Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Civil War.A24’s new action blockbuster civil war There is a somewhat ambiguous central message. Alex Garland (ex machine, 28 days later) explores the film A fictional near-future scenario in which the United States is divided into factions fighting against a totalitarian government Led by a fascist president. Although there are specific reasons for this Civil war The conflict is left deliberately ambiguous by Garland, who also wrote the film’s screenplay, its ending civil war His guerilla journalist brings a sense of triumph to the protagonists. Civil war The impressive box office performance has already made it one of the highest grossing movies of 2024
Civil war The cast is led by Kirsten Dunst (the power of the dog), Wagner Maura (Narcos), and Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) The film also features cameos by Nick Offerman as a rogue and unchecked American president and Jesse Plemons as an opportunistic and corrupt American soldier. What is arguably missing from this is Garland civil war A clear thesis of how the United States actually reached this extreme of internal conflict. The film is not concerned with the rational details and political considerations that exist in the modern United States. Instead, civil war Regardless of any particular motivation, these basic details are transcended to focus on the front-and-center reality of war in general.
The Civil War sniper shootout illustrates the central point of the movie
Civil War does not go into much political philosophy
The point of the scene, and pretty much the movie, is that conflict throughout
civil war
Who’s shooting at you, not necessarily what side you’re fighting for.
It contains several powerful and intense scenes civil war All of which hint at the film’s core concepts, but none of them are more spot on than the scene between the two snipers. Moura, Dunst, Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson’s characters are driving down a country road on their way to Washington DC when they realize someone with a sniper rifle is shooting at them. They managed to get out of their vehicle and run for cover, where they encountered two more militants, one with a sniper rifle and the other saw him. of course, Spaeny’s naively curious Jessie character asks them who they’re shooting at And discover they have no idea who the other sniper is.
The point of the scene, and pretty much the movie, is that conflict throughout civil war Who’s shooting at you, not necessarily what side you’re fighting for. Usually, wars are fought under separate flags and driven by nationalistic ideals, but civil war It does not enter much into political philosophy to explain its contradictions, which In some war-torn regions a free-for-all mentality is created. Although the larger picture revolves around Western forces and the rebellion of the Florida coalition against the federal government and the unchecked US president, most of the conflict is about survival and not about any political ideology.
The scene of the President’s death explains the political meaning of the Civil War
Western forces and the Florida Alliance aim to end fascist rule in the United States
Joel, like the rest of the journalists, is only invested in documenting the moments that can be sold and sensationalized by the press.
most of civil war It is told through the eyes of journalists, who are conditioned to be unbiased about the war and to capture only its tragic reality. As documentarians, their job is to stay as far away from the conflict as possible so they can capture and remember real moments of war that would otherwise disappear. Although this is the core concept of their profession, Throughout the film it becomes clear that the journalists are leaning more towards the Western forces and the Florida Alliance.Especially since they are given access to and protection from those factions in battleground areas.
On the other hand, Offerman’s president orders American troops to kill journalists on sight, essentially saying that journalists are silently rooting against the rise of fascism in the United States. When Offerman’s president is killed at the end civil warMaura’s character asks for a quote before shooting the fascist ruler dead. The President requested,Don’t let them kill me“And said Joel of Maura,”That will do.” Joel, like the rest of the journalists, is only invested in documenting the moments that can be sold and sensationalized by the press, although if he were asked to choose, he would probably be part of the resistance.
Jesse explains the Civil War perspective of photographing war journalism
Jesse’s innocence is completely ruined by his career
Jesse learns throughout civil war That to do his job well, he must be unemotional and essentially have no opinion About the events happening around him. He practices this by photographing a dying soldier as well as shooting Dunst’s character Lee after he is shot dead. civil war. At that moment Jesse’s innocence is completely destroyed. His tragic maturation process is solidified when he takes the final shot of Joel and a few Western soldiers standing over the dead president in what would theoretically be the most important image in American history. Jesse would then become a celebrity photographer like Lee, playing a major role in shaping history through his work.
The politics and true meaning of the Civil War are easily misunderstood
Civil War Wesley chose not to be too realistic with the political divide in the United States
civil war
Became more of a character study and a concept film than a traditional war movie.
Not all Civil War viewers understood what Garland was going for and misunderstood the overall point of the movie. When many people were expecting a classic war film Private Ryan Reserve the gold Black Hawk Down With various action-packed scenes and heroic moments, civil war Turned out to be more of a character study and a concept film than a traditional war movie. Of course, there are other successful war movies with an overarching theme or message, such as Stanley Kubrick’s Full metal jacket and Francis Ford Coppola Apocalypse is nowbut civil war was less inclined to glorify war and violence and instead focused on the stories of Lee, Joel, Sammy, and Jessie.
In addition, civil war The US wisely chose not to go for a realistic depiction of a modern-day civil war that would quickly become politicized and thus heated. while the trailer civil war When first released, it was not only made as an epic war film but also confused the audience by having California and Texas, two of the largest and most politically opposite states in the country, on the same side. By choosing not to pit California and Texas against each other or delve deeper into the president’s political agenda beyond unconstitutional and fascist abuses of power, civil war Avoids dividing the audience or making the audience uncomfortable.
The ambiguous political position of the Civil War is key to Alex Garland’s film
Throwing real-world politics into the film would have defeated its purpose
Like any good movie, Civil war The premise establishes a unifying base and a clear enemy that the protagonists can work towards and fight against. Real world politics would have been defeated if thrown into the film purpose civil war Being a blockbuster film as opposed to a documentary or any other form of journalistic content.
Offerman’s President is named after the President only and is not intended to represent any particular person. Instead, Offerman represents the idea of a cowardly dictator who holds on to his power and illustrates the danger of a world leader going rogue. civil war Not realistic enough to be cautionary, but it still drives home important messages about the significance and value of democracy and freedom.