Alex Garland is considered the creator of a cinematic masterpiece with his first film, Ex Machina. Combining a dense and intelligent plot, this science fiction gem offers a profound reflection on humans and artificial intelligence, skillfully using references such as Jackson Pollock to strengthen a theological discourse about the quasi-deification of AI. Ex Machina is often cited as one of the favorite films of fans of the genre.
However, garland confused some viewers with his next film, destruction, which despite its impressive set pieces was perceived as lengthy, painful, clichéd and lazy in its execution. As a result, his next work, Menand its terrible themes failed to arouse general interest, seemed too thoughtful like certain works by David Robert Mitchell (but less good), and lacked the verbal power of his first film.
The film Civil War was seen by some as an opportunity for recovery garland, but the results were mixed. Although the film has many strengths, it leaves a feeling of dissatisfaction. garland demonstrates an impressive mastery of sound and transforms the firearm, symbol of the revolution in the United States, into a monster that attracts attention. However, apart from a brutal final scene, the film largely avoids weapons and instead devotes itself to examining human cruelty.
This horror-gallery road trip would have benefited from deeper political contextualization. garland remains in a simple pattern that pits rebels against government villains without nuance. Encounters with various characters who love violence in this almost anarchic chaos bring with them some surprises. The scene with Jesse Plemons, the film’s best feature, vividly illustrates a possible depiction of civil war in the coming years in a divided country. A nation in which unbridled violence is only the result of a lack of direction among its citizens. In his icy calm, the militiaman no longer knows how to distinguish who is an American or who ” is not“.
The image management with the decision to cut up the action with photos is worthy of criticism and breaks with the action, so that one puzzles over the relevance of this artistic decision. The characters’ development is also lacking and the scenario doesn’t give them the necessary consistency. The finale, even if it is quickly ended by a long-denouement dialogue in the middle of the action (and off screen) was generally effective and would have benefited from chaos. Civil War was perhaps somewhat limited by its modest budget (50 million dollars).
Despite these shortcomings Civil War remains a gripping thriller about a plausible future for the United States, intriguing enough but perhaps too ambitious in the expectations it raises. garland, who is known for his talent as a screenwriter, seems to lack dramatic impact here, although the sound mixing is particularly effective and keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, the whole thing sometimes lacks the iconicity and striking lines that characterized its first success. We perceive the violence, the brains are completely washed and lobotomized by the idea of ” Everything is allowed »But we have difficulty understanding the environment in which all these wonderful people thrive. In short, a good, thoughtful conversation, but overall pretty disappointing.