Warning: this article contains spoilers for Civil War.
A ‘scary’ scene in Box Office Civil War in which a dead-eyed Jesse Plemons metes out justice to those he considers ‘un-American’, leaving moviegoers stunned this past weekend.
The dystopian thriller also received widespread praise from critics and fans for its depiction of a country ravaged by violence, ruled by a despotic figure in the style of Donald Trump.
The film, directed by British filmmaker and writer Alex Garland, raked in $25 million at the US box office last weekend.
During the Civil War, the collapse of political discourse saw conflict erupt across the country, with Texas and California bizarrely joining forces to secede from the union.
In the midst of all this, a team of journalists, led by Kristen Dunst, travel to Washington to interview the commander in chief, played by Nick Offerman, who is in his third term and who, without evidence, proclaims that the action civil war is nearing its end.
Cailee Spaeny and Jesse Plemons in one of the most moving scenes in the film
The strange strawberry-tinted sunglasses worn by Plemons were the actor’s choice
Portland police officers chase protesters after a riot was declared during a protest over the killing of Daunte Wright on April 12, 2021 in the city, a scene comparable to violence seen during the Civil War.
It is revealed that Dunst’s character rose to fame by capturing a famous image during the “Antifa Massacre”. The incident is not detailed, meaning we don’t know if the Antifa members were massacred or if they carried out the massacre themselves.
During their journey, the group encounters an unnamed violent racist played by Plemons. Wearing strawberry-colored sunglasses and military fatigues, the anonymous character serves as judge, jury and literal executioner to those he deems to be anti-American.
“What kind of American are you?” asks Plemons, Dunst’s real husband, to his group. It is obvious that he is the leader of a group of militiamen surrounding the area. Right next to him is a dump truck full of corpses.
Plemons opens fire on anyone whose answer he doesn’t like.
As he prepares to turn his gun on the youngest member of the group, Jessie, played by Cailee Spaeny, another member of their group crashes on the scene in their truck killing Plemons and allowing our heroes to s ‘escape.
Speaeny told the Los Angeles Times that filming the scene with Plemons was “very scary.”
The actor explained that she and Plemons spent most of the day shooting their character together, improvising the scene.
Garland had set up the shot so that no cameras were visible, making it more “immersive” for the actors.
“So you didn’t see a crew member wandering around in the background eating a bag of chips – you didn’t have a traditional close-up,” she said.
“It was very immersive. This stunt sequence was incredible. And the moment we all got in that car, when Stephen picks us up, my God, it felt really real. This whole sequence. The scene, the way it’s written is completely frightening.
Plemons, playing an anonymous violent racist, holds people at gunpoint while asking them about their origins
Civil War takes the form of a road movie: a trunk of journalists driving from New York to their meeting with destiny in Washington, DC
In the film, Nick Offerman plays a despotic president who served three terms.
In the past, Trump has made statements regarding a ‘third term’
The $50 million film shot in Georgia is the most expensive production ever made by the A24 studio.
“The plan is to make a compelling, engaging film,” Garland said. “And the product of this captivating and engaging film is a conversation
The scene is described as both “crucial” and “terrifying” in various reviews.
One X user described Plemons as giving an “Oscar nomination” worthy performance, despite only being on screen for about 15 minutes.
Another noted that the costume team deserved “big kudos” for “fully understanding the menacing nature of tinted sunglasses.”
“Jesse Plemons’ scene in Civil War is one of the greatest suspense sequences in recent memory. He’s such a great actor for the things he doesn’t do, so many funny facial tics without ever raising his voice ” said another.
Garland said in an interview that these outrageous glasses were Plemons’ idea.
Dunst also revealed while promoting the film that the original actor who was to play the role had dropped out and Plemons had volunteered to step in.
His character is not named as a supporter of the president depicted in the film, implying that he exercises his own law.
In a review for Variety, Owen Gleiberman wrote of Plemons’ scene: “For a few moments, the film feels like a reflection of part of today’s America.”
Richard Newby of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the scene embodied “our modern political discourse.”
In an interview with Time magazine, Garland said the violent vigilantes were inspired by the warlords of regimes such as the Khmer Rouge.
Feedback from moviegoers has been largely positive
There is no clear reference to whether Offerman’s character is based on Donald Trump, nor whether he is a Republican or Democrat.
During a red carpet interview, Offerman explicitly said that “(the Trump comparison) wasn’t even brought up,” according to the Reporter.
He also said the film had “no relation to any actual factions or politicians.” That’s what I find so great about this film. Everyone, from any side of the aisle or faction, has a lot to say, and we are all immediately divisive and partisan in our conversations.
However, during his ill-fated 2020 presidential campaign, Trump openly stated that he was willing to “negotiate” in order to guarantee “four more years” in the White House, provided he won that year’s election .
Most recently, Trump said he would be a “dictator” for a day in order to get revenge on his political rivals.
In a review, David Hookstead of the conservative pop culture site OutKick said the film takes “shots at both sides of the aisle.”
“It’s neither liberal nor conservative. It’s neither Republican nor Democratic. “It’s a war movie about killing, and not just about random people, about killing your fellow citizens,” Hookstead added.
Although the liberal newspaper The Daily Beast described it as an “explosive warning against a Trump takeover.”
In a damning review, Johnyn Oleksinski of the New York Post wrote that Civil War is “no more vital to the discourse than The Purge and is about 1 percent as entertaining.”
Most fan reactions have been more positive, with most praising the apolitical nature of the plot.
“#CivilWar worked for me. I was nervous throughout the entire performance. Masterclass tension and haunting sound design. A very convincing POV from war journalists. A smart move to keep it apolitical, in my opinion. (Cailee) Spaeny is a star.
The viewer was not entirely satisfied either.
“My only downsides are some stupid decisions in the storyline. A very scary and visceral film.
“Totally in the pro #CivilWar camp (the OFC film; make no mistake!). There’s no clear ideology for the central conflict, true, but the movie *itself* has a clear ideology, and that’s what really matters,” said another.
“Surprisingly, very impressed with #CivilWar. He doesn’t choose sides intelligently, leading to a film that focuses solely on the journalists and their eagerness to capture the battlefield. There are some haunting moments and the performances are all very strong. Really empowering,” said another viewer.
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