2024's Civil War broke a record for director Alex Garland with its audience score.
Garland returned to theaters in April 2024 with A24's Civil War, a modern look at a divided America that has become the subject of great controversy due to its politics and exploration of real issues.
Civil War Receives Record-Breaking CinemaScore
Civil War received a CinemaScore rating of "B-," breaking a major record as it became the highest-scored movie by director Alex Garland.
The previous best for the filmmaker belongs to his 2018 horror sci-fi Annihilation which starred Natalie Portman and received a "C" score.
Civil War marks the fourth theatrical release with Garland in the directing chair but only the third to receive a CinemaScore, as his 2014 directorial debut Ex Machina was not rated under the audience score system.
- Annihilation: C
- Men: D+
- Civil War: B-
CinemaScore surveys audiences straight out of the theater and determines its scores based on the average letter ratings, essentially making it a measure of the initial reactions from the ordinary moviegoer.
[ Civil War 2024 Review - A Compelling Movie That Could've Hit Harder ]
While Alex Garland's latest theatrical offering may be a record-breaker on CinemaScore, the same can't be said for Rotten Tomatoes. With a "Certified Fresh" 83% from critics and 77% from audiences, Civil War accrued a strong but not record-breaking score for the filmmaker on the review platform.
The honor for Garland's greatest on Rotten Tomatoes goes to Ex Machina, with 92% from critics and 86% from audiences:
- Ex Machina: 92% (Critics), 86% (Audience)
- Annihilation: 88% (Critics), 67% (Audience)
- Men: 69% (Critics), 39% (Audience)
- Civil War: 83% (Critics), 77% (Audience)
Why Civil War Got Its Audience Score
While a "B-" CinemaScore may be a record-breaker for Alex Garland, it generally marks a middle-of-the-road rating in the grand scheme of the system. This should come as no surprise since Civil War has drummed up swarms of controversy in its opening weekend and leading up to its release.
Many criticized how the film avoids taking any particular stance while exploring its political themes. Some have questioned whether the timing of its release feels appropriate given the current political climate in the United States as an election looms later in the year.
Regardless, Civil War should still be considered a major achievement for Garland considering the positive reactions it received on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie's popularity will undoubtedly only be beneficial for Garland going into his next military tale Warfare, which has yet to announce a release date.
Civil War is playing in theaters now.
