Coming home after the cinema I am often asked by my family what I thought of the film I just watched, despite the fact that they could have 1000 words before the end of- Never mind. The point is that it has been a very long time since I have come home and answered in the positive about a film, a very long time indeed to be frank. In the same breath when I love a film I want to see it on the big screen multiple times and I have not rewatched a film on the big screen in an even longer time, however my experience in the IMAX for Alex Garlands’ latest directorial effort was so visceral and so entertaining and so thrilling that I immediately booked myself in for a another round within days, and it is with immense joy that this second watch didn’t enrich my viewing at all, however remained just as thrilling and just as propulsive. This is afterall I think not exactly a film that grows with every viewing, but instead simply remains at the incredibly high level on each watch.
Much has been said and already made of Alex Garlands fourth outing as a feature director and umpteenth outing as the brilliant writer that he is, it’s understandable that Civil War is a divisive piece of film, it’s very nature and later images are insanely provocative whether they intend to be or not. However I didn’t expect so much of the critical division to be about whether or not the film is actually saying anything? From the off we come to realise that Civil War is not a film that is going to take us step by step through an alternate history and outlay how this future came to pass. The movie is beautifully shed of any possible exposition and is instead littered with subtleties and minor details in the script and on the screen to allow for an expansive and yet not plot intrusive depiction of how this world would work. Garland’s writing here is as stellar as always and it may very well be my personal favourite of his screenplays, it by far my favourite of his directorial efforts however, with this film absolutely overflowing with stunning set piece after stunning set piece, each one building on the last leading to a ratcheting tension arc that does ebb and flow into dramatic and more emotional moments, but for the most part just absolutely moves. As a visceral and thrilling experience that moves with dreaded suspense, there is no film like it this year thus far. The film boasts a series of stellar ensemble turns, the greatest and most terrifying of all of course being that of Jesse Plemmons who manages with stunning specificity and interior malevolence to depict the absolute worst that could occur during such a scenario of absolute governmental upheaval. However it is our lead quartet who make this film the stunning piece of work that it is, led by the incredible Kirsten Dunst who is on the surface given a character who I’m sure many will blindly say is cold and not given much to say or do, but is so perfect a portrait of this sort of individual and Dunst is so sublime that she enriches every moment. Wagner Moura is perhaps my standout of the four bringing such dynamism to the role and such grinning adrenaline paired with a depth of pain and drama. Stephen Mckinley Henderson too is almost meta cast as the elder statesmen, but time after time manages to bring the perfect amount of warmth and intelligence to the role. Cailee Spaeny is once again stellar and this paired with her sublime work in Priscilla gives the actress a stunning one-two punch of great and different performances to start what is hopefully going to be a lengthy career with as much success and variety as these two roles have offered her already.
There is an
immense specificity to the world that Garland creates here with this tale of
photo journalists travelling through a slightly future America torn apart by a
titular civil war, and on a first watch I did have the feeling that the
argument could be made that placing this vivid and rather brilliant depiction
of war reporters within a fictional war, somewhat dilutes the impact of the
complex tale Garland tells about that field of work, and in tandem is centring
this film around these four and not spelling every tiny detail of the war
around them diluting the possible excellent and more thorough movie wholly
about this futuristic war? After a second watch and time to mull, to be honest
I can let this notion slide because I don’t think in any way using a fictional
setting subdues the portrayal of the occupation and although I feel Garland is
one of our stronger writers and directors working today, there are far too many
possible worst outcomes when it comes to a film that does spell out in depth
the intricacies of a possible war of this nature. The film that we got is the
film that we got and to look at it on its terms is to see a sensational
picture.
On a second watch I’m personally at 10/10 on this one. I can’t note any flaws. This is Garland’s best directed film by far and is one of the most propulsive and riveting films I’ve seen in a very long time. Our quartet of leads are all on impeccable top form and take this tale to another level. This is a thriller, this is a horror, this is action – no matter how Garland wishes to paint the discussion of war on film. Garland’s alleged stepping back from directing for a period is only made all the more disappointing when his latest effort is by far the finest craft he’s employed. Whether you see the films provocations as empty or of depth, Civil War is certainly exciting and terrifying and definitely is one of the best made films of the year thus far.
P.S. Critical division of opinion on this one hasn’t exactly baffled me, but has been for the most part something I have wildly disagreed with on most fronts. With the way certain characters are depicted coming under fire when from their earliest scenes, I found each one so perfectly positioned, or the obtuseness of what is presented regarding the war, or the absolute brutal nature of how the violence is depicted. In every single case I couldn’t help but find myself vehemently disagreeing with the certain aspects of the critical consensus on every turn. Perhaps the film is a simple tale, but it’s one expertly told and perfectly crafted, with a wildly intriguing if not overly spelled out world as its setting.
- Thomas Carruthers
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