Civil War: A Hit and A Miss

This movie has been referred to as “a scary vision of a broken America,” probably an apt description of the violence and mayhem that ensues throughout the film, which opens with the premise that two states—Texas and California—have already withdrawn from the Union. However, viewers will note that one of these states is red and the other blue; the movie does not explore political issues at all. No one discusses ideology, but the dissidents have had time to create their own menacing military force called the Western Force.

This force is headed toward Washington, D.C., to take over the capital and assassinate the President. However, the focus of the film is not on the assailants but on four reporters who are leaving New York City in order to reach the capital so they can cover the invasion. The four are traveling in a mini-van clearly marked PRESS, and the driver is Joel (Wagner Moura), who has avoided using the normal route between the two cities in order to elude the combatants. Instead, he drives inland through Pennsylvania, adding several hundred miles to the journey.

This added mileage allows the audience an extended length of time to become acquainted with the passengers, especially Lee (Kirsten Dunst), who has achieved some fame for her photo-journalistic skills and is hoping to arrive in D.C. for an interview with the President. A young reporter, Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), is learning to be a photojournalist and grabs the opportunity to work beside her role model, Lee. Jessie talks Joel into taking her on the journey. Also traveling in the car is veteran reporter Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), whose warm personality creates a kind and fatherly relationship with the other three

Even though Joel has taken this circuitous route to D.C., the four encounter much violence and devastation. One particularly frightening encounter is with a soldier (Jesse Plemons in a cameo role) wearing red plastic sunglasses as he fingers the trigger on an assault rifle while challenging them with “What kind of Americans are you?” Before they can respond to his challenge, the interrogator is wiped out by a speeding truck. Another chilling scene shows a truck dumping dozens of dead bodies into a mass grave.

At the heart of the movie is Kirsten Dunst’s portrayal of Lee, who has become famous around the world for her coverage of mayhem in war-torn countries. Now, she is finding even bloodier encounters within her own country. Dunst is always convincing both in Lee’s moments of cynicism and in her courageous behavior in the face of danger. Her toughness also softens as we see her bond with fledgling journalist Jesse.

“Civil War” presents a very dystopian view of America at war with itself. Audiences will find it difficult to know whether this film is designed to be a cautionary tale or a mere exercise of imagination. The movie was written and directed by British filmmaker Alex Garland, who has made several science fiction films, such as “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation.” Yet this movie creates very believable protagonists in situations that could be possible if a contemporary civil war should occur.

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