I’ve never been a huge fan of Alex Garland. Though he did write 28 Days Later, which director Danny Boyle made into a unique and memorable horror flick, I’ve found most of his other work to be overblown or pedestrian. His efforts to direct (Ex Machina, Men) fall into similar categories. That said, this wild potboiler may be his most coherent and mature directorial accomplishment yet. 

It follows a group of military-imbedded photojournalists (led by an outstanding Kirsten Dunst) on a furious and surreal road trip across a dystopian America, trying to get to D.C. before revel forces reach the White House. 

The camerawork, the acting, the pacing, and the character development are all top-notch, as is the spot-on soundtrack. It’s a well-made allegory on the hell of war, and you should go see it. But — and this is purely subjective — I found the movie slightly disappointing. We join the titular war when it’s well under way. There’s no backstory on why or how a few groups of states decided to secede. Forgive my pessimism, but given the current polarized state of the U.S., wouldn’t a more gripping and timely picture analyze and depict a further rupture in American political allegiances to the point of violence? It’s not unthought of. Just sayin’. (109 min)