Civil War’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Extends Alex Garland’s Incredible 22-Year Hot Streak

Alex Garland is established as one of Hollywood’s brightest minds, and Civil War‘s Rotten Tomatoes score extends his incredible hot streak. The 2024 war movie from A24 is a major next step in Garland’s career. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Jesse Plemons, Nick Offerman, and others, interest in Civil War spiked after the marketing began and the somewhat realistic future version of America at war with itself was revealed. Considering the promise he showed early in his career as a screenwriter and what he’s done directing, Alex Garland’s movies are almost always thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking.

Questions about how critics and general audiences who watch Civil War would receive the movie were fair, though. The political nature of the story and view of America opens the door for more critics than some of Garland’s prior works. Furthermore, the director’s last movie, Men, was not as well-received as his other projects. The potential for a further decline in quality and appreciation, mixed with potentially divisive political and social commentary, made Civil War an expensive risk for A24 and Garland. The good news is the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score is very high, continuing a streak for the filmmaker.

Civil War Continues Alex Garland’s Rotten Tomatoes Streak That Began With 28 Days Later

All Of His Projects Since 2002 Have Positive Reviews

Alex Garland has delivered one of his best movies to date with Civil War​​​​​​, judging by the Rotten Tomatoes score. The movie has a 93% rating on the Tomatometer based on 54 critic reviews that the aggregator site has tallied. This currently means Civil War is Alex Garland’s highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes, edging out Ex Machina‘s 92%. However, there is still plenty of room for the score to fluctuate as more reviews are published. Any changes that do come are unlikely to sway Civil War‘s Rotten Tomatoes score from staying Fresh (above 60%), which is great for Garland.

This means that every Alex Garland movie or TV show that he has produced, written, and/or directed has received a Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes since 28 Days Later. The 2002 zombie-apocalypse movie was the first of Garland’s works to garner positive reviews, as his work on The Beach two years prior was met with harsh critical reactions. Since 28 Days Later, Garland has written three films he did not direct, written and directed four films (including Civil War), produced 28 Weeks Later, and created the show Devs; all these projects have at least a 69% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Why Civil War’s Reviews Are So Positive

A Gripping Story Unfolds In An Unsettling Look At America

There are plenty of similar praises that repeatedly pop up in different Civil War reviews from critics. One of the main reasons Alex Garland’s fourth directorial effort has received much praise is due to how thoughtfully and viscerally it brings the story to life. Despite its big budget and action sequences, Civil War remains focused on the human experience of the journalists as they traverse across a divided America. Exploring the different views on the war, America, and other ideas all come up naturally. This helps Garland’s film not feel like it is taking one side of a political argument.

It is through this approach that Garland’s direction and script allow viewers to be completely enthralled by what they are watching. There is an epic feeling to the film that is consistently felt by reviewers. There are still criticisms levied against the film, such as its thin characters or perhaps not fully exploring the massive ideas it touches. However, the Civil War reviews are still much more in Garland’s favor than against his work. It all goes to show that the director is still able to deliver a movie that is equal parts engaging, shocking, and moving.

Civil War’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Even More Important After Alex Garland’s Retirement Claims

Alex Garland Confirmed He’s Going To Step Away From Directing

The overwhelming praise for the movie reflected in Civil War‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is all the more important considering comments made by Alex Garland leading up to the film. He told The Guardian that “I’m not planning to direct again in the foreseeable future” after finishing work on the 2024 movie. Alex Garland’s retirement from directing would still see him continue to work as a screenwriter, such as on the upcoming 28 Years Later film. He might not be fully retiring from filmmaking, but Civil War‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is a reminder of how great of a director he is.

Although Garland might still be better known as a screenwriter, the movies he’s directed have earned him greater praise. Civil War, Ex Machina, and Annihilation are his highest-rated projects on Rotten Tomatoes. His future works as a writer could continue to get positive reviews, but he knows his material best. It’s his complete vision for a movie, from the script to directorial choices, that make some of Garland’s movies so special. Civil War‘s high score on Rotten Tomatoes is just another indicator that Alex Garland retiring from directing would be a shame.

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, The Guardian