A24's fictional 'Civil War' film brings a divided America to life

Alex Garland’s "Civil War," which debuts Friday, is set in a dystopian near-future version of a divided U.S.

Warning: This article contains some spoilers for the film “Civil War.” 

It was a movie trailer seemingly designed to inflame the current political era.

In one shot, the Lincoln Memorial blows up. In another, the president says that the “Western Forces of Texas and California” have been defeated by the United States military. And Washington, D.C., is where journalists get killed “on sight.”

Months after the release of the trailer, Alex Garland’s “Civil War” opens in theaters this weekend. Reviews have been mostly positive, with the movie scoring 84% on RottenTomatoes with both critics and audience members, and 78% on Metacritic.

It remains to be seen whether the provocative advertising will translate into box-office riches — or the kind of heated discourse that sometimes accompanies films that probe American politics.

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/movies/civil-war-movie-2024-rcna147303

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