Alex Garland’s Civil War feels like a massive increase in scope and scale compared to the writer-director’s previous work, but contains some of the same storytelling deficiencies that have held him back. For as celebrated as his screenplays have become – from 28 Days Later to Sunshine and Ex Machina – he has run into the same problem that screenwriters like Charlie Kaufman or Diablo Cody have. That is, their best work often comes when someone else directs their screenplays. But Civil War sees Garland crafting a sneakily smart set of ideas while creating a palpable sense of dread.

As the film opens, we’re already deep in the throes of a second American civil war, where the states of California and Texas have become the Western Forces, and Florida is amassing its own front against the government. You’ll notice quickly that, rather than spend time explaining how the country got to this point, or what the rebels are seeking beyond overthrowing the government, Civil War simply immerses the audience in the experience of being on the front lines.

Our proxies are colleagues Lee (Kirsten Dunst) andJoel (Wagner Moura). She’s a renowned war photojournalist, and he’s a freelance reporter. They’re joined by aspiring photographer Jesse (Cailee Spaeny), who idolizes Lee, and Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), a veteran journalist, as they travel from New York to Washington, D.C. in order to interview the president (Nick Offerman) before it’s too late.

There isn’t much more to any given character’s backstory, but Garland manages to create empathy especially for Lee and Jesse. Civil War is a film about how witnessing violence can deeply affect someone, regardless of which side they fall on. More often than not, a thin screenplay like this would hamper what the film is trying to say, but Dunst and Spaeny are capable actresses who can convey so much with so little. We see some of the horrors which Lee has photographed through brief flashbacks, and can see in the present day how much those moments have changed her outlook on America’s current situation, and her chosen profession.

Photographs have the power to change the world. Consider Americans’ reactions after some of the infamous images from the Vietnam War or, more recently, Trump’s family separation policy. But Garland puts the focus on the ones who take those pictures, and the long-standing guilt they face from taking those photographs. Could they have saved any lives, or changed the outcome, by raising a helping hand, rather than standing back and photographing it? Perhaps my background as a photographer myself colors my opinion, but I found the juxtaposition fascinating.

After all, as Roger Ebert said, movies are a way to generate empathy. In some regards, Civil War succeeds tremendously at this, as we empathize with Lee and Jesse, understanding their moral plight – especially as Jesse digs herself deeper and deeper into this world. But I can’t help but wish that Civil War had padded its world out even a little bit, or spent more time developing its characters’ back stories, as I would have more reasons to empathize with its characters.

I’ve talked plenty about the film’s ideas, but attention must be paid to its crafts. As with all of his previous films, Alex Garland works with cinematographer Rob Hardy, and the result is one of the best-looking films of the year. Despite much of the film taking place in a van, production design is gorgeously rendered and detailed, showing a country that has been ravaged long before the camera arrives. And if you see the film in the IMAX format, you’ll notice how loud it can be, especially in the climactic, almost dialogue-free battle in DC.

Any film that depicts America as divisive is surely to garner similar reactions, but this is beside the point. Garland has made a film not about political divisions, but the idea of hatred. Perhaps this is why he eschewed any grander motivations between the warring factions, instead choosing to show what can happen when we let fear and hatred for the “others” take over. Civil War is not a perfect film, nor is Garland trying to make some kind of grand political statement about our Troubled Times. Thank God, that would have been boring and likely wouldn’t stand the test of time. Instead, it’s a smartly engaging film that utilizes what the movies can do when done right.

Civil War will premiere in theaters nationwide on April 12.

OSCAR POTENTIAL:

• As I mentioned before, Civil War is loud. The Sound branch historically awards loud war films, so if A24 can mount a successful campaign, I could see a Best Sound nomination happen.