War movies can deliver some of the most captivating stories, and such is the case with 2024’s Civil War. and it’s now becoming a quiet streaming hit in the United States. The A24 dystopian action thriller film is currently within the Top 10 most-watched movies on HBO Max in the United States according to FlixPatrol data.
Civil War boasts a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Kirsten Dunst, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, and Nick Offerman, among others. Civil War follows a group of war journalists, led by Lee Smith (Dunst), a war photojournalist from Colorado. They plan to interview the third-term President, head of the country’s authoritarian federal government, before the rebels take the city.
Civil War depicts the journalists’ journey from New York City to Washington, D.C., where they encounter combat, witness militiamen executing prisoners, and spend the night at a refugee camp. Civil War was a box-office success, grossing over $127.3 million worldwide against a $50 million budget, becoming A24’s most expensive film at the time and their second-highest-grossing film.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Civil War holds an 81% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score. However, the Popcornmeter, which is based on viewers’ reviews, holds a 69% score. Namrata Joshi from The New Indian Express gave the film a positive review, stating, “There’s a cautionary message then in the madness: stop or perish; the choice is entirely ours.”
Civil War Reviews Were Mixed
Civil War’s Lee takes photos of a nationalist militia Image via A24
Moira MacDonald from The Seattle Times said Civil War “is essentially a horror movie, one in which the horrors feel uncomfortably close to home.” Some of the most negative reviews from critics include Sam Adams from Slate, who says, “Garland’s squishiness can read only as a failure of nerve. A more successfully political movie wouldn’t be so wary of aiming at real targets.”
On IMDb, Civil War holds a 7/10 score, with over two thousand reviews. IMDb user alex_giblin gave a positive review of the film, stating, “This film is about the visceral and unsettling reality of conflict, life and death, and it’s brought to you in a familiar place not 10,000 miles away in a foreign land.”
Meanwhile, IMDb user clarejoshua called it a “missed opportunity,” saying, “There’s moments where you think “yeah, let’s explore this” and it moves on. The pace seems confusing with a huge wait until action is reached then a final 15 minutes of non-stop.” On Metacritic, Civil War holds a 75 score from critics and a 6.3 from users.
Despite the conflicting reviews between audiences and critics, Civil War still managed to find success at the box office and on streaming as well. According to FlixPatrol data, Civil War is currently the second most-watched movie on HBO Max in the United States, becoming a quiet streaming hit, behind Leonardo DiCaprio’s black comedy action thriller film, One Battle After Another.
Civil War is currently available for streaming on HBO Max in the United States.
Release Date
April 12, 2024
Runtime
109 Minutes
Director
Alex Garland
Writers
Alex Garland
