You Don’t Have To See ‘Civil War’ in IMAX, But You Really Should

Civil War, the latest film from director Alex Garland, hits theaters and IMAX screens on April 12. Seeing it in IMAX isn’t a requirement, but if you have the chance to do so, you absolutely should.

Set in a near-future U.S. where political division has given way to the eponymous conflict, Civil War follows a quartet of journalists on a harrowing road trip to Washington, D.C., where they intend to infiltrate the White House and record the fall of a fascist president (Nick Offerman). Garland’s film is a dystopian road trip drama that unfolds in pit stops on the way to D.C., each more nerve-rattling than the last. Experienced war photographer Lee (Kirsten Dunst) is joined by her colleague, a thrill-seeking journalist named Joel (Wagner Moura), as well as veternal journalist Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and a young, aspiring photographer named Jessie (Cailee Spaeny).

This description doesn’t exactly sound like the stuff IMAX experiences are made of, but Garland’s film is smartly calibrated, the drama punctuated by a series of intense battle sequences, the scale of which is even more impressive—and immersive—on the largest screen possible. While best known for his sci-fi films, Garland really proves himself a skilled action filmmaker with Civil War, which makes his recent decision to step back from directing after his next film even more disappointing to hear.

Civil War is screening in both regular and IMAX formats across the U.S. on April 12, with early screenings available on Thursday, April 11. You can visit IMAX’s official Civil War page to find a screening near you.

(featured image: A24)