In Civil War, it is the near future and the United States is experiencing a period of significant unrest. Presided over by a President currently on his third term in office and running his presidency as a dictatorship, the country has become divided into different factions, creating a multi-party civil war.
Documenting this war are journalists Lee and Joel, who are travelling from New York to Washington, D. C. to photograph and interview the President. The general consensus is the President’s days are numbered, with the White House set to fall, and they want to be there when it happens.
Joining Lee and Joel on the assignment is veteran journalist Sammy, and wannabe photojournalist Jessie. Together this quartet travel across America witnessing the impact and devastation the war is having on US citizens.
Written and directed by Alex Garland, Civil War is a dystopian action-thriller starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Nick Offerman. The film is new to UK and US cinemas this week and is quite simply a must-see movie.
Brutal, emotive, and continuously unflinching, Civil War paints a bleak and terrifying portrait of what life could be like in the US if political divisions continue. As with all good dystopian stories, Civil War is a tale which is only a few steps away from where we are now, and that’s what makes it a frightening foray into an alternate universe.
We all witnessed the events of January 6th 2021, and we’re all aware of how divisive the Trump administration was, so it’s not too difficult to see the parallels here. Civil War demonstrates what could lie in the not-too distant future if bad choices are made and those in power continue to sow seeds of division.
Now, while a contentious political climate and a fractured nation are a huge focus of the film, at the heart of Civil War is the story of the journalists – in particular the journey of photojournalist Lee Smith, as played by Kirsten Dunst. Lee is a hardened journo, who has seen the true horrors of humanity, and in many ways has become a shell of a person who continually has to shut off her emotions to get the job done.
Throughout the film, there are multiple instances of death, which Lee witnesses first hand. One of the film’s greatest strengths is showing how Lee deals with all this, and how she keeps on going even when those deaths are close to home.
All of this is conveyed effortlessly by Dunst, who excels in this movie, playing Lee as a woman who has to keep all of her feelings in check, because if she doesn’t, tragedy could be around the corner. At all times in this film, Dunst commands the screen and she ensures all of the emotional beats are delivered as intended.
In terms of the film’s writing and direction, filmmaker Alex Garland is on tip top form. He captures the essence of what has been bubbling in the US for some time now, gives it a little nudge and explores the fall out.
Certain scenes appear is if they have been ripped out of the history books, others could be tomorrow’s headlines, but none feel out of place. Garland finds the perfect balance and serves up a captivating picture.
Throw in some fantastic cinematography from Rob Hardy, as well as some energetic editing from Jake Roberts, and Civil War packs a gut-punching wallop. It’s a brilliant film, while at the same time it is pure nightmare fuel too.
Civil War is an exceptional picture which manages to deliver a troubling story, while at the same time it offers spectacle and superb performances. Garland’s picture deserves all the recognition it gets and I expect it’ll get plenty.
Hopefully Civil War will prompt some much needed discussions and ensure audiences are aware of what could be on the horizon if the wrong decisions are made. At times it is hard viewing, but it is essential viewing nonetheless which is expertly handled.
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