OK....the new film....Civil War. I was at the second showing....with less than ten people there....although I just saw that the 8:00 showing is just about full. I am in the habit of standing outside the auditorium door until the previews are over....because they always disturb me....except the previews with Christian movies of course.....but I had to go in today because I could not see the screen through the door of this particular auditorium. I had to sit through all thirty-five minutes of what I consider an assault on the mind. So I was already tense before the main movie started.
A Breitbart review that just came up today calls it an anti-Trump movie. I didn't get that at all....although you could read that into it if you so desire....a 'Find Waldo' kind of message. It is more an anti-American movie....with anti-Christian overtones. The screenwriter/director is Alex Garland....not to be confused with Merrick Garland our Attorney General. The British born Garland is a self-described atheist....and I believe it. He's a well-known director....apparently considered a good one....but I've never seen any of his previous films. See....I don't go to the movies as much as you might think that I do. I'm very picky.
In yesterday's post I told about listening to film critic Michael Medved at a college conference on antisemitism. What I didn't say was that at the end of his talk....which was on America's ties to the origin of the state of Israel....he made an off-hand comment that he had just previewed Civil War.....and simply said...."Don't go!" There I was with my tickets already reserved for today....but I see films like this for the same reason that he does....it's what I have to do. I don't know if I would say....don't go....but I would definitely say....be prepared if you do.
There's not a lot of dialogue other than the main characters who are journalists....or in this case....war correspondents....but it seems like every character in the film uses the F word multiple times. My point here is that I don't think that Alex Garland knows Americans at all. There wasn't one character who you might think ever opens up a Bible....or truly loves his neighbor....any neighbor. There are really no heroes here. Even the journalists seem jaded. This isn't Bernard Fall in his 1961 classic on the early years of the Vietnam War....Street Without Joy.....but....this is a film without joy....none....not even in the hopes of either side.
There isn't a scent of Christianity in the film or the characters in the film....except one man who was wearing a cross around his neck as he enjoyed getting his picture taking torturing two men.....whoever they were.....for it is hard to identify a lot of the people fighting each other.
There were no comments anytime from the audience....during or after the film ended....small as it was. They all seemed bored at the end. Much of the military scenes did not make sense....as there was one where it seemed a brigade sized unit is bivouacked just on the outskirts of our capital....getting ready to attack....and they are all peaceably going about their business....as if this were Lee and Grant's civil war....whereas today if that were the case....one button would be pushed and that brigade would be gone.
The film is a study in hate....and it does focus almost entirely on what this particular team of journalists had to do to be around the action. I could make other comments but would have to give spoilers. I'm interested as I'm sure you are....what the general consensus will be....and also what real war journalists might think about the depiction of their profession.
The complete divide in our country has been a major concern of mine for well over a decade before I started these posts in 2008. These 3,000-plus posts are littered with that concern. My initial feelings....only a few hours after walking out of the theater....is that if this is meant to be an anti-Trump film....and the main characters....and the winning side....(that's the only spoiler I'll give....one side wins)....are somehow supposed to be the good guys....then this director not only does not know much about Americans....he doesn't know even know what good means.
Addendum: I want to expound a little on one scene mentioned above. Consider this....The journalists come across two men hanging....still alive....for they were...."looters"....thieves. There is another man with a gun. The journalists want to take his picture. He of course complies....relishing the glory of the moment....and asks where he should stand.....they tell him...."in the middle".....of the two thieves. This is the man who is wearing a cross necklace. There is a message here from this atheist director. What do you think it is?
