I'm gonna spoil the movie, so if you care, it's probably best if you stop reading here because I'm not putting the entire thing in spoiler tags
So, long story short, Civil War is a beautifully made film that's also cowardly and disappointing
The cinematography is great, the sound is excellent, but the movie lacks something very important, an actual message
If the movie is supposed to be about truth and journalism and its importance, that never comes through, instead it feels very much like "The Troops are Brave: Camera Edition"
Because at no point in the film does the actual work journalists do comes up, instead you're treated to scene after scene of our protagonists taking pictures of war and atrocities, but never actually saying anything about it, which seems to be the tack the film itself is taking
That war is bad, but never bothering to explore the how's and why's of the conflict
The most hints we get as to why the president is bad is a mention that he has a third term (gasp) and ordered air strikes on civilians
Which, uh, I suppose is enough for some people, but the vociferousness with which the forces of the aptly named Western Forces pursue and execute the president suggest something far more interesting, which the movie could not even be bothered to even try and explore
To make a film about the United States becoming balkanized without bothering to even offer a smidgen of backstory as to its causes or even into the politics of the sides only serves to make the film a hollow shell
We're left with nothing to the film, and it seems like they're not even bothered by that, which is an absolute shame because they could have at least tried to say something
Instead, they chose very hard to say absolutely nothing, which only makes the apathy all the worse
the president bombing civilians has never been a catalyst for change before not even when theyve bombed american civilians so why would that be different in this movie? like, im sorry, the president could order troops to fire on people and half the country would rabidly support it
Exactly
Like we see nothing but animosity towards the president, but nobody acts like they were actually affected by him or his policies
Even the troops who execute him just do it without so much as a sneer or even spitting at him
It's weird
i'd really hoped that they'd lean into the dumb shit a bit but it seems like it won't even be fun to make fun of
The only fun bit is when Joel (the guy who I suspect becomes Alex Garland's mouthpiece) says something along the lines of "Southern boys or Portland Maoists, they're all the same"
Which, what?
damn the portland maosists get all the recognition
no love for our tampa bay maoists
Yeah, on a technical level, the film was absolutely brilliant. Probably one of the best I've ever seen. But the actual story was so weak, which, given the actual subject matter it covers, is super disappointing. I knew going in it wasn't going to be any good so I went with zero expectations on that front - I'd seen the trailers, the interview with the director, and seen some reviews already.
But if I'd actually gone in expecting an actual message or, you know, substance beyond style, I'd have been super pissed. In the end, I could just enjoy the film and the characters and have a good time. Still, I didn't pay full price and I'd tell others the same - go see it if you want to see great sound design and amazing cinematography, along with some genuinely thrilling scenes. But try and get some discounts - half-price, matinee pricing etc.
Ngl, the political ambiguity reminded me of that Pepsi commercial with Kendall Jenner. Lots of angry dissidents fighting for vague causes. Also the Antifa Massacre bit made me laugh. Still not sure if that film was supposed to be wholly serious or a parody of war movies.
You could tell that it was meant to be serious
The only moment that made me laugh was when Jesse Plemons has the stage directions of
Exit stage left, pursued by a carYou could tell that it was meant to be serious
That’s kinda depressing. I thought maybe the movie killed off almost all its main characters of color plus a bunch of non-white extras as some tongue-and-cheek meta-commentary on white savior war narratives. The cliches were just so in-your-face.
Is the message not "division is bad and we should not be divided because this will happen otherwise" ?
The civil war itself sounds like it's a disaster movie, as if civil wars are forces of nature like a volcano is. The message is then simply "prevent this disaster".
I don’t even see that. Like the movie doesn’t make the civil war seem like a bad thing. Just a thing that is happening. I could see liberals taking that from the movie, but nothing in there says the war that’s happening is bad. In fact the president gets mocked by one of the propagandists and then shot in the end. You could argue the movie actually takes the side of the secessionists.
you know, that's interesting
i think in some wars, those you read first-hand accounts of, happen like that. for those caught up in it the inevitability of it seemed so obvious and now its happening. it's not good or bad or anything they just have to deal with it now
of course people are not monolithic and not everyone would feel this way but certainly many did
My head canon is that the President is actually Nick Offerman who ran third party for the Epic Bacon, Whiskey and Woodworking Party and then the power went to his head but I think that's just my brain automatically filling in the gaps in the worldbuilding.
The best parts Portland Maoists get a shot out and the White House gets an actual insurrection. The sound is also the best gun Fire and explosions I have ever heard from a movie.
havent seen it but that sure as hell sounds like an alex garland joint to me. cool concept to draw people in but then offensively stupid
There's a scene at the tail end of the movie where the young tagalong photographer (Jessie) jumps out of cover, hoping to get a shot of the president
Unfortunately, the few remaining Secret Service agents start opening fire, so the older photographer(Lee) jumps out to push her out of the way, taking the barrage instead, while the younger one takes a picture of her hero dying
The scene is supposed to be a callback to when Jessie asked Lee if Lee would take pictures of her if she were shot and Lee said "Yes"
The problem is that the way it's filmed, it looks like Lee shoves Jessie out of the way and just stands there to get shot
Not that she was actively being shot, or couldn't get out of the way, but just chooses to be shot
I suppose that moment was trying to say something, but as my partner so poignantly put it "Why the fuck didn't she just tackle her out of the way?"
Geez, after reading through the comments here, I'm finding that this movie isn't even worth pirating.
And even after Writer/Director Alex Garland answers the most asked question, "Why are Texas and California allies?", what he gives is still a non-answer, just like his fucking movie:
https://screenrant.com/civil-war-a24-movie-texas-california-allies-explained-alex-garland/
I personally think questions are answered. There’s a lot of things that are clearly answered. There is a fascist president who smashed the Constitution and attacked [American] citizens. And that is a very clear, answered statement. If you want to think about why Texas and California might be allied, and putting aside their political differences, the answer would be implicit in that. So I think answers are there but you have to step to it and not expect to be spoon fed these things. It makes assumptions about the audience.
What? Like, how hard did Nick Offerman's president push the fascism button for TX and CA to get together? It still doesn't make sense. It's like Garland really went out of his way to not explain a fucking thing.
EDIT: @LaughingLion@hexbear.net has the top comment that said it best:
the president bombing civilians has never been a catalyst for change before not even when theyve bombed american civilians so why would that be different in this movie? like, im sorry, the president could order troops to fire on people and half the country would rabidly support it
https://hexbear.net/comment/4806332
Seriously, fuck this movie.
Pretty much
Literally a smidgen of information, a little taste of backstory could have made it better
But no, literally all we get is "He's been in office for THREE terms!"
The horror, the shame
literally all we get is "He's been in office for THREE terms!" The horror, the shame
Right? Like, there are Trumpers who would coom instantly if the Cheeto
got a third term. They think he was cheated out of his 2nd term anyway.
I wasn't expecting much but i was expecting more than an aesthetic "do not do the cool thing"
I legitimately can't process how disconnected from reality you'd have to be to think this movie was intellectually poignant
It stressed me out and gave me anxiety so I have to give credit there
