 Imagine America in a dystopian future, where rebel factions are racing to reach the White House. This is the premise of the 2024 movie, Civil War, masterfully directed by Alex Garland. The film takes us on a harrowing journey, where we follow a team of military-embedded journalists across an America that has been torn apart by division and conflict. The movie is a fictitious exploration of that dystopia to portray a country brimming with divisiveness, echoing the observations made by Stephen March in his recent essay. It's not an ordinary movie. It's the rendition of a broken society where national divisions have escalated to the brink of war. It takes us on a heart-stopping race against time where every moment could change the course of history. Let's examine this dystopian picture of America. The movie explores the historical context, and then the frightening possibility of a Second Civil War, a theme that Stephen March expands on in his essay in The New York Times. In the journey portrayed, the threats we see are not just those of rising political division and extremism, but also from deep-seated inequality, hyper-partisanship, and lack of respect for a constitution people don't want anymore. Through the perspective of these military-embedded journalists, we see the dangers of complacency, the tension that underlies a divided America, and the ever-present likelihood of widespread violence. The movie forces us to question our perceptions of country and national conflict, and to see how political division and extremist ideologies can destroy our civil society. It's a stark reminder that we are on a very dangerous course, and that we cannot afford to underestimate the risks of rising political division and the potential for widespread violence and war on the streets of America. So, what does this movie tell us about our own future? Well, the movie is much more than a disturbing journey across a dystopian minefield. It's a mirror reflecting our current politically charged environment. It's a reminder of the dangers we face and the challenges we must address if our country is to survive. It's a chilling glimpse into the future, and compels us to confront the stark realities of what we have become. It's not just a movie, it's a message we need to listen to and act on. We won the first Civil War, but it's not so clear that we will win the second.