director has very few misses, from 28 Days Later to Ex Machina this man manages to hit the nail on the head; repeatedly. Civil War is no shrinking violet.
The filmmaker takes us on an uncomfortable ride in this one. His prophetic musings on the state of the nation, in the near future, is not too unsurprising. America, as a country is tearing itself apart. While civil war may seem a bit extreme, one feels that it could almost be an inevitability.
Meanwhile back at the ranch
The US is facing its own grim future. A gloomy forecast of rising prices and financial instability. States arguing about abortion and whether Trump can run again for the top office are just a few of the things its citizens have to look out for.
In real time we have the following issues:
A former President found guilty of 34 counts possibly facing time in prison, still wants to run again for the presidency. The incumbent POTUS appears to be suffering from mental issues. In an election year, this does not bode well. We do not need Stephen King to write this horror story.
It’s a wrap
Civil War is a full 5 star effort. Despite being downright uncomfortable to watch the movie feels every bit as real as the nine o’clock news covering a real conflict. The film is still in cinemas but can be watched online via a number of platforms. Check out the trailer and see if this one piques your interest enough to rent now or to wait for the price to go down.
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