“Civil War."

“Civil War” (2024, Max) dystopian thriller, follows a team of war journalists traveling from New York City to Washington, D.C. during a civil war fought across the United States between a despotic federal government and secessionist movements, to interview the president before rebels take the capital city.

       The movie's pulse basically pumped in the last sequence: The D.C. siege. The capital city in scarred disarray, bombs exploding, swashbuckling gunfight. Yet if you already saw similar war scenes in the past, that'd be just like what it was. No big deal.

       The real drama, confined in the four characters’ individual stories, would have been more interesting if those were explored beyond the movie's 109 minutes. Which means, a series would have been more compelling. 

Yet all four account for themselves remarkably fine. 

       Kirsten Dunst as Lee Smith, a renowned war photojournalist. Her first name is a reference to famed World War II photojournalist Lee Miller. Wagner Moura as Joel, a Reuters journalist and Lee's colleague. Cailee Spaeny as Jessie, an aspiring young photographer. And Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy, a veteran journalist for The New York Times and Lee's mentor.

       Who is Lee? Steely defiance and ice-cold pragmatism exude on her facade but what was hidden that somehow collapsed towards the end? Or what is newbie Jessie's background? Sure, youthful fire burns for adventure and her admiration of Lee is a motivational rouse but were those enough? A war gig right in the line of fire wasn't that effortless and easy, you know. Also, what is Joel's personal political stance beyond the press ID? What is Sammy's past? A family maybe? 

       Am I asking too much? Apparently, many enjoyed “Civil War,” which grossed $122 million globally for a production budget of $50 million. Irrelevant of my whine, this is a bad movie at all. Director Alex Garland did a fine job still. 🎥💻📽