The Wasteland Reviewer

Civil War (2024) Written Review

What is going on in this crazy country of ours? The United States is going through one of the tumultuous times in its history since the Civil War. We have great divides between people of different political leanings. We have Congress members advocating for secession and civil war which is a horrific thing to think about. We have political leaders who are inciting acts of upheaval as well as encourage deep cuts of hate against other Americans. What do we need most at this point? A film that shows the United States fracturing and getting involved in a civil war. Art is a powerful thing. Artistic greatness is something that we hope to see with any film that is released. But that artistic expression does not exist in a vacuum. There are societal contexts that can greatly affect the perception of a film upon release. Having a film like Civil War coming out currently just feels to tone deaf as some Americans are hoping to start a real one. This review will get into the deeply rich filmmaking, acting, and expression that is one screen in Alex Garland’s latest film. But the film’s release will always be maligned by the timing. Timing is everything and our country does not need a film like this at this present moment (if ever). 

But outside of the controversial timing and elements that draw too closely to modern issues in the United States…does Garland deliver an affecting and impactful film? From this point forward, this review will specifically look at this film from the context of what it is trying to accomplish. There are a few foundational themes that make up the messaging behind the film. A fascist president forces different states with large divides in political ideologies to come together for what would be the greater good. In the context of this film, that is quite an impactful approach to the film and helps blunt some of the backlash. If this film did indeed flesh out the political alignment of those involved in this war, that would have pushed the film over the edge in terms of creating potential real strife in this country. 

But what other themes and ideas does Civil War tackle? The key pieces of the film are the approach of journalists as well as the violence that has unfortunately become a fabric of American society. The violence is brutal, real, and visceral. There is no avoiding the horrific damage inflicted on people and the symbols of America. When the film reaches its climax in Washington, DC and we witness the destruction of some of the most important symbols of liberty in our country at the hands of our people…it makes quite the impact. But the needless death along the road that our journalists witness is uncomfortably authentic and real. Whether it is driven by hate for “the other” or honestly just out of the randomness of chaos, Garland can capture that in a deeply affecting and piercing way. 

But what is the film truly about? This is a journey of journalists. The main quartet of characters all represent a differing perspective on how far people will go to “chase the story”. Kirsten Dunst stars as Lee who has seen war plenty of times but this journey is different. There is something deeply disturbing this time for Lee as she witnesses this war and destruction on her own doorstep and in her own country. We see quite the whirlwind of a journey Lee goes on with her fellow journalists. The need to get to the truth and the rawest possible perspective drives her and the rest of her team to danger that certainly has consequences. Dunst delivers a tortured and deep performance that is one of the most affecting portrayals of her whole career. But she is reflected in the young energy of Cailee Spaeny’s Jessie. She delivers a performance that balances the thrill of the chase with the visceral fear of such a reality. Her character is young and full of lust for the big score. This aggressive and reckless approach leads to one of the most emotionally devastating and impactful moments of the film’s climax. Stephen McKinely Henderson’s Sammy and Wagner Moura’s Joel are opposites. They both believe in the free press but only one of them will put the big story above all else including the lives of others. The reckless abandon that some of our key players go on heightens the tension so much.

Speaking of, how does Garland deliver in the experiential aspects of the film? Civil War just might be one of the tensest films in modern cinema. Every scene has a bit of chaos and danger as anything, and anyone can come up on the road to DC. In many ways, this existential dread and danger is akin to the great works of Cormac McCarthy as The Road is certainly a film that feels like it influences the film. There are even tinges of Francis Ford Coppola’s journey into the heart of darkness, Apocalypse Now. There is a foreboding atmosphere in every scene and as we get closer to the chaos that is now DC, we feel the darkest close in around us and no one…absolutely no one…feels safe. The film moves in a haunting way and the tension is quite often at fever pitch. The one scene featuring Dunst’s husband, Jesse Plemons, is a bit of a microcosm of the whole film.  There is death, horrific visuals, an air of chaos, and a burgeoning hate that unfortunately feels like it fits too well in American society. 

How do the rest of the crew help bring Garland dark, intense, and uncomfortably poetic vision to life? Cinematographer Rob Hardy has made quite the filmography for himself. His collaborations with Garland have been fruitful in creating some of the most darkly beautiful films of recent memory. This is true for Civil War as well. There are plenty of shots of the beautiful lands of America with an impressive usage of focus. The way Hardy captures a figure in the forefront and can make the unfocused background feel so breathtaking is something else. Since the film is heavily centered around photojournalists, we are treated to some gorgeous still photos throughout the film. What works so well is the editing from Jake Roberts which perfectly freezes the live moments and replaces them with gorgeous (mostly) black-and-white photography. The way the sounds are cut out to focus on the picture is quite impressive. The rest of the soundscape for the film is incredibly affecting with big guns, tanks, coppers, and explosions that feel so real (especially in the IMAX screen experience). There are some other haunting moments where all the audience hears are chirps of bugs and birds as some horrific imageries are put on display. All the technical elements are breathtaking and let’s not forget the atmospheric and unnerving score from Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow. 

With all this technical prowess and acting and thematic writing, does the spectacle of it all deliver? This is A24’s largest film to date with a $50 million budget. That is low mid-sized in the modern filmmaking industry, but it is a giant amount for the usually frugal studio. But there is no mistaking the truth…this film is an absolute marvel to watch. You can see all the money in the film as our journalists find themselves in the messy and horrifying hellscape that DC has become. The action is big and bold…but most importantly exciting. The film feels a bit overly manipulative in the setting up for the action with beloved and significant monuments getting destroyed by our own people. The helicopters, the cars, and tanks heighten the experience with their big and jarring sounds but (outside of a few other moments) we have a hero who can find you salvation or even work. The film itself is nearly perfect. But it is a sign of the times that this miraculous film might be lost in the shuffle of real-world strife.