'Civil War' is a dystopian thriller film from 2024, written and directed by Alex Garland. The movie is set in a future where 19 states have seceded from the union, leading to a rapidly escalating civil war. The war, a complex web of political turmoil, is fought across the United States between an authoritarian federal government and several regional factions. The story follows a team of journalists, including a war photographer played by Kirsten Dunst, who journeyed from New York City to Washington, D. C., during this civil war.
In the near future, 19 states have seceded from the union, leading to a rapidly escalating civil war. The President, played by Nick Offerman, appears to be stoking the flames of dissent. The journalists find themselves caught in war zones, navigating the complexities of this divided nation.
The film offers a thought-provoking exploration of journalistic ethics, a theme that invites the audience to reflect on the role of media in times of political turmoil. However, it periodically falls into the trap of characters self-sabotaging themselves to create dramatic tension when there are plenty of horrible possibilities a writer could choose from in a setting like this. There are many illogical character moments.
The movie plays it safe and avoids some aspects of war audiences are less comfortable with, such as sexual assault. But it leans into America's comfort zone of gun violence quite comfortably. There are plenty of headshots and dead bodies onscreen for any Call of Duty fan (and no, I didn't name-drop the game for fun. No, there is a reason). The film gladly uses ageism as a weapon as Lee frequently reminds Stephen McKinley Henderson's character, Sammy, that he's old and can't run. Being a jerk has become Kristen Dunst's signature move in films when they want us to believe she's a hardened journalist. So she's basically like, stay out of the way, old black dude. War is much safer for petite, pretty, middle-aged blondes. I get it; having her be a jerk to everyone shows how cynical she's become, but I think there were better ways to do it. This feels like the cheapest and fastest way to establish her character since there were other topics to gloss over.
It's war, so there's no time to explore all the social issues that arise. And that's a tragedy because we miss an opportunity to explore our divisions and find commonalities in situations like this.
The film's third act is Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 with journalists. If you've never played the game, then I've spoiled nothing. If you have seen the trailers, you know exactly what part of the game I'm discussing. That was the inspiration for this scene. The film's neutrality is its strength and its weakness. As a strength, it allows us to focus on how horrific war is. As a weakness, it keeps us from ever understanding the politics behind the civil war happening on screen, making this story feel like nothing more than a violent road trip to Washington, DC. But it's an entertaining and visually stunning ride, even if its storytelling is relatively weak. Like the photojournalists in the film, there is a love affair with imagery, and this film is a work of art visually.
In the near future, 19 states have seceded from the union, leading to a rapidly escalating civil war. The President, played by Nick Offerman, appears to be stoking the flames of dissent. The journalists find themselves caught in war zones, navigating the complexities of this divided nation.
The film offers a thought-provoking exploration of journalistic ethics, a theme that invites the audience to reflect on the role of media in times of political turmoil. However, it periodically falls into the trap of characters self-sabotaging themselves to create dramatic tension when there are plenty of horrible possibilities a writer could choose from in a setting like this. There are many illogical character moments.
The movie plays it safe and avoids some aspects of war audiences are less comfortable with, such as sexual assault. But it leans into America's comfort zone of gun violence quite comfortably. There are plenty of headshots and dead bodies onscreen for any Call of Duty fan (and no, I didn't name-drop the game for fun. No, there is a reason). The film gladly uses ageism as a weapon as Lee frequently reminds Stephen McKinley Henderson's character, Sammy, that he's old and can't run. Being a jerk has become Kristen Dunst's signature move in films when they want us to believe she's a hardened journalist. So she's basically like, stay out of the way, old black dude. War is much safer for petite, pretty, middle-aged blondes. I get it; having her be a jerk to everyone shows how cynical she's become, but I think there were better ways to do it. This feels like the cheapest and fastest way to establish her character since there were other topics to gloss over.
It's war, so there's no time to explore all the social issues that arise. And that's a tragedy because we miss an opportunity to explore our divisions and find commonalities in situations like this.
The film's third act is Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 with journalists. If you've never played the game, then I've spoiled nothing. If you have seen the trailers, you know exactly what part of the game I'm discussing. That was the inspiration for this scene. The film's neutrality is its strength and its weakness. As a strength, it allows us to focus on how horrific war is. As a weakness, it keeps us from ever understanding the politics behind the civil war happening on screen, making this story feel like nothing more than a violent road trip to Washington, DC. But it's an entertaining and visually stunning ride, even if its storytelling is relatively weak. Like the photojournalists in the film, there is a love affair with imagery, and this film is a work of art visually.
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