HBO Max is About to Lose One of the Best Movies of 2024

by

You have less than three weeks to watch a fantastic, lesser-known film before it’s removed from HBO Max. It’s a tense, unsettling movie that critics generally liked – it currently has an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers describe it as gripping and disturbing, offering a stark and uncomfortable portrayal of life in a country torn apart by internal conflict.

Alex Garland’s Civil War presents a frighteningly realistic near-future America torn apart by a second civil war. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, and Stephen Henderson, the film follows a group of journalists documenting the conflict as they rush to Washington D.C. before rebel forces attack the White House. With intense performances, particularly from Dunst and Moura, the movie maintains a constant sense of suspense throughout its 1 hour and 49-minute runtime. It’s a challenging film designed to confront viewers with a stark and unsettling vision of what could be, rather than offer simple entertainment.

Don’t Expect A Reason For the Violence in Civil War

The film Civil War lives up to its name with intense and realistic violence, particularly in its sound design which accurately depicts gunshots. However, the movie focuses on the experience of the war itself rather than exploring the political causes behind the conflict. Some viewers found this approach unsettling, while others appreciated it. One viewer described it as not being ‘small,’ pointing out the large-scale military invasion of the Capitol in the final act. The film prioritizes the perspectives of those witnessing the war, rather than focusing on the leaders or decision-makers involved.

You know, I was reading a review of Civil War by Sammie Purcell at Rough Draft Atlanta, and it really hit home. They pointed out that the movie isn’t really about what caused the conflict, but about how people cope – or don’t cope – when everything’s falling apart. It’s less about the ‘why’ and more about the ‘what now?’ What I loved is that it’s a really tough, violent look at what people, especially journalists, will do to survive and to get the story, no matter the cost. It’s bleak, but that’s what makes it so compelling, honestly.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/hbo-max-is-about-to-lose-one-of-2024s-best-movies/embed/#

Read More

2026-02-17 00:40