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Review | Civil War movie review: America at war with itself in Ex Machina director Alex Garland’s evocative thriller
- Kirsten Dunst and Nick Offerman star in Civil War, Ex Machina director Alex Garland’s thriller about an America that begins to fracture from within
- Whether the film offers insight into the make-up of modern America is debatable – this is a film that stands back from conflict – but it is gripping nonetheless
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4/5 stars
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Anyone who knows their history will be aware that America endured a civil war in the 1860s, as the Confederacy in the South fought against the Union in the North.
British director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) updates that idea for this evocative thriller that shows just what it might be like if the United States comes to blows now.
The film begins with the US president (Nick Offerman) rehearsing a speech, as we learn that the US states of California and Texas have allied to form the Western Forces, fighting against the increasingly brutal federal government.
Garland’s story looks at this crumbling America through the eyes of four members of the press.
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