Civil War

As the 21st century hurtles towards its midpoint, the United States finds itself mired in a Second Civil War of unprecedented ferocity. Texas and California have seceded from the union, forging the Western Forces militia, while Florida has created its own autonomous alliance. Against this backdrop of chaos and division, President (Nick Offerman) stands before the nation, his voice booming with triumphant rhetoric as he touts a significant victory for the Loyalist states against the Western Forces. Meanwhile, in the midst of New York City's concrete jungle, photojournalist Lee Smith (Kirsten Dunst) witnesses the stark contrast between the President's words and the devastating reality unfolding just blocks away - a bombing that leaves downtown Manhattan reeling.

The next day, Lee joins her colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) as they brave the treacherous streets, navigating through the midst of a protest in full swing. Amidst the chaos, Jessie Cullen (Cailee Spaeny), a young and ambitious journalist, takes a direct hit to the face, prompting Lee's swift intervention. As she tends to Jessie's wounds and bestows upon her a fluorescent vest, Lee's gaze is drawn to a figure charging into the fray, an American flag clutched in her hand. The ensuing explosion sends shockwaves through the crowd, and when the dust settles, Lee and Jessie emerge to capture the gruesome aftermath on film.

As night falls, Lee and Joel join their mentor Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) at a hotel gathering of fellow journalists, where the atmosphere is tense but resolute. Their shared goal is to embark on a perilous journey across the war-torn landscape, bound for Washington DC and an interview with the enigmatic President - a man who has publicly declared war against the press. Despite his advanced age and considerable girth, Sammy insists on joining the duo on their mission to the front lines in Charlottesville, Virginia. Jessie, meanwhile, approaches Lee with starry-eyed reverence, her idol eager to chronicle the unfolding drama of war from the very epicenter of the conflict.

As the group sets out for another day of travel, Lee is joined by Jessie (character), who engages in an open conversation with Joel about their new companions Sammy and Jessie. Joel assures her that they will pose no trouble as they hit the road, stopping periodically to refuel - a privilege they earn in exchange for Canadian currency. During one such stop, Jessie finds herself taken away by a gunman, only to be led to a grim spectacle: two looters hang suspended, their bodies bearing the scars of brutal torture. The gunman presents Lee and Jessie with an unsettling proposition: execute these unfortunate souls on the spot. Lee, however, seeks a more morbid souvenir - he asks the gunman to pose alongside the hanged men for a photograph before they meet their demise off-camera. As the group continues its journey, Jessie laments her failure to capture a single photo.

Their next stop brings them to an abandoned mall, where Jessie hopes to capture some poignant shots of a downed helicopter. In the midst of this endeavor, she apologizes to Lee for seeming like a burden on their travels, but Lee is unfazed by her concerns. As night falls, they sit in silence, watching as the distant sounds of gunfire illuminate the darkening sky.

As the four companions navigate a treacherous sniper zone, they must not only survive but also capitalize on the chaos to capture the perfect shot. They bear witness to multiple casualties as several men are cut down before their eyes. The group then follows the allied militia gunmen up the building, where they eliminate the sniper and apprehend his remaining cohorts.

Their journey takes a more leisurely turn when they arrive at a refugee camp, where they take a moment to unwind and replenish. Lee and Jessie continue to form a bond as Jessie develops photographs taken during their earlier adventures. She shares her own stories, including a pivotal moment in Lee's career, where she captured the perfect shot of an Antifa Massacre event. Lee praises her work, and the group spends the night in convivial company.

Their travels next take them to a seemingly unaffected town, where people live peacefully amidst the backdrop of war raging across the nation. The group stops to change clothes, and Joel poses a question to a local shop owner: are they aware that a civil war is engulfing the country? However, the woman remains blissfully ignorant, stating that her town has chosen to ignore the conflict altogether.

As the group's van navigates the desolate landscape, an ominous harbinger of danger emerges on the horizon: a speeding car hurtling towards them, its occupants shrouded in mystery. The unexpected arrival of Tony (Nelson Lee) and Bohai (Evan Lai), Joel's reporter friends from Hong Kong, brings with it a mix of relief and trepidation. As they converge, Jessie slips into Tony's vehicle, while the others remain ensconced in their own, oblivious to the impending doom that awaits them.

Their respite is short-lived, as the van screeches to a halt before an unsettling tableau: Loyalist gunmen, their faces twisted with malevolence, flanking the lifeless bodies of Bohai and Tony. The head gunman (Jesse Plemons), his eyes blazing with sadistic glee, cuts down the pair without hesitation or remorse. Joel's desperate plea for mercy falls on deaf ears as the Loyalists reveal their gruesome modus operandi: a gruesome game of cat and mouse, where the prey is left to suffer at their whim.

In the chaos that ensues, Sammy takes the wheel, expertly dispatching one of the assassins before ferrying his wounded comrades to safety. As they flee the scene, Jessie's distress manifests in a torrent of vomit, while Sammy's mortal wounds render him unable to continue driving. Joel assumes control, navigating the van through a blazing inferno that seems to mirror the apocalyptic chaos that has engulfed their world.

Their destination: a Western Forces military base in Charlottesville, where they hope to find solace and support. But fate is cruel, as Sammy succumbs to his injuries mere moments after arrival. It is Anya (Sonoya Mizuno), a British reporter with an air of quiet determination, who greets the trio at the camp.

The news she brings is a bitter pill to swallow: some Loyalist generals have already surrendered, rendering their perilous journey and the tragic loss of Sammy little more than a futile exercise in futility. Undeterred, Lee, Joel, and Jessie join the WF's campaign to storm the White House, driven by a burning desire for justice and a hunger for the truth.

As they venture into the heart of Washington, Jessie's camera captures the horrors of war with an unflinching gaze, while Lee remains numbly detached from the reality unfolding before him. The journalists take cover as WF tanks carve a path through the remaining Loyalist forces, their ultimate destination: the heavily fortified White House. But just as they think they've outmaneuvered the enemy, the Secret Service's decoy operation reveals itself, leaving them to wonder if their quest for truth has been nothing more than a clever ruse.

As the group ventures deeper into the imposing structure of the White House, they're confronted by an entourage of heavily armed Secret Service agents. Jessie's initial enthusiasm gets the better of her, but Lee intervenes with swift precision, shielding her from harm and taking a bullet in her place. In the aftermath, Jessie becomes consumed by capturing the poignant moment on film, snapping multiple frames as Lee's life slips away. Meanwhile, Joel and his comrades burst into the Oval Office, where they swiftly overpower the President, holding him captive. Consumed by grief and rage over the loss of their friends, Joel drops to one knee, demanding a quote from the Commander-in-Chief. The President, desperate for mercy, implores Joel not to let his soldiers take his life, but Joel's response is curt and final: "That'll do." With those words, the President meets his fate, and Jessie seizes the opportunity to capture the dramatic scene on film, her camera rolling as the President's lifeless body slumps forward.