Civil War Review

The United States is currently going through a turbulent period in its history and politics. This political climate serves as the inspiration for Alex Garland’s near-future war film, Civil War.

The United States is in the middle of a civil war with several factions rebelling against a dictatorial President (Nick Offerman). Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) is a photojournalist who is reporting on the war. She plans to travel from New York to Washington DC with her journalist partner, Joel (Wagner Moura), and attempt to interview The President. Joining them on their trip through the war-torn nation is Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), an experienced reporter for the New York Times, and Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a young photographer who idolises Lee.

Alex Garland is a writer/director with a high pedigree who developed a fanbase among film aficionados. I’ve enjoyed most of his films, Men was an exception. Garland has written quite a few dystopian and post-apocalyptic films, like 28 Days Later, Never Let Me Go, and Dredd. Garland did enough work on Dredd that he could have that he could have received a directing credit. These films can be described as small-scale stories that take place in extraordinary worlds. Civil War fitted that mould.

Civil War was an American road movie, it just happened to take place in a war-torn America. The characters go through some extraordinary scenarios, face incredible dangers, and meet various people. Civil War was similar to Gareth Edwards’ Monsters which was also an extraordinary road trip film and Garland seemed like he took that Mexican-set film as an inspiration since Civil War used a documentary style of filmmaking, especially for the war scenes and the world of Civil War felt lived in due to the graffiti and war damage. It was a distorted America where major stores were abandoned, and stadiums were turned into refugee camps. There was also a bit of Children of Men in Civil War since both films looked at the worst-case scenario for a nation, showing it amid conflict and decay. The war scenes were similar to Children of Men where they were bloody and real.

Civil War was a character drama as much as a war film. Lee was a hardened and experienced photographer who wanted to get on with the job. Lee had a great instinct since she had served in so many war zones. But she had also had years of trauma which she had buried deep down in her. Lee wasn’t thrilled that her travelling party contained a slow old man and a young woman who had never seen war before. Lee had to take on the role of a mentor to Jessie. Despite Lee’s reluctance to have Jessie join their party, the pair grow close, and Lee becomes more supportive. Jessie drastically changed during the film going from the scared young woman who was in over her head to a reckless adrenaline junkie who enjoyed being in the middle of a battlefield.

The personal drama extended to the characters philosophising and lamenting about the war. Lee said she became a war photographer because she wanted to warn people back home and those warnings were ignored. Sammy’s age and experience gave him a lot of perspective, which led him to predict that history would repeat itself. Whilst Joel enjoyed covering war and even stated he gets a ‘hard on’ when hearing gunfire. Even minor characters have their own philosophies like a small town trying to ignore the war and live a peaceful existence, and a spotter (Karl Glusman), who stated that all that mattered was the here and now since he was in a kill or be killed situation.

Civil War was a ground-level look at the conflict. The travelling party didn’t meet any commanders or politicians, they met regular soldiers, militiamen, and civilians. They saw war crimes and atrocities being committed and there was tension throughout as the characters were going into dangerous situations. The war sequences were impactful and shocking, due to the violence. Civil War serves as an example of how important sound design is since gunfire was loud and scary. It should be nominated for an Oscar. I am aware the sound designer is Glenn Freemantle, and no, we are not related.

Stories about America entering a Second Civil War are nothing new. The 1935 novel It Can’t Happen Here was about the United States electing a despot and ending with the country descending into a Civil War, and in 1997 HBO broadcast a TV movie about a second American Civil War. More recent examples include the comic book series DMZ, and novels like American War and Divided We Fall which were written by authors with wildly different perspectives. The prospect of a Second American Civil War seems more likely considering Donald Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and attack on Congress.

The subject manner is politically provocative, and Civil War highlights this. It’s a film that opens with a suicide bomber wheedling an American flag and has a massive battle in a major American city. The characters make references to the president staying on for a third term and disbanding the FBI, actions that Trump has touted. There was also a reference to the ‘Antifa Massacre,’ although the film doesn’t say if it was a massacre by Antifa or against Antifa.

Civil War was a great and daring film and showed how the horrors of war would impact the United States. It’s a return to form for Garland after the divisive Men.