Civil War (2024) Excellent War Journalism Movie but Ignore Trailers — Movie Review

The trailers and name have lead to some disappointed viewers who didn’t get what was advertised. That said it is tense, brutal war journalism movie that is honest about the dangers that profession entails. A long journey by car across a war zone is the device which allows the movie to show a series of encounters showing different aspects of war and the journalists’ attempts to stay as neutral observers. Violence warning — it’s not sanitised. The focus on a contemporary fictional US secessionist/unionist war and a president gone rogue, avoids commenting directly on the politics of other countries and instead focuses on the journalism.

8/10

War Journalists are a bit of a weird bunch. In my professional opinion. Attracted to violence for a mixture of ‘capturing the truth’ and ‘making money.’ “Civil War” follows a group of 4 journalists on a journey to the US capital hoping to secure an exclusive interview with the President of the USA before the more powerful secessionist forces overwhelm the capital — and capture or kill him.

I thought the ‘hope’ of the interview was a bit of a flimsy justification for such a long and dangerous journey. If was writing, I probably would have worked that more into a definite promise. And I think some other viewers felt that way too. Especially when it’s mentioned journalists had been killed there before. It felt too brazen. But perhaps that itself is a comment on the journalists themselves and not an oversight. It’s not entirely clear.

There are some incredibly brief references to why the war has started: the president has refused to step down after the usual 2 term limit imposed on US presidents, continuing to serve a 3rd term, disbanding the FBI and a few other things. Implying some sort of dictatorship. For what the movie is, this only serves to provide just enough justification so the ultimate victory of the secessionists at the climax doesn’t seem like a ride-along with the “wrong side.”

There is an ‘unlikely alliance’ between California and Texas in the secessionists. Some have felt this ‘unrealistic’ since they are typically characterised as being strongly Democrat and Republican states respectively. That misses the point of the movie: which isn’t the war itself. It’s also acknowledged in a line where a character wonders if they’ll turn on each other as soon as their common enemy is defeated. That kind of unlikely temporary alliance definitely has historical precedent but this isn’t a history lesson today.

There are plenty of violent and despicable characters along the way. I’ve seen enough war footage and studied enough human history to know everything has precedent at some place or time. Perhaps if you’ve seen them too you don’t want to see it in a fictional format? It is intense. It’s on the side of a war horror film rather than an action flick.

The road-trip format means there isn’t a lot of resolution: where those people really guilty of the crimes? Did that guy get some comeuppance? Did the secessionists turn on each other? Nor is there much backstory aside from very brief lines. That will be unsatisfying to some but the movie knows it’s focus and I think it’s able to execute on that, where some movies try to take on too much and fail.

The actors are all do well. It features the bloke that voiced Death in 2023’s Puss in Boots: the Last Wish! Wagner Moura! I jest… I know he’s an established actor too.

There isn’t much more to say without properly spoiling the scenes of the movie. What I’ve mentioned is all right at the start before it really gets going.

I don’t think the war journalists come across as quite… well in the head? Is this my preconception? Is that itself a comment? Am I judging them too much from afar? Can anybody really be quite well after all they go through and see first hand?

I’d already seen the trailers, had earlier reviewers tell me it was about journalism, so I knew sort of what to expect. And honestly, it delivered more intensity than I was expecting. Two of the journalists have a close-brush with death near the very beginning and without spoilers… they are not invulnerable observers. There were enough characters and enough threat that it never felt like they had plot armour.

The dynamic sound range was actually used to the fullest extent: from very quiet moments, to the immediate introduction of loud gunfire. I did struggle making out some of the dialogue early on tho. I don’t know why, I have been ill, just thought I’d mention it.

I enjoyed it. I think it’s a good movie. There isn’t much that I’ve seen that I can really compare it too off the top of my head.

A couple of military tactics seemed a bit iffy to my amateur experience: such as helicopters between buildings and planes far too low to the ground. But at the same time: sometimes stuff still works in RL even if it’s stupid. So how harsh can I be?

Final… 8/10 I think it’s really good. I would watch it again.