Civil War has stood out as one of April’s must-watch movies for a while but the more I learn about it, the more intrigued and excited I am to see it.
Since the arrival of its first trailer in December, Civil War has been highlighted as one of the most-anticipated movies of 2024 by film fans and now that reviews for the movie have arrived, that sentiment is only going to keep growing.
What is Civil War about?
Set in the near future, Civil War follows a team of war journalists as they travel across the United States to chronicle the rapidly escalating Second American Civil War.
The entire nation finds itself engulfed in conflict as the American government, which has become a dystopian dictatorship, clashes with separatist ‘Western Forces’ led by Texas and California.
With forces converging on Washington, DC, it’s a race against time for the team of journalists to make it to the White House before what’s left of American society comes crashing down.
Directed by Alex Garland (writer of 28 Days Later), Civil War premiered at the SXSW festival on March 14 while the movie will be coming to theaters on April 12.
Why I’m excited to see it
Given the political tensions that have arisen in the United States in recent years, particularly the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol Building, the movie could not be any more poignant.
And with a certain former president, who faces allegations of playing a part in inciting those riots, looking all-but confirmed to become the Republican candidate again in 2024, the arrival of Civil War is timely, to say the least.
Hopefully, the movie will serve as something of a wake-up call and help people realize where escalating tensions could lead to if left unchecked.
The movie also explores the role of journalism, particularly in war zones, and with the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, it may help to show just how vitally important the profession can be.
Beyond Civil War’s potentially controversial and poignant narrative, the movie’s trailers have got me hooked as the film looks to be beautifully shot and stunningly acted by a star-studded cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Nick Offerman and Jesse Plemmons.
Count me in when Civil War arrives in theaters.
Civil War debuts to impressive review score
Following its premiere at SXSW, Civil War has earned a 91% review score on Rotten Tomatoes from 34 reviews to date.
That score could change as more reviews are collated but the rating certainly looks to be a positive one.
It’s safe to say that the comments from the majority of critics have certainly been positive.
Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting highlighted in her review: “The constant onslaught of foreboding tension and stunning documentary style prowess in capturing the raw horror ensure a breathless, potent piece of filmmaking.”
The AV Club’s Matthew Jackson wrote: “It’s a film about the open-ended question of how much humanity we as a species have left in us, and that makes it a provocative, thrilling monster of a movie that will sear itself into your eyeballs.”
Tatiana Hullender from Screen Rant noted: “Civil War confronts viewers with the brutality of war and the necessity of objective journalism, but the moments of quiet humanity are its strength.”
Inverse critic Siddhant Adlakha said: “An upsetting sensory experience accompanied by thundering cacophonies and paralyzing scenes of war and savagery so vast, intense, and overwhelming that you can practically taste the gunpowder lingering in the air.”
And finally, Matt Donato of Collider wrote: “Garland may have just delivered one of the most vicious and unrelenting watches of the year, one that I’ll keep debating and untangling both in my head and with others for a good long while.”
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Civil War explodes into theaters on April 12, 2024.
