Just got back from watching the new “Civil War” movie at the theater…remember theaters? Big rooms, big screens, comfy chairs but you have to go all the way down the hall to use the bathroom and you can’t pause the film?
I knew nothing about the film prior to arrival except the title. Talked Adventure Wife into going as an “outing.” Our local cinema has all movies for $6 on Tuesdays…we call that “Date Night” at my house!
It is an intense piece with plenty of combat action, good guns and excellent gun handling (something I always appreciate.) Not to mention building searches done by people who know a thing or two about it. I had to look up to see who did the training, and turns out they hired a variety of combat veterans and a former SEAL Team 5 member to build in authenticity. Good gun handling and small team movements. First Aid is awful in the movie…but hey, you still gotta make a movie!
The story of course, is about travelling through a modern American Civil War. The main characters are journalists going from the frying pan and into the fire trying to get good pictures and interviews for Reuters. (Reuters…that doesn’t sound American to me…) You are sucked in and drug along with those distinctly unarmed journalists from gun fight to gun fight, and precarious situation to the next even scarier situation. If this movie doesn’t raise your heart rate and make you jump a few times there may be something wrong with your circulatory system.
The whole movie points out the horrors of every war, and the backdrop of American vs American makes it somehow worse and more personal. At some point, it was a combination of war scenes right out of Saving Private Ryan mixed with road tripping in an apocalyptic zombie move to see what horror is just around the corner. Keeps you guessing and you don’t know anything about the next guy around the corner holding a rifle. Anything can happen. Plenty of blood and guts on display. Not a good fit for youngsters with an R rating.
It also points out these journalists could have been in any modern war, and equally at home hopping rides across wars in Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan or Ukraine with their silly vests marked “PRESS” on them- like that makes them invulnerable. You do get a large dose of how crazy/brave/stupid those journalists must be in a war zone. But you will also be itching in your seats and thinking “Pick up that gun! It’s right there!” “Don’t leave that rifle behind…and get his mags too” and “Gee wouldn’t it be handy to have your own gun for the next time you are drawn into some ambush?”
There is a great scene with a ghillie suited sniper and his spotter and they are asked about which side they are on and they quite simply say “Someone is shooting at us trying to kill us.” Sniper logic.
I think my favorite part about the movie, is there are no politics in it. None. All you are told is the nation is in the midst of a civil war, not why. In the first two minutes you are told the Western Front comprised of California and Texas have seceded and are battling the Washington D.C. based government. (California and Texas? Crazy right?) I appreciate the director not bogging us down in who did what to whom or what their belief systems are or this is some prediction of the future. It is just war. Both sides kill lots of people and commit brutal acts with lots of destruction and civilians suffering the most.
The movie also has a number of scenes where you are not really sure who is on either side or why both sides would let journalists cozy up when bullets are whizzing. Who is good and who is bad flip-flops or remains unknown to the observer. A lot like any civil war.
In the end, if you want to take sides, some good advice I can pass along- I like that side with the F-35’s, M-1 Abrams tank and Apache Longbow Attack Choppers tearing up on screen-seems to be a good side to bet on. I like that supply chain and the logistics.
And for God’s sake always watch for any finger inside a trigger guard…anything can happen with that finger and in this movie it often does.
I liked it. Tons of high intensity gun fights where you feel danger close and lots of ammo expended! I ask little else in a movie.
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