The movie “Civil War” is a thought-provoking commentary on the state of democracy in the West.

The 2024 thriller Civil War is the latest work of the director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation). It tells the story of a dystopian future in the United States.

Like his previous works, the director/writer pays close attention to the psychological journey of his characters while not losing an eye for the intensity and pace of the movie.

In Civil War, societal and political drift in America has escalated into a full-blown civil armed conflict which is fought between the federal government – led by the US president – and the secessionist alliances such as an entity called the Western Forces (led by California and Texas states) among others.

War seems to favour the secessionists with a collapse of the central power considered to be only a matter of time.

It is interesting that not a lot of information is given about the war per se and the main focus is on the experiences of the individuals suffering from it.

The film follows a group of journalists caught in the thick of it, each having to overcome their own personal problems in the middle of the broader chaos. This seems to complement and add to the political agenda of the film, stressing the human cost borne by individuals during all wars.

The main character, Lee Smith (played by Kirsten Dunst in a powerful performance), is a veteran war journalist and the de facto leader of the group, looking for the ultimate scoop. In this case, she’s looking for the final interview with the president and probably a last image of him for posterity before his expected downfall and death.

It is likely that the Trump presidency was a source of inspiration because the fragility of democracy is among the main themes of the film. As such, the movie is absolutely relevant to the political climate in the US and the western world.

Garland’s movie could be considered a cautionary tale, which highlights the dangers of extremism and the denial of civil liberties. Furthermore, it is quite successful in its portrayal of democratic decline and political polarization past the point of no return.

Civil War is beautifully shot and tries its best to narrate through images. Special mention needs to be made of the fight scenes where the camera work complements the acting.

If you are a lover of dystopian cinema, you will definitely enjoy this movie.

The only negative point that could be said about it is its ending. It is extremely anti-climactic, especially since there is this huge build-up for it all through the film.

On the other hand, a case could be made that it is intentional. In any event, it lacks the intensity and complexity of the rest of the narrative and leaves the audience unsatisfied.