Civil War (2024) — Film Review: What kind of American are you?
A review of Alex Garland’s newest film about a dystopian America at civil war and whether it has anything to say or is just surface-level
“What kind of American are you,” asks a soft-spoken yet psychopathic soldier in Alex Garland’s Civil War. This line was the prominent quote the advertising hinged on. As is expected in this age of unruly online discourse, it generated heated back-and-forth discussions of what this film would ultimately be about. Some may have believed this would be dystopian fiction as a warning sign of where we may be heading in a post-January 6th country. Truthfully, the question asked in Civil War is merely window dressing for a film with a concept but not much to say.
When watching the film, I had to wonder why this vision of America — one where civil war has erupted between the federal government and a militia comprised of California and Texas — is the backdrop for a story about journalists. The central plot follows a famous war photographer, Lee (Kirsten Dunst), who’s exhausted her emotional toll throughout her career and hardly bats an eye at the sight of war atrocities anymore. She works with others like Joel (Wagner Moura) and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) who, likewise, have detached all sentiment for the responsibility of being on the frontlines and photographing what must be documented.
This responsibility is confusing yet enthralling for young Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), who aspires to be like Lee and maneuvers her way into their newest job. The opening scene, where Lee is covering a violent dispute in the New York City streets and must save Jessie, establishes much of what we must know for this world. Snipers stand on rooftops, police fight with the opposition, and a veteran photographer saves a young girl when she sees a suicide bomber toting an American flag.
How America got to this point is left for speculation. Garland seems most interested in presenting this divided and war-torn country as if we already know why it became this way. In one exchange, Jessie wants to know more about her hero and says that Lee became famous when she took a photo of the “Antifa Massacre.” Depending on who you are, you will interpret what this event entailed. Did Antifa perpetrate a massacre, or were they the ones massacred? That’s a nice, subtle jab at political extremists, many, if not all, of whom interpret whatever the hell they want.
I didn’t go into Civil War expecting to find provocative questions about my country or a detailed examination of the fascist Republicans and neoliberal Democrats who fan the flames of an ideological war. I suggest others do the same. The fact is that Garland’s film is concerned first and foremost with presentation, and any powerful meaning remains secondary.
The narrative — debatably in tune with the characters’ philosophy — centers around Lee and her crew driving from one place to another and capturing the best shots. Empty cars line the open highway, helicopters are broken down in JCPenney’s parking lots, and there are many dead bodies.
As visually striking as these images are — thanks in large to Rob Hardy’s cinematography and Caty Maxey’s production design — the film doesn’t always transition smoothly or present its style effectively. One harrowing moment of death is followed by a Hallmarkian scene of driving slow-motion through burnt ash to the soundtrack of Sturgill Simpson.
Much of the film remains watchable, thanks mainly to the cast. Dunst has been aging like fine wine, and with this film, she shows her ability to keep a nuanced tone with a tormented soul. We never question how haunted she is by what she’s seen when we see that far-away look in her blue eyes. Spaeny’s performance is to show, perhaps, a version of what Lee once was. She has the task of being afraid for her life but comes out feeling alive. Others like Moura and Henderson provide authority and camaraderie to this little group of reporters.
However, the show-stealing performance, in what’s far and away the film’s best scene, is Jesse Plemons as the sociopathic soldier they’re unfortunate enough to run into. Plemons has mastered the “Banality of Evil” in his performances since his breakthrough role in Breaking Bad, and this is no exception. He creates tension in a bottle while insinuating the film’s idea of Americanism within only a few minutes. One must wonder how much more captivating this film would’ve been had it utilized him as the central antagonist throughout.
Garland says he’s not going to direct for the foreseeable future. He’s been a rising talent for some time with good-but-not-great works like Ex Machina (2015) and Annihilation (2018), and an outright bad film, Men (2022). Civil War tells me again that he has promise but hasn’t yet refined his talents to a masterful level. Hopefully, he’ll fulfill his potential once he returns to the director’s chair.
