Joanna K

Effective film, in our turbulent times. At one point in the movie Lee, the main character & combat photojournalist who is undergoing a crisis of faith in her vocation says something I'll paraphrase: "I thought I was warning people. Every photo I sent back was a warning, a message that we shouldn't do this, so this would never happen here. But it didn't matter; they didn't listen." That dialogue is the weary and sorrowful heart of Civil War. It serves as a film-length warning to America, couched as entertainment. Take heed, war is not glorious. Civil War is an apolitical film, with little to no plot. The focus is on the human toll, the chaos, the horror of war and the breakdown of civilization. It does an excellent job at showing this, and is beautifully shot. The characters are mostly numb, stoic, frustratingly foolish. The acting was convincing, but the writing didn't ask very much of this skillful cast. I was dissatisfied with the end, but there are no winners in war. To the filmmakers: message received.