'Civil War' | WFMY News 2 Movie Reviews

So there’s a new movie that’s starting conversations across the country. It’s called Civil War. It’s out right now in, in theaters. And uh the film is set in a dystopian future America. Yep, that is correct. We had to step out because we just wanted to make sure you

could, you could, you could see that. So for the first time, we get a look at what a civil war is like from the perspective of journalists, Wfmyec Manning Franks got a sneak peek of the film and as your news to movie review, it’s obvious to say we

are living in a very volatile time in our country and in the new a 24 film from director Alex Garland that’s been personified in a fictitious second American civil war. Now, obviously, it’s already been divisive, but unlike other movie watchers, I’m providing a perspective as both a journalist

and a film critic. So grab your cameras and I hope that I can provide a unique perspective. Let me know if you want to try anything on, are you guys aware there’s like a pretty huge civil war going on all across America? We just try to stay out

with what we see on the news. Seems like it’s for the best in an alternate future. Not too different from our own. The United States of America has been plunged into a second civil war. What kind of American are you in?

Hopes of getting the only story that

matters to them? A team of military embedded journalists traversed their way to Washington DC in hopes to interview the fascist president of this war torn country. So I’m not here to talk politics. No, no, you can save that for the Thanksgiving Table later this year. But it’s hard

not to bring in one’s own preconceived notions with a film titled Civil War, especially when the movie gives you zero context for the nature of things happening in this alternate future. As a director Garland does an admirable job at creating a staggeringly depressing atmosphere as each scene brings

a deeper sense of utter hopelessness. If anything is certain about civil war, it’s that there are no winners, not either side, not the journalist and certainly not the audience, the striking images of Americans turning on each other or even Americans staying as refugees in an abandoned football stadium

or even soldiers. American soldiers storming the White House. These are all visual heavy hitters for the film which it needs because the script certainly isn’t gonna do that heavy lifting. Its themes ring hollow, the longer it exists in this world. And most of the characters are one note,

save for that of Kirsten Dunst as the disillusioned war journalist Lee, she shines the brightest, but it’s hard when the film’s perception of journalist is one of getting the money shot above being empathetic storytellers. And most importantly, humans, I will say though, certainly it is a fascinating talking

point in fact that it serves more so as a personal litmus test for perspective rather than it does at telling a satisfying story on America as a divided nation, it is drenched with nihilism from beginning to end. And while I feel like it’s confused in what it’s trying

to say to the audience, it’s undeniable in the fact that you will leave affected in some way. I’m giving Civil war a for you to decide you can see it only in theaters.