Whatever you might think of Alex Garland as a director, his films are never safe. There are rarely any easy answers, and there is a disturbing ambiguity to them that makes his work just as unnerving and thought-provoking as the work of modern genre directors like Ari Aster, Robert Eggers and Jordan Peele.
With that in mind, the premise of Civil War might seem entirely on brand for a writer and director who has never shied away from controversy. With the current geopolitical landscape as it is, on the surface this looked like it would be an intensely relevant, audacious film. And yet for such a timely idea, Garland’s approach is interestingly apolitical.
Set in an all-too-plausible, not-too-distant future, a civil war has torn the United States apart. California and Texas have separated from the rest of the country, leading a despotic president (Nick Offerman) to order air strikes on his own troops and a bitter war has ensued between the states. Crossing the country, in a last ditch effort to interview the President before he is deposed and/or executed, renowned photojournalist Lee (Kirsten Dunst) reporter colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) veteran political journo Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and novice photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) navigate their way through countless dangers and .
Garland’s recent “both sides-ing” comments regarding international conflicts were, in hindsight, a bit of a warning that he wasn’t going to be drawn into the specifics of the politics of the America he depicts here. It’s a very definite, conscious decision to not explore the political context for the war, and the choice is both refreshing and frustrating. I don’t like critiquing a film for what it’s not, but the trailers made quite a big deal of the political angle, and given Garland’s previous work and the relevance of the subject matter I expected a bit more detail on the conflict. There’s a familiar twang to the rhetoric used by Offerman’s president, and there are subtle pointers to what’s happened (The fraught history between California and Texas makes their alignment intriguing enough) but largely the details are left obscure.
It’s disappointing given the uncompromising nature of his previous films, all of which have risked critical panning to remain faithful to Garland’s often high-concept ideas. Men proved especially divisive among audiences and critics (I loved it) but if it failed, it failed on its own terms, and it had a vivid, if esoteric message behind it. In taking the cautious route, Civil War ends up feeling a little toothless at times.
The film itself is no less compelling for that though, emerging as an examination of the responsibility, and even culpability of journalists in a time of war. The voyeurism and emotional detachment that come part and parcel with the role, and the dehumanizing toll it takes on the person behind the camera. Garland creates a narrative reminiscent of Ace In The Hole or Nightcrawler, thoughtfully and unapologetically depicting how the pursuit of the perfect photograph or story can blind you to the bigger picture.
Kirsten Dunst gives a pitch perfect portrayal of a seasoned professional who has had to adopt a harsh exterior in order to navigate the brutality and violence she witnesses on a daily basis. The brief glimpses of humanity that come through are palpable and genuinely touching. The scene where she chooses to delete an evocative photo she took of a dead colleague shows her pathos emerging.
Fresh off the back of her star-making turn in Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny is also excellent as the young idealistic photojournalist in search of a mentor. For my money the most effective arc of the story is her journey from naive beginner to opportunistic pro, as she is exposed to the most disturbing, repellent parts of the human psyche, and apparently emerges as even more cynical than her supposed idol.
Rounding out the cast, Wagner Moura is a perfect laconic presence whose outward cynicism is broken down over the course of the film, and Stephen McKinley Henderson brings a much-needed sense of conscience and morality to proceedings. His natural charisma and decency make his excision from Dune Part Two even more unforgivable.
Where Garland shines is in his depiction of a volatile, unpredictable powder keg environment. There is a palpable sense of unease, of danger lurking around every corner. In particular the scene with Jesse Plemons as a terrifyingly calm soldier is almost unbearably tense. His interrogation of the journalists recalls the Troubles in Northern Ireland than anything, as Plemons ask “what kind of American?” they are.
Garland has been quoted as saying that he doesn’t believe there is such a thing as an anti-war film, as the medium itself makes war too “seductive or operatic.” Civil War falls into this trap itself, but it’s unclear how much of this is intentional. Rob Hardy’s breathtaking cinematography finds the beauty in every scene, in the repurposed high school stadiums and car parks; in the distant gunfire; in scenes of unimaginable cruelty. It looks stunning, especially when rendered in IMAX, all of which effectively illustrates Garland’s point. Even the choices on the soundtrack highlight the artificiality of film, scoring an execution scene with an upbeat De La Soul track. But then he indulges himself too much in the climactic assault on the White House, which veers into almost video game territory.
The sound editing is also masterful, with the deafening chaos of the war-zones amplified to spine-tingling effect when watching in IMAX cinemas. Equally though, Garland shows an admirable amount of restraint, making devastating use of silence. The opening sequence of the President’s speech, combined with real-life footage of political riots, especially reminded me of Andrew Dominik’s Killing Them Softly, which makes similar use of disorienting sound and political allegories.
As you may conclude, I’m conflicted. It might be Garland’s most conventional directorial effort, but that’s not a criticism considering his previous film featured a man giving birth to himself. Garland has grown into an intuitive, incredibly effective action director, making his recent announcement about retiring from directing both baffling and regrettable. What Civil War lacks in sophistication it makes up for in potency. The film is full of vital, genuine heart-in-the-mouth moments and the set-pieces are directed with clarity and a thrilling urgency. It’s been a while since I heard so many gasps of shock in a press screening, so that alone makes Civil War worth seeing, and on a screen as big as possible.
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