Much like the America in Alex Garland’s Civil War, I am a house divided on this one. The best of this movie is some of the best of the year: scenes riddled with tension and excitement and beautiful terrifying imagery. But there’s another side of this coin, one that pops up when you have a minute to chill and think about what you just saw, and what it actually means. One things for sure though: I could never be a war correspondent.
Though Civil War’s set in the “future” it sure feels like the present. The US is split into factions, primarily with the Texas/California alliance challenging the three term, clearly more fascist current President (Nick Offerman) in open war across the country. The movie drops us in with Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) and Joel (Wagner Moura), journalists covering the latest charged protesting in New York City. Sensing the war going poorly for the current President, the pair decide to drive down to Washington DC, to get one last interview before he gets taken out. New York Times journalist Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) talks his way into the van, and so does Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), young whippersnapper photojournalist who really looks up to Lee…but is clearly unprepared for the hell she’s about to enter.
You don’t pick a title like Civil War on accident. The producers want to really use some of this tension and angst many people feel about how divided the US is and capitalize on it, giving the audience a glimpse of the future of things don’t start to change. Garland clearly has a lengthy backstory he’s thought out for this world he drops the journalists into. But more important than world logic, the point of this movie is first and foremost to entertain as many people as possible, as it’s A24’s most expensive movie to date. That means whatever backstory Garland had, probably was tweaked on purpose to play the political landscape right down the middle. That’s why we have the Texas California alliance, and a vague backstory for the President, and most importantly, our main characters are not key figures on either side of the war, but the journalists, apolitically reporting on what they see. The movie has no intention of providing any nuanced insight into the current state of American political discourse, instead pretty ickily just capitalizing on people’s feelings and fear for a few dollars.
But you won’t end up where I did about Civil War until well after it’s over. That’s because Garland has created a heart pounding tense thrill ride that demands your attention. Even though journalists don’t pick sides, they’re still near the action, as we immediately see during a charged political rally that erupts quickly into violence. What follows is the worst road trip ever, as the foursome work their way towards the capital. Garland structures the movie as a series of mini movies, with our journalists documenting the horrors they encounter at what would usually be normal daily occurrences: getting some gas, seeing a shopping mall, running into a mini festival. Each new place gives us a new wrinkle into the US’s current state, and how varied it is because of the sheer size and scope of the country. Each sequence turns the screws a little more, fixing your eyes to the screen in fascination and disgust in equal measure. But most of the budget builds to the final 30 minutes: a thrill ride of epic proportions that Garland shoots magnificently, dropping the audience into a giant military siege with our journalists documenting the action. You’ll be holding your breath the entire time, with Dunst in particular doing a great job carrying the movie without saying anything.
In the end, maybe the best takeaway from Civil War is that journalists are real people, making their efforts that much more courageous and heroic, if a little bit insane. I remain in awe of their dedication to getting everyone the story as best they can. If you, like me started realizing how hollow Civil War’s story was, and yearned for something more deserving of the journalists efforts, 20 Days in Mariupol is the brutal real world power of what those efforts can do. Though I do admit that would have been better with Kiki.