Writer-director Alex Garland recently premiered his latest film Civil War at the 2024 South by Southwest Film Festival. The film deals with the hypothetical second American Civil War in a dystopian future. Because of the film’s subject material and the political undertones of its plot, it has been heavily examined by critics and commentators.
In the film, the cause of the American Civil War is never revealed while its effect remains the primary focus of the story. In a new interview, Garland explained the reason behind his choice of not revealing the specifics of the conflict plaguing the United States. As a result, the film might have avoided a major controversy because of the current state of the real-world political landscape in the country, and here is why.
Alex Garland Explains Keeping the Conflict in Civil War Surface Level
Alex Garland gained recognition for creating the sci-fi thriller series Devs. His most recent work, the dystopian action film Civil War, stars Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, and Nick Offerman. It received mostly positive reviews from critics upon its premiere at SXSW on March 14, 2024.
The film sees the states of Texas and California uniting to fight against the US Government, leading to a second American Civil War. However, it does not dive deeper into the genesis of the conflict. During a Q&A session after the film’s premiere, Garland explained that the decision to keep the conflict ambiguous was intentional. He said:
“The film is intended to be a conversation, so it doesn’t assert too much.”
At the same time, Garland added that he did not want the film to explain everything beat by beat, and instead opted to leave things for viewers to interpret themselves.
“We don’t need it explained. We know exactly why it might happen. We know exactly what the fault lines and pressures are.”
Garland made the above statement explaining his decision not to lay out the politics of the world in which the story takes place. He stated that he wanted viewers to apply their own understanding of polarization to deduce certain aspects of the film while leaving the politics of it vague and unexplained.
Alex Garland’s Decision Likely Saved Civil War From Major Controversy
Upon the release of its first trailer, Civil War caused a stir online because of its subject matter. The film depicts Texas and California joining forces in a war against the US Government. As a result, many felt that the trailer failed to address the politics of the conflict that plagues the United States.
However, as Garland explained after the film’s release, the film does not intend to discuss the political details. Instead, it focuses on the drastic effects of such a war, while delivering an anti-war message. Therefore, the film is justified in its decision of not explaining the political ideologies of the factions in the war. In reality, Texas and California have been polar opposites in their political ideology.
Moreover, with the US Presidential elections set to take place later this year, clearly addressing the political viewpoints of the characters would have stirred a major controversy and landed the film in hot water. As a result, the film narrowly avoided any such controversies by choosing not to draw any direct parallels to the current real-world political situation in the US.
Civil War is slated to be released theatrically in the US on April 12, 2024.
