Civil War

R 2024 Action/War 1h 49m

Civil War occurs in a "What If..." world where several states have seceded from the Union and are now at war with the Union. I was worried that the movie might glamorize secession or play into some of the partisan politics facing America today in the real world. I’m happy to report it does not do that. The movie wisely sidesteps the “why” of the secession. It also doesn’t take sides in the fictional war. The movie's protagonists are journalists who don’t take sides, they are just observers who will leave it up to others to judge.

Kirsten Dunst plays Lee, a seasoned war photographer. She is joined by interviewer friend, Joel; older/wiser/mentor/friend and rival interviewer, Sam; and rookie photojournalist, Jessie. Together, these four press members embark on a journey from New York to Washington, D.C., hoping to interview the President (Nick Offerman) before the White House falls to enemy forces. Along the way, our heroes see the scars of war and the terrors that war can bring. Each of our main characters has a different perspective but each is left forever changed by what they encounter. 

Ultimately, Civil War isn't about politics; it's an anti-war piece and is very well done. The pacing and the tension were first-rate; my nerves were racing the entire movie. Although the setting is a fictional war, the stakes seem real and high; it is more gripping than most movies depicting actual historical events. 

Dunst does a superb job in the lead; this is perhaps her finest. When an actor had to drop out of the movie at the last minute, she convinced her real-life husband (Jesse Plemons) to step in to play the role. I don’t know who the original actor was, but Plemons knocked his scene out of the park so hard, that I would be surprised if his name doesn’t appear during awards season.

As of mid-April, I would call Civil War the best movie of the year.

Image: A24