Civil War (Film Review)

Alex Garland’s career in film has definitely seen more highs than it has lows. From his extensive work on screenplays to his recent directorial efforts, there is no denying the talent he has both on the page and behind the camera. However, after 2022’s divisive Men, a lot of people doubted his abilities, hoping it was a dud that wouldn’t happen again. Thankfully, Civil War isn’t just a return to form for Garland but is possibly his most confident film to date.

Civil War, like most of Garland’s work, looks at an aspect of humanity through a specific lens. Here, he dissects America, using a nationwide civil war as the backdrop and war photographers as the primary perspective. The film very wisely never picks a side to the conflict and instead presents everything in a very ‘matter of fact’ manner. Having war photographers as its point of view allows the audience to see the bigger picture of this fictional war whilst not needing to pick a side themselves. It’s a neutral viewpoint and the perfect decision for a film like this.

The violence in the film also benefits from this unique perspective on war as a whole. Though it comes across as brutal in the final product, the shooting and explosions only ever occur around our main group of characters. They are simply there to document everything, the war never impacts them unless they interfere or get in the way. This decision leads to some incredibly tense moments throughout the film, all of which are shot and acted to perfection. These choices also help in blurring the lines in the morality of the war the film depicts. Obviously, the main characters don’t pick a side but it’s the individuals they encounter along the way that bring these themes to the forefront and heighten the already present tension. The reasons people have for fighting can range from obliviously naive to morally confused.

To help keep all these elements in check you have a great cast that works wonders in making this all feel just a bit more real. Kirsten Dunst brilliantly internalises years of trauma helping add depth to the character of Lee. Wagner Moura manages to find the complexity in his character as well. One minute he’s submerged in adrenaline and the next he’s screaming out in pain-fueled agony. Cailee Spaeny is also a wonderful addition as amateur photographer Jessie. She fits into the core group very well but is fully aware of how inexperienced she is.

Alex Garland’s direction is also on top form here. He never indulges in the mindless, over-the-top violence some war films can get carried away with. When he can, Garland finds the time to admire the beauty amongst the quieter moments and squeezes any form of suspense he can from battle sequences that do occur. The film knows just the right times when to show you the horrors of war from afar and uncomfortably close up. His writing, as previously mentioned, perfectly balances sensitive messages with respect and a good dose of honesty. Sometimes that means the characters can suffer as result of this but only on rare occasions. It’s nothing that completely ruins the flow, but instead raises questions for one or two scenes throughout the film.

With Civil War, Garland finds a way to plant fiction very firmly into a believable reality. This may not have happened yet, but if it does this is probably what it will look like.

Civil War is in cinemas now.