What’s so Civil About War Anyway?
Let’s get this out of the way, Civil War will not trigger your outrage reflex. If you are looking for a sweet, hour and 49 minute hit of that crystal rage, stick to Tik Tok. Unless the very words “Texas” and “California” get your dander up, Civil War steers so clear of anything resembling commentary, one wonders why Alex Garland bothered to set it here at all. Because it really could have taken place in any war-torn country of the last 30 years and it would have been exactly the same, fairly enjoyable film that it is . And maybe I’m stumbling on the central theme as I write this, that the US is just one suspended election away from becoming another dusty, endless conflict zone, the news from which we inevitably tune out, but I don’t really know. I’ll tell you the same thing everyone I went with told me as we were walking out of the theater, “I’m gonna have to think about that one.”
Civil War follows Lee (Kirsten Dunst) and Joel (Wagner Moura) as they make their way from New York City to Washington DC ostensibly so Joel can interview the president (Nick Offerman) although we don’t dwell on that much. Along for the ride is aspiring photojournalist Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) and New York Times reporter (I think?) Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson). Neither of the writers in this group ever appear to do any work so it’s mostly about photography and the importance of capturing horror so that, as Lee puts it, other people can ask questions. Which is really placing yourself several degrees away from difference making. Not only do we not do anything, we don’t even ask the questions, we just document so that someone else can ask questions and then, maybe, WAAAYYY on down the road, somebody might actually do something about all…. this. I guess that is the job of the photojounalist, but none of the photos they take in the movie ever go anywhere or change anything. Rather than highlighting the necessity of the fourth estate, Civil War almost seems to debase it. Yes, the main characters take a lot of beautiful and important pictures, but at the end of the day it’s the people holding the guns who make the calls. Maybe that’s what it’s about?
Don’t get me wrong, Civil War is, in the words of another of my fellow theater-goers, “frickin’ tight!” It’s well made, well acted, and most of it takes place in the gorgeous Georgia sunshine. There are moments of real tension, and the 3rd act is exciting. I do think, without giving too much away, that the denouement completely undermines the entire plot, but that’s ok! That’s fine, that’s like, not what the movie is about, man! What is it about? I DON’T KNOW. But I think you should see it because Alex Garland is a writer/director worth funding so vote with your wallet and go buy a ticket to this decent movie. Just don’t expect it to pick a side, play both sides, or even acknowledge the existence of sides.
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