So I just got back from Civil War. I think it's pretty stellar overall. Most complaints seem to obsess that it isn't the film they wanted to see, which is some kind of exposition on the way American government will break down and what political splits will occur. The film pointedly ignores many of the "why's" (I think purposefully) and instead of looks at these series of events through the literal lens of photo-journalism. In a way, it might have more to do with Nightcrawler rather than some dystopian war film, although the latter film had edgelord journalists covertly making the news themselves as necessary and this is more about the protagonists' responses to what is unfolding and what drives them personally.
SOme of these questions cannot really be answered, and Garland refuses to simplify things -- he acknowledges both their idealism but also how some of their behavior resembles junkies looking for something that makes them feel, even while they detach from what they are seeing. Is it justifiable for them to do this, to be more effective and to help with survive, or is it a loss of humanity / leading them astray?
So there are some character arcs in the film that are explored. The battle sequences are actually pretty terrifying and crazy. I just can't imagine standing in one of those places watching this unfold. And a Press jacket is NOT a bulletproof vest either, it's only a gentleman's agreement -- nothing stops you from getting shot in the most horrible ways possible.
Jesse Plemons is also terrifying. Damn that guy.
Offerman, Mizuno, and Plemons really aren't in the film very much. The main cast is Dunst, Moura, Spaeny and Henderson. I will pretty much watch anything with Spaeny, after I saw her in DEVS. She's really solid. I need to watch the Priscilla [Pressley] film.
As far as films he's written/directed, I think Men might be the weakest, despite the creepy ending, and Dredd is probably the next weakest because it's so straightforward (but hey it was an action film). Those two are at the bottom. I don't consider either a bad film, they are actually still both pretty enjoyable. I'd probably say Annihilation is my favorite, with Ex Machina right there as well, then Civil War (which is really solid), then Dredd and Men. I think Ex Machina is more of an overall fan favorite because it is more accessible, but that's exactly why I think Annihilation is more spectacular -- it totally refuses to over-clarify itself and ends up being even more profound. [I really love both of those films.]
In terms of his written work that he didn't direct, I would probably say it's 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go, and 28 Weeks Later. I think Never Let Me Go is strongest with its writing, I feel like the directing wasn't quite as good.
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