The Mosley Review: Civil War
Quite possibly the most controversial and dangerous genre of film is the one that focuses on politics or the political climate of an era. Biopics about presidents, getting the truth out about a government assassination or even just a film about an interview with a former president can trigger debates on what the film is actually trying say. The conversations of whether a film is leaning toward Democrats or Republicans, the left vs the right and so on are always polarizing and you’re damn if do lean a certain way and damned if you don't. What makes this particular film fascinating and particularly memorable is that none of what I just said is the subject matter. It is a fantastical, although somewhat plausible, “what if” story that’s intense, scary and free of any constraints of political influence. This was a tense and disturbing road trip film across classic Americana that follows the journey of the perfect non-combatants imaginable. Journalists. Yes, you get the violence of the civil war, but it is through many unique perspectives that are brilliantly realized and fulfilled by the end.
Kirsten Dunst gives a stirring and sofisticated performance as a renowned war photographer Lee Smith. You can see the amount of horror she has seen in her career in the way she carries herself and how she handles the chaotic moments. I loved that even though she was truly war torn, she still had moments of whatever was left of her humanity to shine. As the film progresses, you see a side of her that she tries to keep under control and I loved that internal struggle becoming external. Wagner Moura was fun and somewhat bloodthirsty as her colleague and fellow journalist, Joel. He was truly all for the adrenaline as the story progresses and I loved his chemistry with Kirsten. I believe he was probably one of the only ones that could really bring out the lighter side of Lee. Stephen McKinley Henderson was awesome and warm as veteran journalist and their mentor, Sammy. He was wise, quick witty and so loveable. The three of them together were fun to watch in a great hotel scene and even the moments in the car. He may have been older and slower, but you felt his influence in the journalism community. Cailee Spaeny was great as the aspiring young and hungry photographer, Jessie. To be honest, she was dangerously becoming that typical kid that you have to save from everything because she was too inexperienced or lacked the senses to look before she leapt. Her scenes with Lee were the most important as they both were a representation of the classic teacher and student trope that was used effectively throughout. Lee really saw herself in Jessie in many scenes and she tries her best to pull her out of her naivety and school her about the open road. Jesse Plemons was truly terrifying as the unnamed white-nationalist militiaman. As seen in the trailer, you get the sense that he has no qaulms about killing and his trademark dry and sometimes emotionless line delivery truly keeps you on edge. That scene alone was the highlight of the film. Nick Offerman was good as the President of the United States in the film. He was not in it for too long, but when he is, he sets the tone and is the key to the whole plot of the film and a particular scene.
The lack of score throughout the majority of the film was excellent and really let the characters breathe and the world sink in. When the score is active, composers Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow do an amazing job of heightening the drama and elevating the tension to another level. Visually the film is perfect and through the moments of excellent photography, it highlights the horror of war and the reverence many had for it. Sometimes a moment in a still image tells a story of its own and that is expertly illustrated in this film. Once again writer and director Alex Garland has taken a unique perspective on a subject matter that most fear or are ready to talk about actually happening. Just like Ex Machina, this film gives a pretty grim look at a hypothetical future that is both fascinating and intense. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
