On the surface, you think you know exactly what you are going to get with a film like Civil War. In a year with yet another controversial election for America that is expected to arrive in the coming months, what better way for A24 to coast on this hot topical year than putting their own spin on what an effed up America would like? The kind of film that leaves no stone unturned and be unafraid to tear into every single realm of America politics and inner turmoil of the U.S. governments! The kind of film that is basically guaranteed to earn it’s F rating on Cinema Score like a pride badge of honor! The kind of film that would likely cause fights from hard core liberals and conservatives during theater screenings! However, when you sit back and look at Civil War with an open mind, it’s surprisingly as apolitical and pointless as they come.
It’s doesn’t amount to being the political cringe fest that most viewers envisioned it as. It doesn’t commit to being the overblown disaster flick that it constantly flirts at throughout the entire picture. And it doesn’t even seem to be interest on exploring it’s own take on what a civil war set in America could or would be like. Civil War just acts as a typical America murder porn flick with not much rhyme or reason do it and will likely leave viewers wondering what point Alex Garland was trying to make here. It’s certainly as well made and well acted as you would expect from Garland himself but it lacks any creativity or boldness that this director is usually unafraid of showing off, even with his last godawful film in Men. I don’t know if this was because Garland was unsure which kind of movie he wanted to make or if he just didn’t want to piss anyone off but Civil War just seems as confused as all the people that are fighting in the movie are.
Premise: In a dystopian future America, a team of military-embedded journalists (Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson) races against time to reach Washington, D.C., before rebel factions descend upon the White House.
The element that is the most striking about Civil War is how little it is interested in exploring this dystopian version of America that we are follow our four main characters in. There is no explanation as to what this civil war is about, why either side is fighting one another, or the concrete difference between the current political climate in the real world vs the one that this movie is set in. The film basically expects you to fill in the blank yourselves about the context of the world this movie is set in and insert your own politics to have the civil war make any sense.
There are hints of that kind of version that is scattered throughout the film. The major example is that of Texas and California being on the same side. That’s a great start in going all in on the ridiculous nature of that concept but the film doesn’t go far beyond that. The screenplay by Alex Garland is shockingly stale, lacking any sort of risk taking on exploring this own version of America or any logical reason as to why the civilians are fighting in the first place.
The biggest plot element involves our four lead characters, who are professional journalists and assigned to cover all the commotion that is happening throughout the course of the film. Despite the clear intend on exploring the impact of journalism and the consequences that can come from those involved in that industry, it’s hard to be invested in it because the film constantly makes it clear that they are in the wrong the whole way through when they truly believe they are in the right. It also doesn’t help that the main characters are constantly making dumb decisions throughout the entire movie with no self awareness that it makes you wonder how they even got hired for this job in the first place. While that might be the intention when it comes to the overall arc that Cailee Spaeny’s character, Jessie Cullen, she is so out of the league with everything happening that it makes it so hard to root for her. Even when we get to the point where she learns the lesson she is suppose to, it doesn’t feel earned in the slightest because none of it feels real.
And that is the exact issue with Civil War at it’s center. Despite the film throwing everything but the kitchen sink at you when it comes to war, causality, and politics, it doesn’t feel real because it doesn’t seem interest as to why this is all happening in the first place. And if there is no purpose, then what is even the point of all this fighting in the first place?
I’m well aware certain folks are gonna argue that is the true intention of Civil War. Alex Garland is trying to make it clear that all of this is pointless because war itself is pointless since no one truly wins at the end and we all lose. If that’s the case, then why make the movie at all? Just because something is intentional by design doesn’t automatically make it good. Like if someone took a dump in my mouth and then say it was okay because it was done on purpose, then does that make it any better? No, it doesn’t! It’s just tasteless!
At least the movie is well-shot with solid production throughout. Outside of a few scenes with distracting CGI, this does have the proper care and treatment as you would expect from Alex Garland behind the camera. The best sequences involve the main cast of journalists we follow having to take photos while massive battles are happening. They make for some rather intense and suspense heavy sections with glorious sound design to aid them. Those are easily the standout sections of the entire movie and definitely shows the hidden potential that is constantly hinted at throughout the entire picture.
The entire cast does their part as well. It’s always nice to see Kirsten Dunst in movies and she does the best here with what she is giving as basically the leader of the group. Wagner Moura acts strongly as the right counterpart to the rest of the cast, Stephen McKinley Henderson is entertaining in every scene he is in, Cailee Spaney has strong potential to stand out as her own as an actress, and we desperately needed more of Jeff White throughout the picture. And as everyone has said, Jesse Plemons is great in his one notable appearance in the movie, even if it makes even less sense when you put it within the context of the movie and not just with the trailers.
Civil War comes across as a cinematic equivalent of a make-your-own buffet that expects the audience to bring their own ingredients with them because it doesn’t seem to have much of it’s own. When taking into perspective of the nonexistence politics and overall lack of context to anything happening, Civil War is at its heart just an empty disaster flick with only a handful of intense sequences and a strong cast to help pull it through. And considering it’s timing and placement as to when this movie is coming out, it’s clear that A24 was wanting something way more than that.
Perhaps this has to do with Alex Garland tackling something outside of his comfort zone and coming from the UK rather than the USA but it’s baffling how Civil War seems to be utterly unaware and confused of not just the current political climate in America but even in it’s own distinct universe. It may not be my least favorite film from Alex Garland (That honor goes to Men!) but Civil War is easily his most tame and thematically empty film he has ever released!
The only kind of politically heavy folks that will get angry over this film are the ones that brought their own politics into the theaters with them moments before it even started. Because when you look into the deeper meaning of the film’s politics and it’s current status quo of it’s own America, it all just feels pointless. If that is what Alex Garland intended from the beginning, that’s on him but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Congrats, Disney! When it comes to making the superior Civil War movie, you guys win this round1
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