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In this episode of The Cinematic Schematic, we are diving into Alex Garland’s envisioning of the fall of American democracy with a review of Civil War. Given the subject matter, we break the ice with an in-depth discussion covering what a film about deep divisions in America could mean and how listeners can become more involved in their communities related to policy and relationship building.
Meet the Reviewers
In this review conversation, hosts Caleb Masters and Laron Chapman are joined by two of Oklahoma City’s most qualified experts on the subject matter of the current political climate, OKC city councilperson and Oklahoma City University film studies professor, James Cooper, and the founder and CEO of the nonpartisan civic engagement nonprofit, Let’s Fix This.
From left to right: Laron Chapman, James Cooper, Andy Moore, and Caleb Masters
What Releasing A Movie Titled “Civil War” in 2024 Could Mean
Time Stamp: 2:30
Because Civil War is about a very charged subject matter, we brought two of the most qualified people in Oklahoma City to talk with us about what the release of Civil War means for our broader culture, especially heading into an election season.
Unfortunately, due to tight scheduling constraints, Andy has seen the movie. Given his passion for this film and position as the CEO of Let’s Fix This, he has agreed to talk with us about the film alongside our other highly qualified guest, James Cooper.
In this topic-focused ice-breaker discussion, we discuss:
- The connection between media violence and real-world impacts
- What are the cultural risks of telling a story of a fictional Civil War in a politically charged environment?
- The implications of a non-American telling the story of a fictional US Civil War
- How listeners can become more engaged and involved in civil engagement
Review: Does Alex Garland Deliver a Compelling Reflection on an American Civil War?
Time Stamp: 1:01:28
In our spoiler-free review, we discuss:
- Our overall thoughts on Civil War
- How it compares to other films from writer/director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men)
- Letter grade verdicts
- Our alternate media recommendations (other movies, TV series, video games, novels, etc.)
Spoiler Discussion: A Clinical Dramatization of War or a Critique of War Efforts?
Time Stamp: 1:33:45
After determining whether or not the movie delivers on a story worthy of the weight of its title, we dive into the details by looking at:
- What the movie has to say about violence and the notion of a Civil War in near future America
- Garland’s perspective on the role of war journalists
- How filmgoers and listeners should lead the conversation with their friends after the credits roll
Has Alex Garland delivered a thought-provoking story for the contentious times we are living in, or is Civil War a vapid war film with nothing new to say?
Tune in for our verdicts!
Special Guests
James Cooper
Oklahoma City Councilperson, OCU English and Modern Languages Artist in Residence, film studies professor (OFCC)
Follow James @jamesforokc on X, Facebook, and Instagram
For Ward 2 matters, James can be contacted at ward2@okc.gov
Andy Moore
Founder / CEO of Let’s Fix This
Follow Let’s Fix This on Facebook, Twitter(X), Instagram, or Youtube
About Civil War
According to IMDB, Civil War is described as:
A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House.
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