The upcoming dystopian film Civil War has been getting much attention from all corners of Hollywood. Featuring an alternative version of America plagued with war, the film follows a group of war journalists who go on a perilous mission; attempting to get a final interview with the President of the United States before his own citizens kill him.
Although the story, on its own, is extremely captivating, its cast and director act as the cherry on top. Featuring Kristen Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Jesse Plemons, and Nick Offerman in central roles, and Alex Garland having directed the whole project, it is safe to say that all eyes are on this movie.
Considering how the premise of it seems almost like an exaggeration of real life, many began to speculate that the filmmaker created the movie as a warning for American citizens. Cautioning them that their fates might resemble the work of fiction in a few years. Although there isn’t much weight behind the speculation, it gained enough traction to get a response from Garland.
Civil War and Predictive Programming
Recently, Alex Garland gave an interview with Total Film, via The Direct, where he talked about his highly anticipated and rated movie, Civil War. One of the most talked-about subjects surrounding the movie has become the conspiracy theory about what it is trying to predict. Many have become trapped in this rabbit hole, and several speculations have made headlines.
Garland spoke on exactly such theories during his interview, being disappointed with the direction audiences are taking his film. He seemed to think that his thoughts on the matter would be quite obvious; however, he still clarified.
“I’m pretty sure you could guess what I think about it [sigh]… Concepts like predictive programming just never [sighs]… The BBC doesn’t do a lot of stories on predictive programming. But then I imagine that someone who believes in the concept of predictive programming would say, ‘Well, of course that’s what he would say. Nice cover story, pal.'”
The director believes that movies that indulge in predictive programming are rarely greenlit by studios and he does not, in any way, claim to be doing that. He also countered that although everything he says is candid, he fully expects fans to believe him to be lying for the sake of a ‘cover story’.
Backlash Does Not Affect Alex Garland
Afterward, Alex Garland talked about the backlash his movie has gotten for toying with a very sensitive subject: ideologies. There are a lot of noticeable similarities between the movie and real life, even if it is not trying to predict the future. It shows how a rift in belief systems can cause a civil war in any nation, which has caused many spectators to get upset.
The director talked about his thoughts on this, revealing that he does not pay much mind to the opinions of the masses. He believes that dwelling on one’s own expression for fear of controversy can be very hampering for the creative process.
“One of the underlying rules to my job is that you should not think about that thing you just said too much because it will stop you doing stuff… It could really stop you having an opinion, and I don’t know if it’s good for people who are writing novels or plays or films to remove all opinions, unless they are super-confident that the opinion is safe. That just doesn’t seem like a good space for any of us to be in.”
Opinions are something everyone is entitled to, according to Garland, believing that if a writer tries to keep an unbiased stance for the sake of pleasing everyone, they will not please themselves and this will affect the works they create. It is safe to assume that this is the philosophical approach that he took when making the film.
Civil War will be released in theaters on April 12, 2024.
