Movie Review: Civil War

Some movies leave a lasting impression on you even long after you’ve left the theater, and the searing journalism drama Civil War is one that viewers won’t be able to shake off. Alex Garland’s ode to field reportage thrusts us into an America that is already in the middle of a war with itself, having split into 3 different factions. The exact reason for the schism is never revealed, nor is it ever specified which side is “good” or “bad” (though a few hints are given), which somehow makes the proceedings all the more distressing.

Esteemed photojournalist Lee (Kirsten Dunst) is planning on leaving New York City with reporter Joel (Wagner Moura) to try and get an interview from the President (Nick Offerman) before his impending loss to the insurrectionists. Veteran journalist Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) tries to warn the pair about the extreme danger their plan would put them in, but upon seeing that they won’t be dissuaded, he instead asks if he can hitch a ride to get closer to the front lines of the fighting. An aspiring young photographer named Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) also manages to join the group so that she can learn from Lee, who is one of her idols. In a white SUV with “Press” emblazoned on its sides, the four try to navigate the war-torn American countryside and get to Washington, DC before the fall of the old government, encountering skirmishes and other dangers along the way.

Garland has crafted a dark masterpiece with this material. The images of American towns and landmarks torn apart by conflict are haunting, as are the tense firefights, all strikingly captured by Garland’s usual cinematographer Rob Hardy. War brings out the worst in humanity, and that is on full display throughout, especially when the group encounters a band of soldiers (featuring a chilling Jesse Plemons) using the circumstances as an excuse to execute those who don’t fit their definition of “American”. Through it all though, the seasoned journos mostly maintain an aura of icy cool, trying to keep themselves detached from the horrors they witness in order to report it back without bias. Dunst is especially good as she keeps up the facade while beginning to battle PTSD as a result of everything she’s seen over the years.

The trailers may have marketed the movie as more action-heavy than it actually is, but that doesn’t mean it’s all talk either. In fact, there isn’t really all that much dialog, with the actors often portraying more with a look than could be said in words. This is no popcorn flick and the war sequences aren’t meant to be “fun”. In a real war the fighting is intense, loud, chaotic, and scary and here they feel very realistic. The decision to freeze frame some moments to show them as Lee and Jessie are capturing them is a smart one, enhancing that realism. This is hardly the first movie about the horrors of war, but by focusing on those covering it Garland gives us a fresh perspective, and seeing the fighting brought to our home turf in such a plausible manner makes it hit harder than it otherwise might have. Civil War is hands-down one of the best movies of the year so far, will leave audiences with a lot to discuss and ponder afterwards, and will hopefully give them a greater appreciation for those who put their lives at risk to keep us informed about the world around us. ★★★★★