Civil War (2024)

[Eric Duncan]

Discuss, but be nice about it.

[AniNate]

So perhaps there is something to the sentiment that everyone is gonna read whatever they want to into this movie, but I did feel like it was "picking a side" as far as the real world political conflict goes in a relatively subtle way. It's just not shy about explicitly showing the likely psychological consequences of an uncritical allegiance to that side. The ending struck an abrupt note for me at first, but thinking about it it does really drive home that message about "Is this really how far you want to go?"

 

A lot of very arresting and haunting imagery in this movie that I feel only Garland is capable of depicting in his signature blend of luridness and beauty. Dunst is getting all the praise but I thought Spaeny and Moura were excellent as well. Garland's ability to get great acting performances out of his cast is an underrated feature of his output. I dug the interpersonal drama of the journalists; who yes, did have to put on a veneer of objectivity for the purposes of their profession and/or the value they attach to producing history's "images of record". 

 

It probably comes as zero shock to anyone but I thought this was another strong, compelling effort from AG. I can only hope this isn't the last lead directing effort we see from him. 

 

 

Edited April 12 by AniNate

[cinema pal]

So there's  a couple of scenes I want to address

When the rebels execute prisoners "Say No Go" (De La Soul)  is played - song about [drug] addiction and violence. You can say we deal here with journalism euphoria and god-mode-soldiers retaliation euphoria. The song is upbeat despite bleak themes it explores. The same applies to the final scene of the movie. We hear "Dream Baby Dream" (Suicide) which was used in a documentary  HyperNormalisation (2016) in this way:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AniNate]

Yeah, Garland always has weird but fitting soundtrack choices

 

I know many people hated Men but starting and ending the movie with the two versions of Love Song was an inspired choice

[Unfitclock]

So why did Joel not care at all when Lee died at the end but he cared when his other friends died

[AniNate]

He did his whole emotional processing thing at the camp. Likely didn't have anything left once they got to the White House

[Krissykins]

2 hours ago, Unfitclock said:

So why did Joel not care at all when Lee died at the end but he cared when his other friends died

This stood out to me too at first, but he was right in the middle of his big moment, his goal etc. It was in the next room. There has to be a selfish/detached aspect to that job I would imagine. 
 

I’m sure he dealt with it after. 

[AniNate]

He basically shifted to the mentality Lee was in when Sammy died. 

[ListenHunnyUrOver]

Lee’s death scene was so poorly done. She shoves Cailee to the ground and then stands there long enough for her to take multiple photos? I just felt nothing when these characters died because they were so poorly constructed. No one seemed at all concerned with their families and no one in the group has thoughts on the war? The state of the country? Hatred for the president? Sorry, but it’s just not realistic for four people to be entirely apolitical during the entire trek. Grace Randolph’s point about the underground tunnels in the White House is so true too. If this is supposed to be alternate history than why the use of real footage and references to antifa? Just a real misfire all around. 

[AniNate]

1 hour ago, ListenHunnyUrOver said:

Sorry, but it’s just not realistic for four people to be entirely apolitical during the entire trek.

 

Oh yes it is. Most people do try to be apolitical in real life in mixed company even when their jobs don't involve facing life or death situations where preserving a team camaraderie at all costs is essential.

[Krissykins]

2 hours ago, ListenHunnyUrOver said:

I just felt nothing when these characters died because they were so poorly constructed. No one seemed at all concerned with their families and no one in the group has thoughts on the war? The state of the country? Hatred for the president? Sorry, but it’s just not realistic for four people to be entirely apolitical during the entire trek. Grace Randolph’s point about the underground tunnels in the White House is so true too. If this is supposed to be alternate history than why the use of real footage and references to antifa? Just a real misfire all around. 

They pointed out that their families were far removed and also didn’t want to believe in the current state of the country. ie they’re useless. 
 

Hard disagree on the claim that the characters were poorly constructed. Some actors in this film are more memorable in 5 minutes of screen time than they have been in their entire careers (Plemons).  
 

Also, she wasn’t standing posing for multiple photos. Each photo changes as she starts dropping to the ground.

[AniNate]

I mean, I do think it's unfair to characterize them as "useless". If most of us were caught in a similar situation we'd probably try to flee to whatever familiar, remote safe haven we could as well. I don't think the characters ever expected their families to be joining them on this ordeal.

 

I thought it was pretty interesting how the movie still showed how a civil war doesn't mean everyplace in the country is a bloody war zone, that detour through that posh gentrified town was I think disarmingly accurate in how some places would still try to hold the fort down and preserve their chill, peaceful vibes as much as they could.

 

 

Edited April 13 by AniNate

[Gavin Feng]

23 hours ago, Unfitclock said:

So why did Joel not care at all when Lee died at the end but he cared when his other friends died

 

I believe it's not a misstep, but this is why I think Alex Garland has a big room for improvement as a director.

 

The core idea is whether journalists can always step out of the conflicts and just record things. But when the Jesse Plemons scene came out, we know these journalists has already been part of the wars. All four main characters have undergone changes:

 

Stephen Henderson, who had a direct confrontation with those soldiers (straying from the guideline Kirsten Dunst said), died at the end of the 2nd act.

 

Wagner Moura had been suffering from the psychological shock of Henderson's death (there was a shot that he roared), especially the fact he mentioned that Henderson probably died for nothing as western force is ready to storm DC. He was then somehow in the "what if" mode that Kirsten Dunst said no to Cailee Spaeny at the very beginning of the journey. So he didn't give a shit about anything except catching the president at the 3rd act.

 

Kirsten Dunst, who always said they should just press the shutter and go, got killed cuz she also broke the guideline for saving Cailee Spaeny. Just like her colleagues, she was unable to go back to the past after the Jesse Plemons scene and became more emotional and vulnerable.

 

Cailee Spaeny, who was like a baby or kid in terms of the press industry at most time, finished her journey as she captured the death of Kirsten Dunst. I think this scene might also reveal how Dunst established her own career -- based on a lie or something she couldn't really ask herself. That would also explain why she followed that guideline (couldn't face the ugly past). So through Dunst's death, Spaeny finally understood her icon, a real person beyond the wiki page, and also became her icon.

[JimmyB]

So much potential wasted IMO.  I needed something to be invested in the story.....anything why is the war happening, who started it, the movie is spineless.  Yes, the action is decent but I didnt care.  I didnt care about anything that was happening.  C-.

[cinema pal]

5 minutes ago, JimmyB said:

I needed something to be invested in the story.

How about Lee getting back her humanity and empathy (though losing her professional "indifference armor" in the process), while Jessie on the hand heading in opposite direction? 

[cinema pal]

Quick question, everybody: who was fighting who here?

 

 

 

 

[Becker]

Politics and Jerking off Journalists (as if they're not the biggest propagandists on God's Green Earth) Aside,

Two states have the manpower, logistics capabilities, weapons inventory, manufacturing strength, and energy supplies to go all the way across the country and take over the capitol? 2 states vs 48. Yea. Ok, Garfield. He must think the US is England.  

 

[TMP]

26 minutes ago, Cmasterclay said:

I am glad you enjoyed it. I did not think it had anything to say about those things at all. I thought that bereft of any stakes or reflection on how monumental this would be, it felt like 1000 other post-apocalyptic movies. It felt more like 28 Days Later than any real reflection on what war would be like on our shores. And trust me - I LOVED that reviews were saying that was the angle. I wanted to see that story told - of how far a war could really go here in America. But it's so bereft of anything recognizably American - no people speaking about their lives, no reconciliation on how this event is felt, nobody really reacting to the war - that I feel the film genuinely failed to tell the story you are saying in your post.  This place could have taken place in any developed country and been the same movie and failed to say the same thing. Like I said, I respect your opinion and also am very glad it is making money!

I think Plemons exemplified a specific breed of bigotry that can only be read as distinctly American, and the photograph that develops in the credits feels like something right out of the Bush era too. It almost feels like Garland was using War Journalists as a proxy for a non-American view on what American life is like from a third party POV, since the characters we track never really show allegiances to anything beyond capturing the moment. The crossover between photography & film only strengthen that connection too

[Claire of Themyscira]

DOOKIE.

[harry713]

2 hours ago, Becker said:

Politics and Jerking off Journalists (as if they're not the biggest propagandists on God's Green Earth) Aside,

Two states have the manpower, logistics capabilities, weapons inventory, manufacturing strength, and energy supplies to go all the way across the country and take over the capitol? 2 states vs 48. Yea. Ok, Garfield. He must think the US is England.  

 

It wasn’t 2 states vs 48. It was mentioned that other states had seceded as well, even if not part of the WF. Point being it wasn’t just two dissenting states up against a powerful and united 48. The established govt in DC was crumbling under a third term president whose cabinet and generals were turning angainst, and most of the unaffected population were indifferent, like the parents in Colorado/ Missouri.