June 2024 Movie Reviews: Civil War, Godzilla Minus One, The First Omen

Crossing the nation in the midst of a new civil war. Godzilla on the loose. Sinister happenings at the orphanage. If the three movies we’re going over this month can be said to have anything in common it’s that each of their protagonists find themselves in some pretty undesirable circumstances.

Civil War (2024)

A24, 109 minutes

Civil War might not be an easy movie for some to get through, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great film. Writer-director Alex Garland has crafted a cautionary tale showing how a brutal civil war might actually look in modern day America. If you’re looking for a fun, action-thriller this is certainly not it. Civil War is both disturbing and thought-provoking, with scenes that are never without purpose. 

In some ways, Garland has set the film up to be apolitical. He never states the political parties of any characters and oftentimes it’s not even clear what side of the war characters we encounter are fighting for. At the same time, viewers learn that a fascist president is in the White House – someone who’s in his third term who’s also disbanded the FBI. Civil War presents this as justification for the war, and, at the very least, the film is making the political statement, “Can’t we all agree that this sort of government would be disastrous for the nation?”

Civil War also has something to say about journalists, with our heroes in the movie being four journalists who venture out of (relative) safety to report on what’s happening. The journalists in the film, with the most prominent being a photographer named Lee Smith played by Kirsten Dunst, attempt to report on the news in as unbiased a manner as possible. This can be seen as contrasting with the way in which news is often depicted by certain news outlets today.

The acting in Civil War is fantastic, with Dunst in particular standing out as being great in her role. I wish we could’ve seen maybe a little bit more of her developing relationship with a younger, aspiring photographer in the group, but that’s a small complaint in an otherwise great movie.

Civil War is an intense, stressful, and extremely worthwhile watch. It’s one of the better movies I’ve seen recently and Garland’s best work since Ex Machina.

Grade: 9.5/10

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Toho Studios, 125 minutes                        

So, I’m not typically a huge fan of kaiju (Japanese giant monster) movies. I don’t inherently dislike them, but I often find them to be lacking in substance. The current run of Godzilla vs. Kong movies from Warner Brothers (a new one of which recently came out) are perfect examples of the sort of Hollywood blockbuster film that might be fine, but that I don’t really have much interest in. Fortunately, Godzilla Minus One really differentiates itself from what I think of when I picture Godzilla movies.

Godzilla Minus One cares far more about our human characters than it does the titular monster. The movie takes place in the years immediately following World War II and the protagonist of the film is a kamikaze pilot who fled from his mission during the war. It’s definitely an interesting setup, and it’s clear the filmmakers have a message they’re trying to get across.

The performances of the whole cast are better than what you’d find in your standard monster movie – it feels like real people dealing with this situation, not just cardboard cutout heroes coming together to fight Godzilla. I actually think we get a few too many character moments in the latter third of the movie that sort of slow the film’s momentum a little bit.

Still, it's hard to craft a drama that’s also a Godzilla movie, but I feel like director-writer Takashi Yamazaki is pretty successful here. When we do see Godzilla, the visual effects are top-notch. When we’re not dealing with the monster, our human characters are complex and interesting enough to carry the story. If you have any interest in kaiju movies, Godzilla Minus One is the film to watch.

Grade: 8/10

The First Omen (2024)

20th Century Studios, 119 minutes

The First Omen is a totally fine horror prequel to 1976’s The Omen. I’m not sure how many people were clamoring for a new Omen movie, but if you were one of those individuals you’ll likely be pretty satisfied. As for your average horror movie fan, The First Omen falls into the “well, it could definitely be way worse” category of films.

The movie stars Nell Tiger Free, who I recognized from the TV show Servant (which I’d recommend). Free is actually really good in the lead role – she has a knack for playing this sort of mysterious/somewhat aloof character. If anything, The First Omen never feels goofy or poorly made. There are some genuinely creepy moments. (Considering the subject matter and a couple of scenes though, this is definitely one to avoid if you happen to be currently pregnant.)

The main shortcoming of The First Omen is its pacing. There are just too many slow parts of the film. I can appreciate a slow burn horror movie, but not a simply slow horror movie, and too often The First Omen is the second type of film. Despite this, for those willing to be a little more patient, you could do a lot worse than The First Omen. It’s still superior to a lot of recent horror. 

Grade: 7/10