I didn't notice any clues in the new trailer as to why the alliance. Did anyone else?

@M.LeMarchand said:

I didn't notice any clues in the new trailer as to why the alliance. Did anyone else?

I certainly didn't.

But, all of us here on this thread might be overthinking it. To my mind, there are three possibilities:

The alliance is totally nonsensical going by present-day standards, and the movie will turn out to be a purely dystopian action fantasy.

There IS a reason that makes sense, within the context of the movie.

There is another explanation that none of us here are even contemplating, and we're going to look like idiots when we finally see the movie and realize that our initial criticisms of the trailer were small-minded.

Personally, for the sake of desiring to be intellectually challenged, I'm hoping it will be one of the last two, and especially, the third possibility.

I know that going by the trailer, a "Blue-Red" alliance against the U.S. Government would seem an unlikely storyline. But, LeMarchand, go ahead and look into the current American political landscape. There are now separatist movements in Texas, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Vermont (this group has called its idea the "Switzerland of North America"), New Hampshire, and probably others I've forgotten.

So, what we have is a list of States that span the political spectrum. All upset with the U.S. Federal system. Perhaps it is not so unrealistic that even politically-opposed States would unite against a central authority they don't like.

With so many Central and Eastern European nations breaking into even smaller countries following the end of the Cold War (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, the USSR) and even parts of more "liberal" nations desiring the same (see the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Spain), perhaps the premise of "Civil War" is not so far-fetched.

Or maybe the movie will turn out to be pure actioner garbage.

I myself plan on checking this one out, for better or worse.

@northcoast said:

I know that going by the trailer, a "Blue-Red" alliance against the U.S. Government would seem an unlikely storyline. But, LeMarchand, go ahead and look into the current American political landscape. There are now separatist movements in Texas, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Vermont (this group has called its idea the "Switzerland of North America"), New Hampshire, and probably others I've forgotten.

That would be a really interesting twist if Blue & Red end up conspiring based on a common separatist goal. It would take the political discussion to a much deeper level than Us vs. Them.

It reminds me of Star Trek VI ("Kirk vs. Shakespeare" lol) where both Klingons & Federation rebels conspire to assassinate their respective leaders. The joint goal of both sides was to sabotage peace. It was a very cynical plotline, way ahead of its time for the 80s-90s, but as we soon learned in the real world, that's how extremists operate. Cutting off their nose to spite their face, even making covert pacts with "the devil" (the other team) to further their agenda. Maybe it's time for another movie to dig into that angle? I'll keep my fingers crossed. As we've already covered, Alex Garland isn't a dope. He must have something in mind...

@northcoast said:

With so many Central and Eastern European nations breaking into even smaller countries following the end of the Cold War (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, the USSR) and even parts of more "liberal" nations desiring the same (see the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Spain), perhaps the premise of "Civil War" is not so far-fetched.

Weren't most of the "Euro" splits states/countries that had been swallowed by the USSR regaining their independence?

Lots of us in the UK are sympathetic to the Scots, in particular, wanting independence. Particularly if they'll accept us as neither of our equivalents for Republicans or Democrats seem to give a damn for the "ordinary" folk. Thinking about it, Cornwall keeps making noises about independence, some of them kept blacking out the "English" Rose tourism symbol on road signs as they are CORNISH back in the day. Even though hardly any of them speak Cornish and the only "industry" there is... tourism.

I don't think this movie will be a "cinema" one for me as I find most of Garland's work a bit too (pseudo)intellectual for my tastes, though it usually has stunning imagery. Will see it when it's streaming, though. I think the point it wants to make is in the exchange in the trailer:

"You don't know what side you're fighting for?"

"Someone is trying to kill us. We are trying to kill them."

@M.LeMarchand said:

@northcoast said:

With so many Central and Eastern European nations breaking into even smaller countries following the end of the Cold War (Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, the USSR) and even parts of more "liberal" nations desiring the same (see the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Spain), perhaps the premise of "Civil War" is not so far-fetched.

Weren't most of the "Euro" splits states/countries that had been swallowed by the USSR regaining their independence?

Lots of us in the UK are sympathetic to the Scots, in particular, wanting independence. Particularly if they'll accept us as neither of our equivalents for Republicans or Democrats seem to give a damn for the "ordinary" folk. Thinking about it, Cornwall keeps making noises about independence, some of them kept blacking out the "English" Rose tourism symbol on road signs as they are CORNISH back in the day. Even though hardly any of them speak Cornish and the only "industry" there is... tourism.

I don't think this movie will be a "cinema" one for me as I find most of Garland's work a bit too (pseudo)intellectual for my tastes, though it usually has stunning imagery. Will see it when it's streaming, though. I think the point it wants to make is in the exchange in the trailer:

"You don't know what side you're fighting for?"

"Someone is trying to kill us. We are trying to kill them."

Yes, the fall of Communism had a lot to do with it, but I wouldn't lay all of it on that phenomenon.

With what feels like a rising tide of separatist movements around the world, it sometimes feels like diversity is failing. Which is sad. We all seem to want to retreat to our own tribes, to the point where even artists-- be they writers, filmmakers, or the like --are now being told it is forbidden to even explore an idea outside of their own experience if they are not from that particular tribe. People like to say that we as humans are more alike than different, but they sure don't act like it much of the time.

But I digress . . . I also wanted to say, in a humorous take, that your statement about Cornwall got me to thinking about Straw Dogs (1971):

I remember someone on another website years ago, who was ostensibly from the U.K., remarked after seeing that film (a paraphrase):

"Well, this sure isn't going to do anything good for the Cornish Board of Tourism". ;)

@northcoast said:

With what feels like a rising tide of separatist movements around the world, it sometimes feels like diversity is failing. Which is sad. We all seem to want to retreat to our own tribes, to the point where even artists-- be they writers, filmmakers, or the like --are now being told it is forbidden to even explore an idea outside of their own experience if they are not from that particular tribe. People like to say that we as humans are more alike than different, but they sure don't act like it much of the time.

Yeah, I hate the way that bleating that your tribe is under-represented gets followed by "They got it wrong! They should have a sensitivity reader!".

Well, having read a review of the movie, it looks like the film doesn't offer up any explanations as it starts well into the conflict.

As for the likelihood of such a conflict happening, the Trumpaloompa has promised a "bloodbath" if he's not elected. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-bloodbath-loses-election-2024-rcna143746

@M.LeMarchand said:

Well, having read a review of the movie, it looks like the film doesn't offer up any explanations as it starts well into the conflict.

As for the likelihood of such a conflict happening, the Trumpaloompa has promised a "bloodbath" if he's not elected. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-bloodbath-loses-election-2024-rcna143746

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