Civil War, Alex Garland’s film about a journalist traveling through a fractured United States, has a streaming release date.
A24, which has generated a lot of critical controversy, is set to premiere on Max on September 14. The film is also available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV+.
The film, starring Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Nick Offerman, set an A24 record with an opening weekend gross of $25 million.
In an interview with Variety for their cover story on the film, Dunst said the work was intentionally meant to provoke debate.
“The whole movie is open to interpretation,” Dunst said. “For me, there were things I just accepted that were unexplained. It allows the audience to fill in their own feelings about what they’re watching.”
“I have my own answers to these questions. And if someone asked me, I’d answer it,” the director said. “But if Kirsten didn’t ask me, I wouldn’t answer.”
Variety critic Peter Debruge gave the film a positive review, praising its emotional qualities:
Anyone who saw Garland’s previous film, the A24-backed freakout “Men,” knows the director doesn’t shy away from pushing things to their most nauseating extreme. “Civil War” is no different. Garland trades in triggering images, not just of war crimes of the image-makers themselves, far from neutral, all but encouraging acts that make Jan. 6 look mild. Meanwhile, ambiguities surrounding the origins of the conflict mean there’s no way to defuse what we’re watching. Sight unseen, “Civil War” has been criticized for exploiting tensions in an election year, when in fact, it’s meant to illustrate the futility of “sides.” Garland’s the last person to suggest a group hug. As statements go, his powerful vision leaves us shaken, effectively repeating the question that quelled the L.A. riots: Can we all get along?