Since the conception of the medium, cinema has shaken people and given them something to talk about. At first, a train arrived at a station, and people ran in fear because they didn’t understand that what happened on the screen wasn’t exactly real and that it was all an illusion (though that old tale may not exactly be the truth, according toAtlas Obscura). Several decades later, a horror film made people sick to their stomachs, and religious organizations stood outside a theater and condemned an auteur’s version of a Biblical event that humanized the Son of God. The discourse has been going on for ages, and in the current digital age,social media has become the perfect arenafor film discussions. Yes, “Film Twitter” is a thing, and regardless of questionable acquisitions, it’s still more alive than ever, as evidenced byCivil War.
With every major release, a film becomes the main course for the brutal dissection of users who take to social media to express their feelings. This occurs not only on Twitter, now referred to as X, but also on apps such as Instagram and TikTok. Everyone’s got something to say, and their space becomes the perfect canvas for their opinions, controversial or not. It’s ironic, though, that if the audience of a film says something publicly and someone doesn’t agree with them, the instant reaction is to block or offend. Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing, but yes, its offshoots are bizarre.
Recently, English filmmaker Alex Garland’s unique film,Civil War, has captured the attention of various digital warriors on social media. The action epic is an interesting film with an undeniable quality of execution, but opinions are incredibly diverse. It’s a gripping,love-it-or-hate-it filmthat should make you speak your mind, as all interesting films should.
The “problem” with this is thatCivil Wardares to take a realistic approach and remodel it into a fictionalized account ofconflict and politics, and people simply disagree. As the social media discourse aroundCivil Warproves, the film wasn’t going to make everyone happy, but the discussion has progressed into a loud statement of personal beliefs. Again, freedom of speech is outstanding proof of our progress as a civilized species, but if you’re willing to talk out loud, shouldn’t your argument be more… interesting? This is whyCivil War,as a movie, is much more interesting than the discourse it generated in the rocky and mine-ridden territory of social media.
Why Is Civil War Controversial?
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InCivil War, it’s implied that the country has fallen under the authority of a dictator-like president. This has divided the United States of America into several forces, all coming from the union of different states. War photographer Lee Smith has found an opportunity to document an interview with the president, and alongside Joel, they embark on a trip from New York City to Washington, D.C. They’re also joined by Sammy, a New York Times veteran journalist, and Jessie Cullen,a potential photojournalistwho looks up to Lee and wants to be as good as her.
As they travel across different parts of the country, we witness the real status of society. In some parts, the war has already made its presence known. In others, it simply hasn’t. The authoritarian government is fighting its largest enemy, the Western Forces, which are formed by rogue fighters from Texas and California who are seeking to overthrow the government. However, it’s not as binary as it sounds, and America’s democracy is subjective. On the road, laws are just a suggestion.
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The film has sparked controversy because of its political tone. Or, shall we say, the campaign around its release that suggestsCivil Warisanything but political. In any case, it’s your typical polarizing film that makes viewers passionately state their perception of it, with some calling it “woke trash” andothers calling it a dangerous film. This feedback is loud, regardless of the political ideology of those who can’t stop talking about it. It can’t be a coincidence that 2024 is an election year, the country is divided, and the film perfectly portrays the radicalization of a political setting. Of course, it’s A24’s most successful film at the box office in the studio’s history. However, clearly, opinions are very divided.
Civil War’s Social Media Discourse Has Become Unstoppable
The film industry and modern audiences are unforgiving. With divided political views, a film likeCivil Waris bound to stir up controversy, even without the movie being overly preachy or leaning toward one side over the other. Social media is a vast resource for marketing, but in terms of politics,social media can be weaponized to change a mindset and, in this case, to install a discourse about a filmthat’s absolute fiction and nothing else. The problem is that whenever Hollywood presents a possible outcome for today’s divisive society, the outcry is immediate.
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Civil Waris not based on anything factual. The film unites two states that are simply impossible to fuse together in a rogue military force capable of overthrowing the government. Then, it focuses on the position of war journalists, who are society’s only window into the harsh realities of conflict. Viewers stand with them, as they’re the leads in Garland’s dystopia, and we are forced to stand coldly beside their inability to act when violence is clear and present. It shouldn’t be taken as anything else but arealistic portrayal of American politicson steroids, where those who don’t think alike are the enemy, and those who don’t care live under the illusion of capitalism, consumerism, and all the “isms” you’re able to think of.
If you read some of the claims aboutCivil Waron social media, you will find that, fortunately, not everyone thinks the same way.Some viewers can separate Garland’s apolitical message from their own views about what the filmshouldbe like. Audiences complain about the victims, the fighters, the right-wing monsters, the left-wing devils, the photojournalists, and the president. What some don’t see is that the film isn’t about factions or politics. It’s about cynicism and a lack of ethics among those in charge of the truth.
Civil War Is a Unique Work of Fiction, and Nothing Else
Alex Garland’sCivil Warisn’t a perfect film.But it’s polarizingand bold. It presents audiences with a side of conflict that we, as a society, cannot imagine. Yes, a violent uprising isn’t the solution to the problems of today’s divided society. However, neither is an authoritarian government that stands on only one side of society. The solution is far simpler but apparently impossible to even think about. Peace is only an idea in today’s politics. And the truth isn’t absolute.
Subversive films are supposed to make some audiences uncomfortable. They’re works of art that aren’t always appealing, and in some cases, people prefer not to see them, which is perfectly fine. But offensive? Garland didn’t lean toward one side of the political spectrum and likely didn’t intend to offend anyone.Civil Waris still entertainment and is a fictionalized story about people who have become so divided that it leads to the collapse of the country.
A film likeCivil Waris far more interesting than what people have to say about it online. The film shouldn’t feel like a direct attack toward any one belief, but the response on social media makes it seem that way. It’s highly unlikely that any consensus onCivil Warwill be reached, especially through social media. So, seeing the movie for yourself and reflecting on its message without heading to the comment section of a post is probably the best course of action.Civil Waris playing in theaters.
