Few films are under the microscope quite like “Civil War.”
The thriller, which debuted at SXSW earlier this month and hits theaters April 12, follows a near-future America at war with itself.
The topic is too uncomfortable for some. Others are eager to weaponize it to bolster the Left or the Right.
Early reviews suggest it offers little fodder for either side of the ideological aisle. What’s intriguing, so far, is what writer/director Alex Garland has to say about the project.
Kirsten Dunst leads an ensemble cast as a journalist heading to the White House amidst a hot war between the states. Nick Offerman of “Parks & Recreation” fame plays the three-term President, dubbed a “fascist” by Garland in press conversations.
Garland, who previously directed “Men” and “Ex Machina,” takes aim at those seeking to divide us. He’s not looking to appease the Left or the Right but to show what might happen if our tribal ways worsen.
The director also flirts with one of the biggest issues of our age, perhaps without realizing it. Here’s part of what he said at a post-screening panel at this month’s SXSW Film and TV Festival.
“We’ve lost trust in the media and politicians. And some in the media are wonderful and some politicians are wonderful—on both sides of the divide. I have a political position and I have good friends on the other side of that political divide. Honestly, I’m not trying to be cute: What’s so hard about that? Why are we shutting [conversation] down? [emphasis added].
There are two ways to consider that statement.
First? Modern-day censors, from social media platforms to the Biden administration, want to curb what we’re allowed to say in public. Look no further than The Twitter Files for all the proof one needs.
YouTube routinely censors comedians and pundits alike for sharing the “wrong” opinions, while allowing other conversations to flow unfettered.
And then there’s Cancel Culture.
Americans now self-censor for fear of reprisal, be it public shaming or professional punishment. Certain conversations can no longer be had on race, religion or related hot-button subjects.
Hollywood only tells stories from a certain perspective, letting indie filmmakers pick up the slack.
Garland also struck a reasonable note when it came to why we should be able to talk, to debate, without being pummeled along the way.
Left and right are ideological arguments about how to run a state. That’s all they are. They are not a right or wrong, or good and bad. It’s which do you think has greater efficacy? That’s it. You try one, and if that doesn’t work out, you vote it out, and you try again a different way. That’s a process. But we’ve made it into ‘good and bad.’ We made it into a moral issue, and it’s f***ing idiotic, and incredibly dangerous … I personally [blame] some of this on social media. There is an interaction that exists human-to-human that floats away when it reaches a public forum.”
Garland is on shakier ground when explaining the bigger purpose behind “Civil War.” He envisions it as a “love letter” to journalism.
Yes, we need journalism now more than ever. Yet what we routinely see is reporters twisting the truth to bolster a far-Left narrative. They also leave out facts that don’t align with their worldview. Even progressives like Bill Maher and John Cleese can see that.
The media proved how corrupt it is, again, over the weekend. There’s little chance a film like “Civil War” will shame them into doing their jobs better.
This isn't going to work. pic.twitter.com/gNnaDcRKpR
— Jeff Blehar is *BOX OFFICE POISON* (@EsotericCD) March 17, 2024
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