麻豆区
Customer Review
- Reviewed in Canada on September 3, 2024This movie left me emotionally drained like a few other motion pictures ever have. It has a wonderful pace and really brings you into the story of these four journalists trying to cover a Civil War within the United States. The problem is you are thrown right into the story without any context as to why it鈥檚 happening, or know who the protagonists and antagonists are, and why the secession took place. All we know is that the central US government is under attack by rebel forces and are now on the verge of capturing Washington and killing the president.
This is the great weakness of this movie. Unlike the real United States Civil War fought between 1861 and 1865, you knew why it was happening. Because of that, you can emotionally pick your side, even as you read about it.
That鈥檚 not the case here. And I think it鈥檚 done deliberately because in someways, it may be set up as a reflection of how things are potentially in the current United States. Whether you agree with that or not, is immaterial to the story. That is because the real enemy here is war itself, and your only segue into that conflict is through the four main characters who are both trying to report on it and somehow survive it.
Those main characters are played incredibly well and with a genuine authenticity that makes you truly believe you鈥檙e watching something that took place, or is taking place, in any number of real combats situations going on right now. Kirsten Dunst is particularly effective in this and so is her sidekick who is ably played by Cailee Spaeny. They are the heart of this story, and it is their relationship that, like a thread going through the eye of a needle, helps stitch together a plot through the chaos of this movie.
Another great performance is by Jesse Plemons, who is genuinely terrifying and so realistic that you are left shaken by it. The only other performance that comes close to his (in terms of evil and menace) is that of Ralph Fiennes鈥 Amon Goth in Schindler鈥檚 List.
The ending, however, is somewhat anti-climatic. There are no real answers as to why this Civil War took place. You are just left emotionally drained and terrified by what you saw. And if that鈥檚 not something you鈥檙e prepared for definitely steer clear of this movie.
It is certainly not a date-night movie, nor one that you can watch again, at least for a while, if at all. But you can鈥檛 appreciate it for what it is.
Again, it would鈥檝e helped if we had context, because then the motion picture would give a broader meaning to what the viewer just saw. But I don鈥檛 think that was the movie makers goal.
Clearly, this movie is not for everyone. In fact, I doubt it鈥檚 for very many people. So if you do have the courage to buy this and watch it, be prepared for how it will affect you because it does strike a deep cord.
