How Films Like ‘Civil War’ Can Spark Important Conversations and Help Defeat the ‘Outrage Industrial Complex’ (Guest Column)
variety.comSteven Olikara When millions of Americans came together to marvel at the stunning solar eclipse, we saw a rare moment of unity amid the darkness of a country torn apart by polarization.
Bookending the same week? The release of action-thriller “Civil War,” now the number one film in America and A24 Films’ most successful release yet.
Set against the backdrop of an imagined second American Civil War, the film follows photojournalists led by Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), as they capture the horrors of a failed country.
After previewing the film, I fixated on the plot’s open space left by writer and director Alex Garland. For audiences wondering what leads us to this point of no return, Garland deliberately shoots back with blanks, inviting us to fill in the rest.
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