1 of 5 | Lee (Kirsten Dunst) photographs the "Civil War." Photo courtesy of A24
LOS ANGELES, April 8 (UPI) -- Civil War, in theaters Friday, is a suspenseful thriller about what America might be like during a modern civil war. It is disappointing that a film with such a premise avoids a political discussion, but with writers having made that decision, it delivers on the cautionary tale.
When the film begins, the United States already is holding off the Western Forces of California and Texas. War photographer Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) and reporter Joel (Wagner Moura) plan to corner the president (Nick Offerman) for an interview in Washington.
Against Lee's advice, Joel allows New York Times reporter Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and rookie photographer Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) to ride with them to Charlottesville, N.C., the current front line.
Following journalists gives writer-director Alex Garland an out to ignore the politics that led California and Texas to join forces and secede. The journalists would cover the war regardless of sides, but at least it gives journalists credit for maintaining objectivity.
Avoiding the politics also allows either side to see Civil War as a cautionary tale. However, it still feels like a cop-out.
This civil war is fictional, anyway, so any explanation Garland could have provided would be irrelevant to real-life politics. But, Lee articulates the need for journalists to report so others can ask the questions, and the film plays by those rules.
The journey is fraught with dangers, from navigating a highway strewn with burnt-out cars to encountering potential combatants the characters meet along the way. Just stopping for gas is a major decision, guessing what the armed men guarding a gas station will do is worth the risk of refueling.
With both sides wearing military fatigues, Lee and Joel often do not know which side someone is on until they speak. Neither side is likely to welcome the press.
The journalists photograph an active shootout between Western Forces and U.S. military. Some snipers lay traps the journalists have to navigate.
Garland photographs those scenes elegantly on locations or in studios in Atlanta. Most are nondescript roads, fields or houses, but the travelers arrive at recognizable locations by the end.
There's no denying it is disturbing to see Washington, D.C., as a war zone, effectively recreated despite filming entirely in Atlanta. The finale is super intense.
Throughout the film, Garland intercuts the black-and-white photos Jessie captures. This shows the audience the fruits of her training days before Jessie develops the negatives herself.
Focus also racks from Lee to her background, whether she is watching activity on the rooftops of buildings or eyeing the grass in a field. This subtly conveys what these journalist characters observe.
Some of Garland's techniques are overdone. When surprise gunfire erupts, the loud noise is kind of a cheap jolt. The visuals are engaging enough that Garland need not crank the sound-effects volume.
Curiously, the Western Forces' flag has two stars, representing California and Texas, but still all 13 stripes. Even though 19 total states have seceded, perhaps the Western Forces still respect the 13 original colonies despite their grudge against the other 31 states.
The dynamic of the grudging veteran reluctantly mentoring the rookie who is in over her head is familiar, but explored effectively. It is exciting to watch Dunst enter the grizzled veteran phase of her career, which began with strong edgy roles as a child actor.
Anyone who wants their movies free of politics isn't likely to see a movie called Civil War. The film would be stronger if it took a stand, even a fictional one, but short of that, it effectively portrays a dangerous stateside world.
Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.
