The outbreak of civil war in the U.S… The even scarier movie ‘Civil War’ that scares because it might actually happen.

A24’s First Blockbuster… Journey of Reporters Trying to Interview the President

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(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Bo-ram: In Hollywood films depicting dystopia (a bleak future), the United States perishes for various reasons.

Due to alien invasions, zombie viruses spreading, robot uprisings, asteroid collisions, rapid climate change….

Is it because the U.S., a global hegemon, seems more likely to collapse for such reasons rather than losing a war on its own soil?

However, the portrayal of the U.S. collapsing from internal division in director Alex Garland’s film ‘Civil War: Age of Division’ (hereafter ‘Civil War’) is likely to instill more fear than any disaster movie.

Looking at the U.S. in the past few years, where the political society is polarized and hate mongers run rampant, one might think this could actually happen someday.

According to a recent CNN poll, 52% of Americans are optimistic and 48% are pessimistic about a second term for Donald Trump, indicating a society split into extremes.

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In this movie, the U.S. has transformed into something akin to a third world country. The value of the dollar has plummeted, gasoline is bought in Canadian dollars, and electricity may go out at any moment. Refugee camps have sprung up across cities, and the roads are littered with abandoned vehicles, reminiscent of a scene from the American drama ‘Zombie Land.’

All tragedies began with a rebellion led by the Western army against the government. The president reassures the nation, claiming the government forces are regaining control, while repeatedly demanding the Western army’s surrender.

Lee, a reporter from Reuters (played by Kirsten Dunst), plans to go to the White House to interview the president. She is accompanied on her journey to Washington D.C. by colleague Joel (played by Wagner Moura), Sammy (played by Stephen Henderson), and aspiring journalist Jessie (played by Cailee Spaeny).

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The scenes they encounter on the road are sheer terror. Even ordinary citizens are armed with rifles, leaving no room for relaxation. The days when strangers would greet each other warmly are long gone. Distrusting strangers, capturing, torturing, and murdering them have become the ‘new normal.’

Shootouts erupt everywhere. No matter how much you wear bulletproof vests and helmets marked with ‘PRESS,’ sniper bullets still rain down.

There are soldiers who have lost sight of why they took up arms. They kill others easily, as if addicted to violence and murder. One soldier (Jesse Plemons) asks Lee’s group, “Where are you Americans from?” before deciding who to kill and who to spare based on their hometown.

What’s scarier is that the movie offers no explanation of how things came to be this way. It only hints that the country was divided due to polarization, leaving the audience clueless as to why everyone is so desperate to kill each other.

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Due to this, ‘Civil War’ faced criticism from the progressive camp upon its release in the U.S. last April. The movie was expected to target right-wing figures like Donald Trump ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Setting the protagonists as reporters seems intended to maintain an objective perspective without leaning towards either conservatism or progressivism. Lee’s group does not side with either the government or the Western army, aiming solely for their scoop.

This film, the first blockbuster by A24, a well-known U.S. independent film distributor with a solid fan base, invested $50 million in production, grossing $120 million worldwide. It’s the second highest-grossing A24 film after ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ ($143.41 million).

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The most elaborate scene is the Western army’s advance on the White House. The tank and missile-led attack, followed by a gunfight, is breathtakingly tense. The scene’s realism is enhanced by technical consultant Ray Mendoza, a Navy SEAL with 17 years of experience, who appears with his former colleagues.

This film might resonate shockingly with our citizens who have recently witnessed the 12.3 Martial Law Situation. It was one of the hottest topics when officially invited to the Open Cinema section at the 29th Busan International Film Festival.

Director Kim Sung-soo, who made ‘Spring of Seoul,’ said, “This film is not just scary, it’s chilling, probably because the real world is full of war and conflict.” Director Jang Joon-hwan of ‘1987’ praised it, saying, “It’s a fresh approach and attempt on war films.”

Releases on December 31. 109 minutes. Suitable for ages 15 and over.

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rambo@yna.co.kr