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At an indeterminate point in the future, America is in the throes of a Second Civil War, with a dictatorial third-term President (Nick Offerman) leading loyal federal forces against several secessionist movements. Word begins to spread that a strong secessionist group known as the "Western Forces" (comprising of Texas and California) plans to make their final push for the capital to overthrow the President, in turn ending the war. Seasoned photojournalist Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) and her colleague, Joel (Wagner Moura), intend to travel to Washington, D.C. to interview the President before his possible defeat. Joining the pair is aging journalist Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and an aspiring young photographer named Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), who idolises Lee and wants to make it as a frontline war photojournalist. Hitting the road, the group begins their perilous journey to the nation's capital, traversing hundreds of miles, with Jessie becoming exposed to violent conflicts that test her resolve.
Garland wisely avoids politics, eschewing any exploration behind the reasoning for America's Second Civil War to concentrate on the raw fight for survival and the realities of living in battle zones. Garland emphasises the picture's apolitical stance with the Western Forces, a movement uniting soldiers from Texas (a notoriously red state) and California (a notoriously blue state). Civil War is about war journalism, and we observe the conflicts through the eyes of Lee and her colleagues, who must remain objective while capturing the harsh realities that the public might not otherwise see. Civil War does not ask us to take sides; instead, the survival of the central four characters is our primary concern. Furthermore, Garland explores the futility of war, with some factions no longer sure who they are fighting or why. Garland explores the various possibilities of a war-town America, from neutral refugee camps to a small town where residents live in blissful ignorance, unwilling to participate in the conflict as they strive to continue life as normal. However, with the movie amounting to an episodic tour through war-torn America, Civil War does begin to lose momentum in the second act, with Garland's screenplay needing a stronger unifying narrative thread. The developing friendship between Lee and Jessie gives the movie some much-needed humanity, but the story is not necessarily about these two, and Garland can only sustain the string of fragmented conflicts for so long.
The smaller set pieces deliberately lack scope as the group travels through rural American towns, but the spectacular climax in Washington takes full advantage of the premise's potential as Garland stages a spectacular extended gun battle through the nation's capital. Although Garland has dabbled in gunplay before, Civil War is his first balls-to-the-wall action film, and the results are sensational. The violence is brutal, uncompromising and vicious, though Garland also shows tact when necessary, never dwelling on gore or making the picture feel unnecessarily exploitative. Garland even depicts several key moments using a series of still photographs through the lens of Lee or Jessie's cameras. The smaller conflicts during the first two acts burst with almost unbearable tension, especially a nerve-rattling encounter involving an unpredictable soldier (played by the always-reliable Jesse Plemons), and Garland thankfully does not lose his way during the climax. Carrying the largest budget in A24's history (approximately $50 million), the technical presentation is superb, from the slick cinematography by Rob Hardy (Garland's regular collaborator) to the sensational visual effects and the sinister original score.
Dunst is excellent here, looking tired and worn after years of experience and conflict. This is not a performance about glamour or looking pretty; instead, Dunst's Lee Smith is burnt out and emotionally detached, desensitised to the violence surrounding her, though Jessie brings out more of her humanity. Equally excellent is Moura (Elite Squad, Narcos), who is initially charismatic and confident but gradually loses his cool throughout the proceedings as things continue to occur outside of his control, taking him to breaking point. Spaeny continues her rise to prominence here, delivering a rock-solid performance as an aspiring photojournalist. Through body language and her demeanour, she convincingly transforms from a naive girl into a confident woman, with the movie's events taking their toll on her. Other recognisable performers also make their mark, from Nick Offerman as the President to an unhinged Jesse Plemons, while Stephen McKinley Henderson is a warm and authoritative presence as Sammy.
With its slick and immaculately polished visuals, it's a shame that Civil War's storytelling is so fragmented. Although it certainly comes alive during various compelling and harrowing moments, it does not feel like a full and complete story, which particularly impacts momentum during the picture's second act. Nevertheless, Garland gets more right than wrong, ensuring that Civil War is another memorable and worthwhile feather in the director's cinematic cap after the 2022 misfire of Men.
7.2/10
