In Alex Garland’s action thriller cameras are a weapon of truth, writes Adrian Pennington.
There’s a scene in Oliver Stone’s 1986 movie Salvador about the country’s chaotic civil war where a photojournalist played by John Savage is killed in the heroic attempt to capture the money shot - or proof - of military bombs falling on the civilian population.
The heroic nature of photojournalists and the wider importance of upholding the journalistic quest for truth is Writer-Director Alex Garland’s mission in Civil War - although the lines are blurred. The film’s hero, a veteran war photographer, is among a press pack dreaming of the ultimate money shot: the capture or execution...
You are not signed in
Only registered users can read the rest of this article.

Behind the scenes: Andor
“We’re not writing to the headlines, but you see this sort of conflict and empire building happen over and over again in history”, says John Gilroy, lead editor and executive producer of Star Wars spy thriller Andor.

Behind the scenes: Sinners
Shooting large format IMAX and designing a surreal montage resonated with the film's themes of spiritual ancestry and musical legacy.

Behind the scenes: 1992 and the colourist of Seville
Netflix series 1992 presents a chilling depiction of Seville during the 1992 World’s Fair, where heavy contrasts of light, dark, and a muted colour palette set a gothic atmospheric tone for this suspenseful thriller.

Behind the scenes: Warfare
Extended takes, 360-degree sets, and military authenticity reinforce the fog of war recreated from the memories of real life US soldiers.

Behind the scenes: The Last of Us II
There is a version of episode 2 where the brutal death of a loved character isn’t quite so extreme. But they chose not to go there, explains editor Timothy A Good.