A24's Civil War Coming To Streaming Later Than You Probably Thought
Civil War is A24's big release for 2024 and looks to be the last film directed by Alex Garland, the director of Ex Machina, Dredd and Annihilation.
It's the most expensive movie A24 has ever made and is currently the talk of the industry. But what makes it so special?
The plot
The movie is set in the near future where a third term president is in charge of America. During his time in office, the country has become increasingly divided. Now it's a race against time as a group of heroic journalists desperately try to reach the White House before rebel forces do. Will they make it in time? Or is America doomed?
Against this backdrop, the film explores questions such as what it really means to be a US citizen.
It's an action flick, but so much more. Amidst the drama, there are deeper layers of meaning and questions for philosophical cinephiles to ponder. It's also been praised for its stunning scenery, so there really is something for everyone.
Who's starring in it ?
Kirsten Dunst plays Lee Smith, an acclaimed but jaded photojournalist trying to do her part to save America. You may recognize Dunst from Spider-Man, Bring It On, or perhaps Interview with the Vampire, where she played Claudia at the age of twelve.
She stars alongside Wagner Moura of Elite Squad and Narcos, who plays Joel, a Reuters journalist and Smith's colleague. Another big name in this gritty action movie is Stephen Mcklinley Henderson. If you've seen his performance in Dune or Ladybird, you'll understand why there's so much hype surrounding Civil War. Henderson plays Sammy, a veteran journalist for the New York Times and Lee's mentor.
A record breaker at the box office
On its opening day, Civil War grossed $10.8 million, a record for an A24 release. Since then, it's earned more than Hereditary and is on track to become the company's biggest film ever.
It is currently in the top 20 grossing films of 2024.
AI Controversy
A24 released a series of eye-catching posters that were visually striking. But they didn't use a graphic designer to create them, they used AI.
These posters depict apocalyptic scenes in various states across America. However, many of them don't actually appear in the movie – which caused confusion and criticism from some who wanted to know why they were used in the promos if they weren't in the movie.
'A24 using ai for advertising might be a sign, maybe its the beginning of the end for a company that used to rely on indie aesthetics. It's incredibly disappointing,' one user commented.
What are the critics saying?
This heart-pounding movie has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75% rating on IMDb. It has received mixed (but largely positive) reviews from critics, and - with so much chatter among critics and moviegoers - it's fair to say that most of it is positive.
Oddly for a dystopian drama, some have described it as a beautiful film that is somewhat poetic. Even those who have criticisms of the film as a whole tend to agree that Kirsten Dunst plays her role powerfully and really brings Lee to life.
Where can I watch it?
The movie was released on April 12, 2024 and is currently in theaters.
It will eventually be available to stream on Max, but no date has been confirmed. However, there's hope that it might be sooner than predicted.
A24's Priscilla began streaming in February 2024, just four months after its theatrical release. If Civil War follows suit, it could be on Max as early as August of this year.