Civil War: breaking expectations and forging a new type of war movie

By Kelsey Dwire

5/28/2024

The 2024 War/Action movie, Civil War, written and directed by Alex Garland, was a new and interesting take on war movies. Instead of following soldiers throughout battle like most movies in this genre, Garland’s approach was to follow photojournalists capturing pictures of the war. With a talented cast and uniqueness within the genre, Civil War was indeed a revolutionary film.

Whether you are an action movie junkie or a lover of movies with deeper meaning, Civil War will appeal to you. There are brief moments of intense action but those are also balanced with cathartic conversations between characters. Although many people thought that this movie would be politically charged, it wasn’t. It was never overtly stated, only hinted at, why the civil war in the movie began. It takes the neutral stance of the photojournalists and dedicates the movie to the pursuit of journalistic documentation of events.

Civil War’s main photojournalist, Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), along with her coworkers and friends, Joel (Wagner Mora) and Sammy (Stephen Mckinley Henderson) are determined to capture the violence of the war. The team’s goal is to interview the president in Washington DC because the opposing forces are closing in on him.

A young, aspiring photojournalist, invited by Joel, Jessie Cullen (Cailee Spaeny), joins them on their journey from New York City to Washington DC. This is against Lee’s initial protests because as a veteran war photographer, she knows the violence and danger this young girl will face on their trek. This film follows the treacherous quest of the team and the brutality they face in the name of journalism.

Since the Civil Wars character’s clear objective is documenting the fighting going on in a dystopian America, there is no surprise that this film contains gore and shocking scenes. Although there are many of these grisly shots, the cinematography was not limited to bloodshed. There were many sanguine shots of fields of flowers, the bright blue sky, and clear summer days. This juxtaposed nicely with the brutal scenes filled with blood and rampage. The polar opposite sides of the cinematography aligned with the duality of human nature referenced in the film. It showed that humans can find peace even during times of destruction and violence. Even the calm before the storm was shown to be valued by the characters in the movies through the scenes of peaceful nature because that was one of the small comforts they found after witnessing the atrocities of war. Since the main message of Civil War was the costs of war, the shots of undisturbed nature also served to emphasize how peace can prevail in life opposed to unrest. Overall, the cinematography of Civil War was exceptional due to its range and quality.  

Furthermore, the relevancy of Civil War cannot be be overstated. The current political climate of 2024 has had tones of hostility and unrest, not only in America but around the globe. One of the scenes in the film showing a violent riot is not a foreign issue to America today. The movie brings awareness to the true costs of war and turmoil. It shows bloodshed, needless looting, destruction, and chaos across the country. Civil War was not intended as an incendiary political film, but a cautionary tale to the realities we may face. Not only did it serve as a warning, but it was also an awakening to the heinous acts of war many places currently face. It was on par with the crimes against humanity  committed in warzones.

The emotions viewers leave the theater with may not be joyous, but the message and phenomenal cinematography make Civil War worth the watch. It was definitely not the politically inflammatory film it was anticipated to be because it prioritized the scarring effects of war, not the reasons for it. The fact that it did not take a clear political stance, had a talented cast, and exceptional cinematography, is why it earned a 81% on Rotten Tomatoes and a glowing review from me.