‘Civil War’: Alex Garland’s Searing Warning Flare

This prophetic and cautionary tale is poised to stir contentious water-cooler debate.

Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst), a photojournalist who covers events, in “Civil War.” Murray Close

R | 1h 49m | Dystopian Drama, Speculative Fiction, Action | 2024

After penning screenplays for “28 Days Later,” “Sunshine,” “Never Let Me Go,” and “Dredd,” former novelist Alex Garland wrote and directed his first feature, “Ex Machina,” one of the best science-fiction films ever made. This was followed by the almost-as-good “Annihilation” and then the supremely average “Men.”