Modern American Literature Studies
Open access
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
Alex Garland’s recent films – Civil War (2024) and Warfare (2025) – have been critiqued on the left for their lack of political commitment and as propaganda for US military imperialism, respectively. One reviewer of Civil War, however, reads the movie as a biting satire of the dire state of US journalism and its overwhelming desire for vacuous and decontextualised spectacles. This article considers whether Warfare might also be a subtextual critique of US imperialism, one that reveals a profound moral degeneration at the heart of US politics and culture. If so, the article suggests that Garland’s critique is too subtle in the face of rampant authoritarianism. But if the film is simply a straightforward representation of American murderous warmongering, then we might wonder whether there is any way back for the kind of society that produces this kind of ‘entertainment’.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "On Alex Garland's Civil War and Warfaare" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Modern American Literature Studies research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Jenkins2026Alex,
title = {On Alex Garland's Civil War and Warfaare},
author = {David Jenkins},
journal = {Counterfutures},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.11157/cf.v17.270},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11157/cf.v17.270}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Modern American Literature Studies research papers?
Follow Modern American Literature Studies research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for On Alex Garland's Civil War and Warfaare. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app