Key Takeaways:
– Hollywood’s latest film, ‘Civil War’, showcases the critical role of journalists during conflict times.
– Kirsten Dunst plays a renowned war photojournalist, Lee Smith, who makes a shocking self-sacrifice.
– Dunst explains the reasoning behind her character’s actions.
– The film explores crucial themes, focusing on challenges faced by war journalists.
– Co-actress Cailee Spaeny talks about filming the intense ending of the film.
Unraveling Kirsten Dunst’s Role in ‘Civil War’
In recent Hollywood dystopian war film, ‘Civil War’, directed by filmmaker Alex Garland, Kirsten Dunst’s character Lee Smith stands out. Smith, a respected war photojournalist, makes a heroic sacrifice that leaves her audience in awe.
Portraying Smith’s actions, Dunst explains her character’s motivation, providing clarity for shocked fans. The film, set against the backdrop of regional conflicts and American Presidential elections, dives into complicated themes. Central to the film, however, are the challenges war journalists face in turbulent times.
Exploring the Dynamics of War Journalism
The narrative particularly focuses on a pair of characters, Lee (Dunst) and young photographer Jessie, played by Cailee Spaeny. Their storyline comes to a tragic end with the Western forces storming the White House after rigorous battles, as the journalists document the unfolding bloodshed.
Throughout their journey, Smith emphasizes the importance of capturing crucial moments by any means. However, the climax sees Jessie recklessly risking her life to document a significant moment, only for Smith to drop her camera and sacrifice herself to save Jessie.
Decoding Dunst’s Interpretation
Dunst’s interpretation of her character’s actions is poignant, underlining a stark warning – “Don’t become me. Don’t become hardened. Don’t lose your life.” She interprets Smith’s actions as a plea to Jessie to avoid the harshness and potential danger that comes with the job. The sacrifice Smith makes tragically underscores the dangers of the war journalism profession, painting a harsh reality for many real-life journalists.
Behind-the-scenes of ‘Civil War’s Intense Finale
Both Spaeny and Dunst encountered strong emotions while filming the ‘Civil War’s’ finale. Despite the absence of dialogue, the deafening silence and shifting sentiments were striking, leaving audiences with goosebumps.
Speaking about Smith’s sacrifice, Dunst suggests it could have been her character’s motherly instinct that propelled her into action, revealing to Entertainment Weekly, “Lee saved Jessie’s life. It was her maternal instinct. This girl had gotten to her heart, and she did what she had to do in that moment.”
On the other hand, Spaeny, interpreting the unspoken exchange picturing the passing of the torch, reveals her nervous anticipation of the climax. Admitting her nervousness, she explains that this sequence illustrates Jessie’s transition into the same hazardous zone as her idol, Lee, signifying an end to her former life and the beginning of a new one fraught with danger and sacrifice.
Adding authenticity to the scene, actress Spaeny clicked most of the photos that appear through Jessie’s lens towards the end, embodying the saying, ‘art imitates life.’
‘Civil War’ is now playing in theatres, stunning audiences with its vivid portrayal of the challenges and realities faced by war journalists as they navigate through volatile circumstances. Dunst’s character Smith, and her defining self-sacrifice, undeniably leaves a profound impact, securing an unforgettable place in modern Hollywood war cinema.
