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We live in turbulent times—where nations are divided by so many different issues. Some days, it seems like just a matter of time before something breaks. And writer/director Alex Garland’s controversial dystopian thriller Civil War offers a chilling warning of what could be.
Civil War finds a group of journalists traveling through a war-torn nation to try to get the scoop of a lifetime. As rebel troops from Texas and California, known as the Western Forces, make their way to the Capitol, photojournalist Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and war journalist Joel (Wagner Moura) decide to skip the front lines and head to the White House to try to interview the totalitarian President (Nick Offerman), whose days in power seem to be numbered. Joined by a couple of colleagues, they travel through danger and desolation, hoping to reach Washington before they’re too late.
As these daring journalists set out to confront the man who’s removed all checks and balances in the government in order to maintain control, they’re joined by lovable veteran Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who refuses to let his age force him out of the career he loves, and young photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), whose youth and ambition tend to get her into trouble. And through their shared experiences, they build a kind of camaraderie in the chaos.
So much about this film stresses the terrifying discord of the situation. The director pairs tense, quiet settings with loud music and noisy battle scenes with upbeat pop tunes—or maybe just no sound at all. Throughout this journey, there are streets blocked by destruction. There are bodies everywhere. There are armed men battling other armed men—and those who will kill anyone who isn’t the right kind of American. And, in the middle of it all, there are those who go on with their lives, pretending that nothing is happening. It’s all off-putting and chaotic—this constant feeling that everything here is just so wrong.
Even when very little is happening—as the journalists make their way through the desolation without a single living person in sight—there’s something so tense and frightening about the situation. It’s the kind of film that will grab you from the first scene and leave you holding your breath until the end.
Of course, not everyone will agree with the messages found ins Civil War. And you’ll just have to set aside any disbelief about Texas and California joining forces. But this haunting what-if thriller will give you plenty to think about as you try to catch your breath again as you make your way home from the theater.
Join these journos on their journey when Civil War arrives in theaters on April 12, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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