Civil War Movie Review: One of the Scariest War Films Ever Made? 

The Plemons scene is easily the most white knuckled scene I’ve seen in years.

I don’t know why people can’t accept that if something is SO bad that yes, rivals can and would align to take down a common enemy. Doesn’t mean they’re best friends. Common sense isn’t so common anymore

It feels that most of the controversy is that some people are demanding that the movie not be apolitical, that it gives justification for their way of thinking, and the movie basically goes 'Nope', chaos is the order of the day in any war.

I think trying to not portray it from the pov of the left or the right was the good call. A civil war would be bad for everyone, left or right. Its war. Its not pretty or glorious. Everyone suffers.

I’ve been to war and I think it’s great for Americans to see the violence of combat on their own soil. We often only see curated images of conflict in far away places so it’s nebulous for the average American.

I'm shocked that Hollywood didn't go down the Blue state vs Red state route. It's encouraging to see that Hollywood isn't completely an echo chamber.

I cant wait for the sequel, Civil War Canada. Where Quebec and Alberta put aside their differences in order to attack Prince Edward on his Island.

LOVED THE SCENE WHERE : In the middle of a shooting War ........ The Girls take time out to try on a dress and do some shopping ! EVERY CHAUVINIST IN THE THEATER WAS LAUGHING THEIR AZZ OFF !!!

Remember, this is SPECULATIVE FICTION.

Movie trivia game: The Jesse Plemons character in the movie, The guy wearing the red glasses identify his character affiliation, A. KKK B. proud boys C. oath keepers D. christian nationalists E. american nazi party F. american communist party G. local freelance militia H. white supremacist I. cornbread mafia J. the posse K. project 2025 L. christofascist agenda M. seven mountain mandate

interesting giving such a high rating from Chris B, looked ballsy and well shot from the trailers and Garland is soo under-rated, his MEN was an 'almost' masterpiece

The fact that Jesse was so reckless and not at all confronted about it really annoyed the shit out of me. Her actions resulted in death of characters and no one brought it up.

I'm so sick of these "both sides are bad" BS stories. Both sides are not equally bad, and it is not both sides that are tearing this country apart.

I saw this - I didn’t think it had much of a plot tbh. They don’t go into any details about the war at all, and it’s basically just a road movie that goes from scene to scene. The controversial topic was enough to get me interested but wasn’t enough to carry the movie. I really can’t tell you what it was about, one of the photojournalist coming to terms with the job and starting to enjoy it? All it did was remind me that Children of Men is a *much* better movie. That had the same feeling but a griping plot and some outstanding camera work and performances.

I like the idea. It just hits a little too close to home.

Someone hasn’t seen Come and See.

As deadpool once said ' seriously dudes you CAN die, we can't ' Soo ' Get together and work together, remember If you don't we'll kill every last human on Ceres ' Spoilers golf club penguins and cheese ' shut up dude ' Mary Poppins and the black hole bags 101 ' if you utter one more sound weed examine your concept within our mind '

I keep hearing everyone say how scary "Civil War" is. I have been in war zones and this film was tame. I understand Alex Garland tried to make this film apolitical, and I know why. You don't want to split your audience in half and then alienate one side. However, by breaking it into 5 factions, the suspension of disbelief was so difficult it felt like it was not America, but I was watching one of our sister english speaking nations with their 7-8 parties that are seperated by slight degrees of ideology. The danger of a civil war here in the US is the fact that it would split along ideological/political lines right down the center. Yes, there may be moderates, but as in modern political debates, they are shouted down, or in this case, frightened into going with the mob. That would be truly terrifying. IF you think watching Jesse Plemmons as some unhinged guy killing people unopposed with his brother, wait until you see a Mob whipped up into a bloodlust going house to house dragging their neighbors out into tne street and killing them. And then when they run out of victims they start turning on their own. That is fear.

New to your channel. Great review - thanks!

Some men just want to watch the world burn

Everyone keeps talking about why would California and Texas would ally themselves. Answer is to go out of the major cities of both states. The cities do not vote or think in large part as people that live outside of them do.

Good video Chris as always!

Definitely going to see this in the theater. Looks fantastic and scary!

I'm still shocked after seeing this. It felt like I'd just done another mission overseas. Just a POWERFUL Film

This film is genius

*Plot:* after events of Captain America Civil War and battle of Golden Gate Bridge, California and Texas declare war on President Ron Swanson which has Vietnam-Afghan War/Cuba-Venezuela War/Finno Korean Hyperwar/WW3/Russia-China War/WW4/North Korea-Iran War veteran Uncle Sam fight in Second, Third, and Fourth American Civil War against Bunker Hill, the Alamo, and Harpers Ferry separatists with Broadway’s and Hollywood’s militas

Ben Sailsbury and Geoff Barrow were actually going to record the score for Dredd, but Alex Garland went with Paul Leonard Morgan .They released the soundtrack DROKK. To me this film seems like Garlands film about the end of democracy in America before the Fascistic Judge system took over. Almost a prequel.

Great review ! I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Just watched in the theaters and wow! What a rollercoaster! I loved this film for all the reasons so many may not. It's cruel, brutal, and tragic. But in being so it shows the harsh realities (even if somewhat played up for film sake) of war, especially civil war. I will be going back to watch a second time as I was left stunned by how much happened. 10/10 for me.

went in blind to this movie, only knowing that A24 made it. it was TRAUMATIZING but so good! the scenes of DC being blown up and torn to shreds made me sob. Dunst as Lee was great, although I love Moura’s Joel way too much.

Your overestimating the average IQ of the person watching this movie. Most wont be able to take a deeper meaning from it, they are just going to see it as an action film.

@Joblo can you do Push? The movie with Chris Evans

Does chat GPT wrote your scripts?

Now make the movie about how we come together without warning with one another and actually make this country better for families and for humanity

This must be THE film to watch this year. At last you get your 12 euros-worth of cinema ticket!

After a 4 days and some reflection as well as hearing some criticism and reviews of Alex Garland's new movie "Civil War," the most interesting part of it, and also, one of the parts that challenged me as a viewer, was that Garland refused to dumb the story down to make it easier to watch and comprehend the atrocity being displayed. THAT is filmmaking. And that is what has intrigued me the most since I watched it. A filmmaker actually refusing to make it easy on the viewer for once and making them think. I like it even more after.

I def had mixed feelings as soon as I saw the trailer as well w our country being in the most divisive and sensitive I’ve known in my lifetime and though the last thing we need (same thoughts when Purge came out) is showcasing a world this possible but after your review I’ll go see

This movie seems like a warning like the anti nuclear war 1983 The Day After.A warning to stop glorifying war and especially civil war.👍The writer shows that a civil war is horrible and nothing to glorify about.I wonder if the United States 🇺🇲reunites and rebuilds afterwards? This writer-director is underrated!

This movie is not scary at all. It's pathetic. I find it funny the same people who created this movie are the same group of people who push more of the divide in the US.

I loved that movie honestly It has the potential to develop into series I want to see how the civil war started, how are the people in all fronts dealing with their current situation and the enventual aftermath of all this. Will there be another United States? Will the states become their own little republics? What about Mexico and Canada? How on eart did Texas and California agreed to work together?! (My guess is that it was something similar to how the USA and the USSR joined forces during WW2. They didn't like each other but they worked togetehr towards a common goal) I want to see the lives of the soldiers fighting in the front, the common people, familes separated because they were forced to pick a side

predictive programming

The allegory is obvious but a box office bomb was going to happen to this movie

Soooo stoked!!! I have a small role in this masterpiece… just hope I made the cut!!!! We’ll see the 12th!!

Angel studios also has its own following

Bürgerkrieg.... Der Untergang.... Stark... The scenes of devastation at Washington DC are reminiscent of Berlin in Oliver Hirschbiegel's epic film 🎬 Der Untergang (Downfall). Der einzige Widerspruch liegt ausserhalb des Films: Was kommt zuerst!? Ein Atomwaffenangriff, der DC verwüstet, oder dieser?! Very much like Quentin Tarantino.... Here, it's even more.... Epic, sporadic, intense, unmediated, eliminationist violence. Gunshots, grievous bullet wounds, blood loss, trauma and death. No scope of human agency. It's as if the origin of violence is transcendent. Negotiating terms without guns is fatal. Negotiating while wielding guns is futile and redundant. Therefore, make way for the sheer force & flow of violence. The language.... Viktor Klemperer wrote ✍️ about LTI.... Lingua Tertii Imperii.... The language of the Third Reich. Similarly, English is now the language of war, _le Langue du Guerre_ .

Yawn. I'm seeing Arcadian or the First Omen this weeekend.

Clip I saw online looked like a tv movie. Wonder if they just gave all the money to the actors.

We're not separated by politics or race. We're separated by CLASS; rich vs poor.

It reminds me of the Robert Evans book.

Imagine: Claudia kicking ass and taking pics🤩

Art should never be an answer but a question

I'm sold, gunna see it now, ty for the review

Culture is downstream from art.

I see people say that this movie will be bad news for the USA but honestly the movie isn’t really about the war itself and uses it more as a setting and for some plot points, mild spoilers but I don’t even think we find out why the war started, the only information we get about the war is kinda like a cameo moment, like haha lol that special operation doesn’t exist anymore lol. I mean damn most of the times we don’t even find out if the enemy’s in that moment are supposed to be liberal or republican, we can only geus. But at the same time I’m not American so I can’t speak for them

Saw it twice. Awesome movie. A lot to chew on. I can't help but think of the first 40 minutes of Full Metal jacket and how this movie is the perfect 2nd half to it

I can't wait to see it.

One of the weak points is that we don't care as much as we should about the three main journalists. I guess the young a bit more, but then things change in Act III.

Just seen this movie and I have to say this was a wild ride! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, shaking, scared. First movie to ever make me feel afraid ever.

Hmmmm nobody was using drones?

I heard that the reporter characters are detached with emotion about the USA collapsing and just covering the war to boost their journalism careers even though they are Americans? Not likable characters. Mabye the movie was designed that way? Apolitical and apathetic characters. This writer-director is brilliant!

Yeah we definitely need more division in this country

for what it aimed to be, for me it does not match the heights of a film like Salvador (1986)

I'm curious how they made an alliance between Texas and California (two ideologically opposite states) believable.

People may consider this movie thought-provoking, but they will find a partnership between Commiefornia and Texas laughable and unrealistic

I know that when the dvd/bluray comes out I'm buying one.

spoilers dont read if you havent seen the movie yet BUT i really enjoyed the closing act, when they just brute force the entire leadership to death

I keep getting Kirsten Dunst and Claire Danes mixed up.

well,Kristen Dunst looks scary,but beyond that.............

I only hope this movie has a similar effect as The Day After did, it changed American views on nuclear war hopefully this will make people stop and think about our divisions and maybe work together.

i have not seen this film yet, but the union of texas and california defintely possible as some have said here that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, its not just world war 2 era either, in more recent years america aided the taliban and saddam hussein for years and then turned against them later. inside america, in recent years the IRA, earth first, the ANC, nation of islam, and various others supported the militias in montana and randy weaver and david koresh, because they were all fighting the federal government. this year robert evans who works with many armed secessionists is from texas and is currently based in oregon. he would called a liberal by many americans. yet he is also a gun collector. it is a fact that USA is dissolving, but this movie like others such as BUSHWICK and THE HANDMAID'S TALE, and many others over decades are a warning that it can be very bad, but if this is done right, its can be a much easier dissolvement. i had relatives travel to and live in czech republic a few years ago, and things are much better there since their secession from slovakia in 1993. it was a adjustment, difficult but worth it. after USA is gone, it does not have to be a slaughter if we handle this well, new better nations can emerge, and isn't that an american tradition? the right to independence? the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

I'm amazed this is apolitical, but I've read that from several sources. When I saw the trailer, I was sure it would glorify one side. I will probably go see it now.

I like the ideal of the movie but it didn't go far enough with the Vice President. How the conflict began. To me it was just like The movie the purge. 4/10

I hope Kirsten Dunst is happy with her paycheck this time.

Just watched it. I liked the concept and settings and it had good production design but the dialogue is stiff and feels forced. The ending is really disappointing too. It has good moments but I can’t recommend it to be honest.

People are freaking because war is coming to the front door! “ in this movie” but it’s not far-fetched! When you can’t afford anything including food, watching your family starve while people like and others go on making bad decisions eventually you’re going to do what it takes to take care of your family! Well, real men will! The rest will cry and say it’s not fair Imagine how Iraqis, Afghan, Libyans americas ‘19th century” felt ! Just saying prepare for the worst, and hope for the best!

Too bad no one is rallying around something that can actually bring people HOPE. Even amidst both terrifying Tragedy and equally terrific Triumphs. I know of such a series, but few others do, nor will they ever. That's just how Hollywon't marketing goes, baby. 💪😎✌

Surprised by your high rating. While the film was ok, it does have its weaknesses.

Movie really left a lot to be desired. Incredible action sequence at the end, but just so empty from a story telling and world building perspective. That being said Cailee Spaeny got that gyatt for sho lol.

Is the movie good? Im patriotic and love the 🇺🇸 USA and all that and im a military veteran. I absolutely dont want to see a real civil war but this movie looks entertaining! I like the fact that its apolitical from what i read and heard? Should i go see it in a theater?

Saw it last night ! BRILLIANT!

It’s really telling how a lot of Maga types are losing their shit and getting offended at this movie for making the daring political statement of… _dictators bad._ The movie is explicitly avoiding being partisan by using completely nonsensical factions but Maga are so entrenched in their narrative that they can’t help seeing the dictator-under-siege as that orange slug who’s always on the tv.

2 films I need to see this year... Dune 2 and this.

They tried to make it sound controversial but then tailored it to be as least controversial as possible😂

I like how they showed which side is evil . Spoilers its the side with the neckbeards

Marvel fans when they hear Civil War:

A24 is the FromSoft of movie studios. So they’re kinda the Dark Souls of studios.

This movie is great

What are you talking about? This movie was basically American sniper tier. Really disappointed in the ending

American Civil War 12 Apr 1861 - 9 Apr 1865🙏🙏🙏🙏

Is Captain America in this one?

Why is it so scary? Does the most urgent threat to Americans happen to be other Americans?

To be honest, $50. million isn't that much. It would break even if it made $150. million. Even by today's standards, that's not so much to have to make back. Maybe we need a film that doesn't make one side the bad guy just because of the obvious politics.

Y’all are crazy It’s a movie

This movie was amazing!!! And scary!!

Saw this movie last night and we were going to walk out after 20 minutes but paid so much for tickets so we decided to stick it out. What a mistake that was should have left. This movie sucked the acting and storyline were terrible

Moura is absurdly talented

Thanks for this review......that doesn't fixate on the who/why.....and lack thereof in the film. Too many reviewers are letting their identity politics bias show in their reviews.

Medium Cool is amazing

Modern day "THE BIRTH OF A NATION"

It was a pretty good film. A bit of an abrupt ending and much shorter than I thought it would be. Overall I give it an 8.5/10