Rating of
2/4
Civil War (A24) seems more afraid than edgy
Indyfreak - wrote on 06/04/26
Glossy and gritty speculative thriller about a hypothetical civil war in the present-day United States. Seems unlikely right? Right? (Nervous laughter)
The plot finds the USA under siege by rebellious factions and a tyrannical president (played by Nick Offerman). The main story follows a quartet of journalists who travel to D. C. and chronicle the bloodshed left by the conflict.
Don’t expect any big battle scenes. A lot of this movie is set in the aftermath or away from the action. Things do pick up in the second half. The sense of chaos and societal collapse is pretty convincing on a smaller budget.
The cast is fine for the most part. They play their roles well enough. Kirsten Dunst is unlikable at times. But that does pay off for the ending. Nick Offerman is an odd choice for playing an evil politician. He may look like a normal person but he is not very menacing. Stephen McKinley Henderson brings some much needed gravitas as a seasoned reporter.
The standout actor is Jesse Plemons who is the militiaman wearing red sunglasses. He is very very creepy and seems like he came from a different and more interesting movie.
Alex Garland does not focus on the political issues that started the war. To me, that was a mistake. And it actually seems more like a total cop out. He sounds like a smart director. So it was frustrating to see him refuse to map out a scenario that explains why Texas and California were allied against the president or why racist militias gained enough power to carry out mass atrocities with impunity.
These scenes are fascinating and sometimes chilling. But without context, their impact is softened and their implications are simply relegated to the realm of hyperbole. Not reality.
And to me, that is a disservice to the audience.
