Civil War

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⭐ 9.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

When I watched a trailer for this movie, I thought it would be some hammy warning about political divide in the US, what right vs left can lead to. I thought the movie was very much not that, and it was much better for it. I thought the movie went to great lengths to be politically neutral (the rebels are a Texas and California alliance?? In what universe??), and rather a story about the horrors of war, using the backdrop of America to bring it home. You don't really know why the war is happening, but just see it through the lens of journalists covering it.

I thought all of this worked great. It was pretty horrifying. You get your happy camp of journalists, but see the effects of war on them too as they grow cold and dispassionate. This felt like war realism on another degree. Obviously I have no idea, but I imagine this is what it's like - bleak, but people trying to normalize their experiences, and also a lot of numbing it with drugs and alcohol. One scene that stood out to me was when Joel, who is maybe the most human of the group, was laughing and being chummy with a solider just moments after he executes some enemies. Wars breaks even the best of us!

In general this movie is just fantastic in every way. I think Alex Garland is super talented and there are some great shots here. I liked the writing, especially the moments between Kristen Dunst and her protege. And of course Jesse Plemmons does his signature move where he comes in for ten minutes and steals the show. Love that guy.

So yeah, not an easy watch, and I won't try to say I think it's an "important" one, but I do think it's pretty evocative and will make you think in different ways. I was just telling Jess before the movie that I'd love to go back to school for journalism... Yeah maybe not.

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