The highly anticipated film “Civil War” has been making waves with its intense and action-packed scenes, particularly the climactic siege on Washington, D.C. In a recent interview, writer and director Alex Garland revealed that the entire film was built around the explosive ending, where rebel forces lay siege to the White House and the Lincoln Memorial is blown up.
Garland described the 20-minute sequence as relentless and loud, aiming to evoke a sense of aversion and dismay in the audience. The production team faced numerous challenges in bringing this vision to life, including digitally recreating Washington, shooting on sets in Atlanta, and executing intricate choreography akin to “football plays.”
The story follows two journalists, Lee and Joel, as they navigate a treacherous military operation to reach the White House for an audience with the president. Alongside them is Jessie, a young photographer who ultimately captures the most important shot of the siege.
To create the realistic war zone, the production team meticulously mapped out the invasion route in Washington and built sets in Georgia surrounded by blue screens. The Oval Office was meticulously recreated to maintain neutrality and objectivity, mirroring the journalist protagonists.
Visual effects supervisor David Simpson was tasked with creating a digital version of Washington as a war zone, from the Lincoln Memorial to the interiors of offices. The team painstakingly recreated the destruction of the memorial, aiming for authenticity over Hollywood spectacle.
As the tension mounted leading up to the Washington sequence, cinematographer Rob Hardy aimed to immerse the audience in the fighting, capturing the journalist characters’ perspectives with high-speed cameras. Despite the nightmarish nature of the scenes, Hardy described the experience as balletic, with every movement meticulously planned and executed to create a sense of realism.
With its intense action and attention to detail, “Civil War” promises to be a thrilling and immersive cinematic experience for audiences.
