It hasn’t been a great few years for America. The division in the nation has been palpable at times. And yet, we’ve managed to stay these United States. But what if we weren’t?

As we head into a contentious election year, Alex Garland’s new film, Civil War, posits just that question. In it, we’re thrust headlong into a United States that is torn apart by war. The Western Forces are closing in on Washington, D.C., the Florida faction is on the move, and the President of the United States (Nick Offerman) is making grandiose speeches about how close the country is to being reunited.

Veteran journalists Joel (Wagner Moura) and Lee (Kirsten Dunst) are there to cover it as we begin in New York City. Joel is an action junkie, while Lee is a decorated—and famous—war photographer. She’s more than a little shaken about the war coming home. Soon, they’re in the midst of a rally that turns violent—then deadly.

A young photographer, Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) is caught in the middle of it. Lee pulls her out, shields her, then goes back into the fray. Jessie is left, in awe, to follow the action.

Soon, Joel and Lee are at their hotel. With rumors that the Western Forces are preparing an invasion, they plan to head to Washington, D.C. They hope to get the President to go on record—if they aren’t killed first. A veteran reporter, Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), catches a ride to the front in Charlottesville. So, too, does Jessie, despite the protests from Lee.

The four make the dangerous trek towards the front lines and the Nation’s Capital. Along the way, they see a country torn apart by war and division.

This is a powerful idea, and it makes for a powerful film. Garland is an exceptional technical filmmaker, and the craft here adds to the tension, the drama, and the raw emotions. The use of shots, colors, sound, and music all adds to the aesthetic from the jump.

This film is apolitical by choice. We don’t explore the issues that separate these sides, and we don’t even know what major issues caused the rift. It isn’t about that. It’s about a nation whose divisions allowed it to descend into mass violence and chaos, and the role of an impartial media to document those issues and bring them to light. That may rub some the wrong way, but I was pulled in and hooked by this exploration.

As Lee says at one point, her job isn’t to ask the deeper questions about the horrific things she sees. Her job is to take the picture, get it out, and hope those who see it will ask the tough questions. That, sometimes, is the role of journalists. As I’ve long enjoyed films that explore journalism, this really resonated with me.

So, too, did the performances. Henderson, Moura, and the rest of the supporting cast is strong. But I was really taken with Dunst and Spaeny, who are the focus of much of the film. Both give great performances and draw you into their characters. I was deeply engaged and moved, and both convey a great deal through their faces and actions in the film.

There were moments of perfection here, but it doesn’t remain consistent. I was more under-whelmed by the final 20 minutes, including the concluding sequence. Still, I loved this ride and what Garland did here.

Civil War is now playing nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.