Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Civil War

This film is eye opening, terrifying, relevant an on the pulse of what is happening right now and one of the most bone chilling films I have seen all year! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this film ever since I’ve seen it as what Alex Garland accomplishes with this film will spark conversations and I can see being a film that will anger some people but will definitely get people thinking which is fine as if you can make a film that sparks a reaction that has people breaking down the themes and narrative of your film you must of left a strong impression which I can say this film definitely did to me. It takes on a very real issue that is happening around the world which is political divide and he puts a magnify glass up to how scary, ugly and divided so many people are because of it and on top of the tremendous performances, incredible sound design, genius narrative Civil War is a gem of a film that is one of the best films of the year! 

Firstly, The way the narrative is approached is genius honestly and I will say why. The film is a grim look at what would happen if the nation turned on its government and just had full reign to do whatever it wanted that would result in one of two ways people working together or total destruction it goes with the second option and the way that it unfolds is not far from how people are treating each other today he just pushes it a step further and that is what this story is which is why that it looks scary because it is so real. Now I can see so many people calling this film overly political or heavy handed in its storytelling trying to just make people argue but the whole point of the film is to see the ugly reality of how politics has torn society apart and if people don’t see that then you missed the whole point of the film. As Alex is trying to tell the audience that if we aren’t careful this is where what could happen having the film be told by the perspective of war photographers is such a amazing way into that topic that I haven’t seen before. The way he shows the horror landscape of the United States is like a horror film as anyone these photographers encounter could shoot them as they are going into the lions den so to speak as they drive to Washington DC to interview the president but the trip to get their is to go through some rough parts in order to get to that destination. What makes for tense conflict is that because they are war photographers you see through the perspective of Kirsten Dunst who is a experienced photographer who also is the example of someone who also though is traumatized by the career she has made for herself as she has gained a reputation for capturing striking images but also those same images keep her up at night and have deeply haunted her. So having that be the main character that is the driving force we follow along with a young girl who models herself after Kirsten was interesting because it makes for great conflict because Dunst is so emotionally scarred from the position she wants to save this young girl from going through the same emotional hell she has but she also is told by her peers not to be a hypocrite because she was young once and was that hungry career wise. So seeing the main character so on edge wanting this girl to be carful and not go through the same things that gave her nightmares while also trying to keep her alive is such a engaging premises for the lead. The film never calls out politicians from current events but you can tell what Alex Garland is trying to say how people who given total freedom to do anything could make the world a living nightmare due to their political views and showing by having a different stance on heavy political views could get you killed. So yes the film is for sure a politically driven film he isn’t disguising it to be something else it shows the brutality of political war and social indifference with society and its not glamorized or sugar coated he shows it for what it is which is brutally honest. Now The film having this bleak look through the eyes of these characters made for a captivating story that had me invested into their individual outcomes and for the overarching story if they make it to Washington alive Alex Garland weaves a story that is very political but also crafts it in a way that I haven’t seen done before on such relevant issues that was both something I couldn’t look away from but also show the hellish nature of the topic at hand. The way the film is shown visually is striking and narratively is very powerful. 

Secondly, The performances are amazing Kirsten Dunst delivers a career best performance! Now as I said previously she plays such a juicy part of this very traumatized war photographer that is having her trauma eating her alive and you can see on her eyes and through her tone how many scars she has all over her heart from the horrible things she has witnessed on the job. The performance she gives is emotionally devastating and she explores the sadness of this woman’s heart in such an authentic way that will amaze you and move you. Then their is Wagner Moura who is also a photographer and has been doing the same job as Dunst but he swallows his trauma in different ways and you see how it affects him differently he has been doing it for a while so he has found ways to cope with the nightmares. The way Wagner brings this character to screen is great as he is the glue keeping everyone calm and level headed without them erupting into total stress and regardless they will run into issues but its his way of keeping their stress level down and staying clam in these terrible situations that make him in many ways the leader of the group. He has a charm and welcoming presence to him that he just brings to the screen in such a fantastic way while also having great sparks of pain but always remains emotional sincere. Then their is Calliee Spaeny who gives a great breakout performance as the photographer who wants to make a name for herself now she is the newcomer to the group and she has never seen the horrible things that the two experienced photographers have. They know how to deal with what they have bear witness to she has no idea so the audience in many ways is her as she is reacting in real time to these horrific things through her eyes she does see things that shake and rattle her but the thrill of the job also is addictive to her and that excitement and fear is shown greatly through her performance and Callliee holds her own with some truly big actors giving a tremendous performance that is so captivating. then their is Jesse Plemons who is in one scene of the film but is utterly terrifying in that scene he is onscreen for maybe 8 to 10 minutes but he sets the scene on fire with his most horrifying role yet that is utterly chilling to watch. He plays this racist, gun heavy man that will strike at you in a moment if you say the wrong thing its like a python waiting to go in for the kill and Plemons commands the screen with such a fierce take on this role in one of his best performances of his whole career and he is in only one scene and he leaves a amazing impression that will stick with you. Everyone in this film all give truly terrific performances from top to bottom. 

Lastly, Civil War is a terrifying look at what would happen if the current political situation happening was pushed even further it is scary and that is what Alex Garland shows in a striking visual presentation with this story. Having it be told through the eyes of photographers was a great way into this political discussion at hand and it is to show the divide so many people are in and how socially numb that society has become in some way due to politics and the film had me rattled and truly in awe of what he wants people to take away from this film. It is one of his best films I have seen and full of amazing performances and a narrative that will be talked about for years to come. Civil War is a terrifying portrait of todays political landscape and its a brilliant film that is among one of the best films I have seen this year Civil War is phenomenal and a film I recommend everyone go run to see. 

This film centres around war photographers going to Washington Dc to interview the president during very tense times in the country. Their journey to DC is not easy and run into many wild situations along the way

Rated R : Language Throughout|Bloody/Disturbing Images|Strong Violent Content

Kirsten Dunst : Dunst Delivers her finest performance of her career with her work in this film. She has given amazing performances over the course of her career She has had a interesting body of work now the only other performance I would say that is In the same arena of greatness of this is her incredible supporting turn in Power Of The Dog. Her work as the traumatized an anxiety filled photographer in this film is without a doubt her greatest on-screen performance I have ever seen. When we meet her character she has been doing this profession for many years and so we see the. Wear and tear the job has put on her heart and way of thinking. As when we first meet her she is trying to calm down a crowd at a rally and things get out of hand but she knew how to act and keep herself out of harms way because she has done it for so long. So the relationship we see throughout the course of the film she has with this young girl who wants to be in the middle of the action to capture the perfect shot she has such mixed feelings about having her tag along her journey to Washington DC. She hates that she sees a younger version of herself in that girl and that terrifies her because she was that eager and full of energy to be a war photographer but after the things she has been through she wants to cover her from the scars she has suffered from her job. Which makes her attitude come across very short and angry mixed with fear as she knows how dangerous this job is and dose not want to have this girl getting in injured on her conscious. She at the same time feels a responsibility to help her because she has no idea what she has put herself into and Dunst brings that emotionally gated part of the characters heart to the screen in such a heart shattering vulnerability that feels so real and brings wave of emotion the screen that she can showcase through her  line delivery but also just showing that anxiety through her facial expressions she breaks your heart with just a body full of sadness and terror in her eyes in a way that commands the screen in such a gut wrenching sincerity. She constantly runs into challenges on he trip to DC that not only scare her but deepen the trauma that she already has as she has not done anything to help soothe the pain she has gone through she just compresses it down and tries not to acknowledge it which does not work because she just becomes more and More emotionally distant towards the others. in the third act of the film you see them charging the White House and she lets out this scream you can see she has built up over years and years of untreated hurt and she lets it out in this incredible moment of vulnerability she does not though do big larger then life emotional moment that is the only one as she holds back the tears and sadness within herself for most of the film that is the only time we see that burst of emotion overtake her. Kirsten is able to explore the nature of this very hurt and talented photographer that has seen her fair share of horrible things and she brings such a engaging and authentic look at what it would look on someone if they went though a experience like this for years the amount of mental strength it takes but also the terrible pain they would have to witness time and time again. Dunst brings a hurricane of anxiety though her eyes and sadness in her heart through the way she lets her words impact when she says anything. She brings the most vulnerable sides to herself we have never seen before in a performance that is the greatest work she has ever put to screen. Dunst is a revaluation in this film giving a powerhouse performance that will move you. 

Alex Garland : Garland has given one of the best directed films of the year that truly is narratively genius as well! The film takes a look at how the political landscape in the world has divided so many people and then he takes that premises and like I mentioned earlier and pushes it a step further of what would happen if it was even worse then it already is. He has taken on a story that many filmmakers would not even go near for how divisive it would make the audience but he took it head on and showed in at time strikingly disturbing imagery how tense it with how people treat one another just from their political stance. Then he takes that theme and goes into it by showing what would happen if he took the angle of War Photographers documenting the pure madness of it all which I thought was a fresh concept I had never seen before that really had me locked into the story and its characters. He educates audiences on what war photographers have to see on a day to day basis and how they find ways got cope or deal with what they have to photograph. Then he gives great characters who all their moment to shine and serve a great purpose to the narrative in way where we see how they deal with the emotional burden they have taken on and all of them deliver exceptional performances But the standout being Kirsten Dunst in a career best performance.Alex Garland holds no punches he goes for it and shows the disturbing, ugliness and pure horror of how politics have made so many people fight and act in ways that make them abandon any sense of morals because of how their so swayed by their political beliefs and so I am not surprised the reception from the film has been mixed or people are calling it a big political film that hits you over the head but if that’s what people are saying they are missing the point of what he is trying to tell the audience. Alex shows this slightly dystopian look at the current pulse of the political landscape and really captures the divided political times  the world is going through in a brutally honest way that I respect he isn’t sugar coating it or taking sides he is showing how torn so many people have become due to it. His direction and ability to bring the story to the screen Is truly tremendous and is one of the best directed films I have seen this year that has a message that packs a message for sure in such a genus way of telling it as well.