Civil War, directed by Alex Garland, presents a stark vision of a near-future United States torn apart by internal conflict. Released in 2024, the film follows a group of journalists navigating a fractured nation to reach Washington, D.C., for an interview with a beleaguered president. With its intense visuals, layered characters, and unflinching portrayal of violence, the movie offers a gripping narrative that resonates with audiences seeking to understand division and its consequences. This review examines the film’s plot, themes, performances, technical achievements, and its striking parallels to the United States’ current landscape as of April 2025.
Plot and Themes
The story centers on four journalists—Lee, a seasoned war photographer; Joel, her reporter colleague; Sammy, an aging mentor; and Jessie, a young aspiring photographer—as they journey from New York City to the nation’s capital. The United States is engulfed in a second civil war, with a coalition of secessionist states, led by Texas and California, clashing against a federal government under an authoritarian president serving an unconstitutional third term. The journalists aim to document the conflict’s final days, capturing the human cost and chaos along the way.
The narrative unfolds as a road movie, with the group encountering devastated towns, militia checkpoints, and moments of eerie normalcy amid the violence. The film sidesteps detailed explanations of the war’s origins, focusing instead on the immediate experiences of those caught in its grip. Themes of journalistic ethics, the desensitization to violence, and the fragility of societal bonds emerge through their interactions. The story questions whether objectivity can hold in the face of atrocities and what it means to bear witness in a world unraveling.
Performances
The cast delivers nuanced performances that ground the film’s high-stakes premise. Kirsten Dunst, as Lee, portrays a hardened professional whose stoic exterior masks growing weariness. Her subtle expressions convey the toll of years spent photographing horrors. Wagner Moura, playing Joel, brings restless energy, his drive for the next big story clashing with moments of doubt. Cailee Spaeny’s Jessie offers a fresh perspective, her initial awe giving way to grim resolve as she confronts the war’s realities. Stephen McKinley Henderson, as Sammy, provides quiet wisdom, his frail presence a reminder of the stakes for those who’ve seen too much. Supporting roles, including a chilling cameo by Jesse Plemons as a volatile soldier, add tension and unpredictability.
Technical Achievements
Garland’s direction, paired with Rob Hardy’s cinematography, creates an immersive experience. The camera lingers on sprawling battlefields and claustrophobic encounters, blending gritty realism with moments of haunting beauty—a gas station lit by Christmas lights, a highway littered with abandoned cars. The sound design amplifies the chaos, with gunfire and explosions punctuating uneasy silences. The score, composed by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, remains understated, letting the visuals and dialogue carry emotional weight.
The film’s production design paints a believable dystopia. Familiar American landscapes—suburban neighborhoods, rural farmlands—become alien under the weight of destruction. Editing keeps the pace taut, balancing action with quieter scenes that let characters breathe. At 109 minutes, the movie feels neither rushed nor overstretched, though some may wish for deeper context about the war’s roots.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Civil War excels in its visceral depiction of conflict and its focus on human stories. The journalists’ journey offers a lens to examine courage, apathy, and the instinct to survive. By avoiding heavy-handed exposition, the film trusts viewers to piece together its world, fostering engagement. The performances and technical craft elevate the narrative, making even fleeting moments—like a sniper standoff in a quiet field—memorable.
However, the decision to omit the war’s specific causes can frustrate those seeking clarity. While this choice emphasizes universal themes, it risks leaving the conflict’s stakes vague. Some characters, particularly Sammy, feel underexplored, their arcs resolving too quickly. The ending, while impactful, may divide audiences with its abruptness, leaving certain questions unanswered.
Parallels and Relevance to the United States in April 2025
The film’s depiction of a divided America feels strikingly relevant to the nation’s current climate. As of April 2025, the United States grapples with deep political polarization, marked by distrust in institutions and heated debates over governance. Civil War’s portrayal of a fragmented country, where states form unlikely alliances against a centralized authority, mirrors fears of escalating tensions. The image of Texas and California uniting, though fictional, reflects how ideological divides can transcend geography, much like today’s red-blue fault lines.
The movie’s authoritarian president, clinging to power beyond constitutional limits, echoes concerns about democratic erosion. Recent years have seen growing skepticism toward electoral processes and executive overreach, with public discourse often framing opponents as existential threats. The film’s militias and armed checkpoints evoke real-world anxieties about civil unrest, amplified by debates over gun rights and localized power struggles.
Journalism’s role in the story also resonates. Lee and her colleagues navigate a landscape where truth is contested, much like today’s media environment, where misinformation and partisan outlets shape narratives. The film’s focus on documenting raw reality, rather than interpreting it, parallels efforts by journalists to cut through noise and bias. Yet, it also highlights their vulnerability—both to physical danger and to public distrust.
Economic and social strains further tie the film to now. Scenes of abandoned towns and displaced people recall ongoing challenges like urban decay and migration debates. The war’s toll on everyday life—empty stores, shattered infrastructure—feels like an extreme version of current worries about economic instability and inequality. While the United States is far from civil war, the film’s fractured society serves as a cautionary reflection of what division, unchecked, could become.
Summary
Civil War is a compelling, if imperfect, portrait of a nation undone by its own divisions. Its strength lies in its human focus—journalists risking everything to capture truth—and its vivid, unsettling imagery. The performances, particularly Dunst’s, anchor the story, while Garland’s direction crafts a world that feels both alien and achingly familiar. Though its ambiguity about the war’s causes may leave some wanting, this choice amplifies its universal themes. In April 2025, the film’s parallels to America’s polarized climate, from distrust in leadership to the fragility of shared values, make it a timely mirror. It’s a movie that doesn’t preach but asks viewers to look closely at the cracks in their own society. For those willing to engage with its questions, Civil War offers a sobering, unforgettable experience.
