This movie was my attempt to take a break from a project I'm writing. I just wanted a brainless action movie to tell me what would happen in a civil war. I got that and I didn't.
More than anything, I got a movie from an unexpected perspective that made me think. But it was still a welcome break from my project.
While my intention was to choose a movie I could veg out on, the thought-provoking creativity of the film has been incredibly refreshing. I expected drivel. I got art.
Many reviews complain that the premise isn't clear. What started the war? What were the black-and-white sides? The point is: in war, there aren't any. We're flawed humans, fighting for what we believe to the point that the message can become convoluted. Sometimes, we even forget what we're fighting for to begin with.
I love that they pointed out that there were American citizens in complete denial of the war. The sides were vague and nuanced. Most were just war-torn communities, pushed violently out of their lives into camps and upheaval. It may not have been comfortable, but it pointed out considerations that we tend not to acknowledge. There were people taking advantage. Even the towns where the citizens tried to retain a sense of normalcy were altered and involved.
Having been written from the perspective of war journalists gave this movie another point for creativity. I didn't expect the perspective. They were there to record, not opine.
In war, the point may be skewed. The story brings us into a country that has obviously been war-torn for a while. We don't know how it started or how long it's been going on. Only that it is and we're following a ragtag band of (couldn't be more different) war journalists in the midst of recording history in the making.
Nuanced opinions from the writer occur at intervals, almost daring us not to take a cold, hard look at our beliefs. What side would we choose if our country was truly war-torn?
While many complaints attack the writer for not spelling out the sides, the point is that there will always be opposing sides and neither us necessarily completely right or wrong. Just human. Just in disagreement. Just unsure what else to do but fight--which is indicative of where we're at as a country these days.
I don't know if war against the government is inevitable in our country, but if it happens, no one will be left untouched.
A good movie gets people talking. It makes people think. This movie did both. Props to the creator.