Alex Garland’s newest movie Civil War brings an intense thrill to screens everywhere. Set in a fictional United States following the outbreak of a civil war, it follows Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura who are in a race against time to reach the White House for an exclusive with a soon to be deposed POTUS.
I was very hyped for this movie when I first heard about it as the topic of “civil war” becomes more and more frequent in the digital discourse. Though I’m not confident that a generation of people raised on delivery apps will take up arms, it is a thought provoking exercise to picture a fractured America.
The movie opens with archival footage mostly pulled from the past decade of social media coverage of various flashpoints from our own timeline. My eyes were assaulted with the harsh reminder that our own world isn’t so distant from the one Garland is beginning to lay the foundation of. It’s like being served an amuse bouche of vinegar before being offered the wine list.
From there, we open on a crowded blockade somewhere in Manhattan. Crowds anxiously push against riot police as water is distributed, creating a melee of noise and violence. On the periphery, our eyes meet Lee (Dunst) and Joel (Moura), arriving on the scene to cover the disruption.
As the fracas ensues, a young photographer, Jesse (played by Cailee Spaeny), attempts to get stuck in and snap some lasting images of the moment. Before Lee can intervene, a woman wielding a large American Flag and backpack storms into the crowd, setting off a bomb. Welcome to your fresh hell, America.
From there, the characters group up at the local press club where they set the plan in motion with Sammy (Stephen Mckinley), a geriatric reporter who feels he’s still in the fight in spite of his deteriorating condition. These four form the motley crue tasked with traversing the eastern seaboard by way of Pennsylvania to reach the White House.
Production Value
It’s one of my favorites of the year so far. Civil War succeeds in creating haunting postcards of an America not ravaged by a virus or thermonuclear war, but rather a wasteland of our own creation. Hats off to Garland and his DP Rob Hardy for creating striking frames bound to send a chill down your spine. The sound design engineered by Glenn Fremantle is second to none, and at points during the final assault It felt as if those assault rifles were in the cineplex with me.
Narrative
I disagree with the discourse that the movie is apolitical. I think it outlines pretty clearly who we are supposed to perceive as the “bad guys” and who are supposed to be the “good guys”. The message was about journalism on the surface, but beneath that veneer is a clear shot at apathy and passiveness.
Final Thoughts
Civil War by Alex Garland is a visual and auditory feast for movie goers. With a well paced plot and one of a kind set pieces, it has a potential to be a “underrated gem” in a few years. Until then, this may miss its audience- just a little too close to reality for some to handle, I’m afraid.
Mixed Media Magazine 