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Why ‘Civil War’ Is Making Audiences So Uncomfortable

Alex Garland's latest feature is difficult to watch because it does not give people clearly defined sides to root for (or against).

As both writer and director, Garland has consistently offered a unique perspective on the human condition, largely devoid of binaries like good and evil that American audiences love to uphold. And in some ways, much as Garland has evolved over the decades, Civil War goes back to that film, which saw its characters caught in a dying society, unsure of who to trust, and lacking confidence that we can still make a difference. Was any of it disturbing enough to prevent a real Civil War in our time, or will we simply judge the artistry of the images, the craft of the photographer while we stagger ahead, avoiding discomfort and hard questions because we only want to acknowledge works that assures us we’re on the right path, that hope springs eternal, and such a thing could never happen in reality because surely we know who our allies and enemies are.

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