CIVIL WAR (2024) – A frustrating watch that does not deliver on what it purports to be
Rating : ⭐ 1/2
Right from the beginning, I had issues with this film. It names itself Civil War but yet intentionally avoided in providing any background to the nature or origin of how the civil unrest across America happened. When the film begins, we are hurled straight into the thick of a civil war with scarcely any explanation on what is going on. By not providing any details the film immediately cast a barrier with the viewers in not letting them in on vital information for them to feel any empathy or identify with what’s happening on screen. This also gives the film makers a free rein on whatever so called war atrocities they wish to portray without the need to explain anything. It all makes the horrors of war depicted here feel not much far off from the horrors depicted in fictional apocalyptic movies involving zombies or aliens. I wonder if the reason for the choice of not providing the background is to avoid making the movie too realistic in reference to the reality of America’s progressing decline from its shrinking global influence, geopolitical problems, and diminishing moral, social and behavioral values.
We are introduced to the main 4 characters of the story, made up of people from the press including a seasoned war photographer Lee (played by Kristen Dunst) and a young aspiring photojournalist Jessie (played by Cailee Spaeny). The plot quickly turns into some sort of road trip movie with the four of them travelling from New York to Washinton DC in the hope of getting an interview with the President. Along the way they encounter a number of unrelated situations depicting the craziness of war as Lee becomes a reluctant mentor to the inexperienced Jessie teaching her to capture the moments. The depiction of the so-called civil war is scaled down to these smaller “bite pieces” instead of providing a foundation over what happened. Just one “mad encounter” followed by another until the explosive final act which takes place in Washington. The problem is these episodes comes across as very stagey which rendered them feeling unconvincing, and contrived which further alienates the audience.
Another problem with Civil War is that none of its main characters are likeable or interesting. Cailee Spaeny who was so good in Priscilla, comes across as being an annoying teenager who is reckless and selfish. In fact, she is so irritating we wonder why the others in the car don’t just throw her out. Kristen’s Lee stares a lot into space deep in thought. She is supposed to be some hot shot photojournalist but yet, prefers to give guidance and shot opportunities to Jessie instead. Her other car mates Joel and the aging veteran journalist Sammy (played by Dune’s Thufir Hawat, Stephen McKinley Henderson), are poorly written and play predominantly in the background.
Kristen Dunst’s real life husband Jesse Plemons had a cameo appearance as a trigger happy and mentally unstable rogue gunman. It was the movie’s strongest scena and only one that resonates with a sense of realism in the raw and honest depiction of the ugly side of America which is prevalent today.
The film’s promotional posters give the impression that the film is action packed where in fact it is anything but that. The only explosive scenes come in the final act, but this was too little too late and in fact felt out of place with the preceding portion of the film. I would consider this a major disappointment from writer director Alex Garland, given his involvement in far more superior movies before with thelikes of Men, Annihilation and Ex Machina.
