It’s rare to find satire that sets out deliberately to disconnect itself from the real world. Broadly speaking, the power of satire is achieved through context. It is the parallel reality that runs alongside the world out there. It is the language of the mimic and fool, saying things that might otherwise be unsayable.
Alex Garland’s new film, Civil War, finally arrived in cinemas this past week and quickly became the top movie in America. If you haven’t seen the film (and I recommend that you do), it is the perfect synthesis of politics and satire, as well as being a loving homage to great photojournalism. It’s about a Magnum photographer, played by Kirsten Dunst, on her way to Washington to interview the President whilst America is fighting its Second Civil War. This America is a near-future dystopia, where tribalism has escalated to the point where the rebel forces of Texas and California (specifically chosen to cut across current divisions) have formed the Western Alliance opposed to the government in Washington DC.
