"What kind of American are you?" A24's latest blockbuster asks. If you've ever wondered what it would be like if California and Texas joined forces against the Land of the Free, you're about to find out in Civil War.
Writer and director Alex Garland's mind has delivered twisted movies in the past like Men, Ex Machina, and Annihilation. So, when A24's Civil War was announced, we knew the future of fictional America would be grim. Kirsten Dunst and Wagner Moura star as a pair of war journalists, while Nick Offerman plays the authoritarian president who has begun bombing civilians. Brace yourselves.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the harrowing Civil War from the comfort of your home — including its recently announced streaming date.
What is Civil War about?
Civil War is a dystopian thriller set in a near-future America engulfed in a second — you guessed it — Civil War. It's also a road trip movie that follows four journalists — photographers Lee and Jessie (Kirsten Dunst and Cailee Spaeny), and reporters Joel and Sammy (Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson) — making the audacious journey from New York City to the White House in hopes of interviewing the president (Nick Offerman) before the fall of the Capitol. Typically only a few hours on I-95, devastation on the roads means they're forced to navigate through small towns and dangerous pockets of America.
"Each stop functions as a vignette in which Garland exposes a corner of American wrath, wrong-headed self-righteousness, or apathy. And like with Children of Men, where the quest is born from ideology — in this case, Lee's dedication to journalism — it becomes achingly personal. Seeing a bit of herself in Jessie, Lee takes risks to protect the young woman, even as she laments that their work demands putting themselves in harm's way," Mashable Film Editor Kristy Puchko writes in her review of the film.
Is Civil War worth watching?
Civil War has earned $122.5 million at the worldwide box office against a $50 million production budget. It's definitely lived up to expectations and then some, earning more worldwide than recent high-profile flicks like Cocaine Bear, Argylle, and The Creator and becoming A24's second-biggest hit at the theaters (after Everything Everywhere All at Once). Of course, box office success doesn't mean much unless the audiences like the film. Fortunately, reviews are largely positive for the dystopian Garland flick. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 81 percent critic rating and a 70 percent audience rating.
Mashable's review critiqued the film's overall lack of focus, but still refers to the climax in D.C. as "sprawling and spectacular."
Read our full review of Civil War.
How to watch Civil War at home
About a month and a half after its theatrical debut, Civil War is officially available to watch at home via video-on-demand sites like Prime Video and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. Just remember once you start watching a rental, you'll have just 48 hours to finish before you lose access.
As of May 24, you can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:
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Prime Video — buy for $18.49, rent for $4.49
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Apple TV — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
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Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
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YouTube — buy for $19.99, rent for $5.99
Is Civil War streaming?
After months of waiting, we finally have an official streaming date for Civil War. You can stream the A24 flick on Max starting Sept. 13, about five months after its theatrical release. Since A24 has a licensing deal with Max, the studio's recent theatrical releases have all found their way to the streamer. So, it comes as no surprise that Civil War will join other recent flicks like Problemista and The Iron Claw in the Max library. Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but we've rounded up a few ways you can save some money on your plan below.
Best Max streaming deals to watch Civil War
Best Max streaming deal for most people: Save 17% on Max with ads annual subscription
Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month if you don't mind watching with ads. You can simply sign up for a single month (once Civil War is released), then cancel before you're charged for another. Or, if you're in it for the long haul, we recommend the yearly subscription instead. An annual plan with ads goes for $99.99 per year, which breaks down to just $8.33 per month. That's 17% (or $1.66) per month in savings. With a year-long subscription, you can watch many other A24 films beyond Civil War.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 22% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription
Rather not have ads interrupting your movie-watching experience? You have the Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate tiers to choose from. The Ad-Free tier is $15.99 per month, while the Ultimate tier is $19.99 per month. If you opt for a yearly plan instead, though, it will only cost you $149.99 per year (which breaks down to $12.49 per month) or $199.99 per year (which breaks down to $16.67 per month). That's a total savings of 22% on the Ad-Free yearly plan or 17% on the Ultimate plan.
Note: While both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, the Ultimate tier takes things a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Best way to get Max for free: Sign up for a DashPass annual plan
DoorDash is now offering a free Max subscription with ads for those on the annual DashPass plan. If you're already an annual subscriber on DoorDash, fantastic! You now are the proud owner of a Max subscription as well. If not, you can sign up for the DashPass annual plan for just $96 per year ($8 per month) and unlock access to the streamer for free. That's a $119.88 value for exactly zero dollars. And as a bonus, for just $8 per month, you have access to free food delivery on DoorDash. Win-win.
Another way to get Max for free: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month Cricket unlimited plan
If you've never considered Cricket as your wireless provider, this deal might make you change your mind. Cricket Wireless customers on the $60 per month unlimited plan get Max with ads for free as long as their account remains in good standing. That's a $99.99 per year value. Just head over to the Max app or navigate to Max.com on a browser, choose Cricket as your provider, and use your Cricket credentials to log in. Then you'll be able to watch Civil War and other A24 films for no extra cost. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more.
Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max with ads monthly for one year
College students can now score half-priced ad-supported monthly subscriptions to Max for an entire year. That drops the price down to just $4.99 per month. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS, which will give you a unique discount code, then head back over to Max and redeem your code to stream for 50% off.
Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off
A new bundle deal has entered the building. It may not be the cheapest option overall for watching Civil War, but it's certainly the most bang for your buck — especially if you already subscribe to Disney+ or Hulu. The new bundle offers access to Max, Hulu, and Disney+ with ads for only $16.99 per month (reg. $25.97) or ad-free for $29.99 per month (reg. $48.97). That's up to 38% in savings.
via Zero Tech Blog