WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Civil War.A24’s film Civil War had several jaw-dropping moments, but one of the most intense contained a startling question for the protagonists from Jesse Plemons’ character: “What kind of American are you?“Civil War chronicles the story of a divided America that is torn between a series of secessionist movements and an authoritarian government. As a group of journalists attempts to cross state lines to interview the president about the ongoing war, they find danger at every turn as each stop holds new enemies who have their own ideas about who they consider a “true American.”
The film was directed and written by Alex Garland, who also directed the 2014 film Ex Machina and the 2018 film Annihilation. Civil War hit theaters in April 2024 by A24 and achieved critical success, grossing a $25.7 million box office on its opening weekend and $122.6 million worldwide, becoming A24’s second highest-grossing movie. The film also received positive critical reviews on Rotten Tomatoes with an 81% critic score. The chilling “What kind of American are you?” scene was one of the clear highlights of the trailer and the movie as well. Plemons was only in the film for that one scene, which resulted in a crucial turning point as Lee, Jessie, and Joel head to the capitol at the end of Civil War.
What Jesse Plemons’ Character Really Means By His “What Kind Of American Are You” Question
Plemons plays an unnamed solider in Civil War
Plemons’ character in Civil War is only in one scene, but his question showcases the clear division and fear that permeates the country within the film. The Solider, who captures Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) and Tony (Nelson Lee), asks the question to the remaining group members as he stands by a mass grave, his casual air adding more tension to the scene. Though he has no clear allegiances, the Soldier seems to be gauging if the group is allied with the Western Forces or the Florida Alliance and are, therefore, his enemies, as he does not view those groups as “American”.
Jesse Plemons’ Civil War Scene Explains How Divided America Really Is
Plemons has a very restricted idea of what makes an America
Plemons’ question showcases the power of politics in the world of Civil War and how those politics can be used to justify radical behavior and division. The group comes from all over the country, with Tony being born in Hong Kong. This is enough reason, in the Soldier’s mind, to consider him an enemy, leading to Tony’s death. This highlights how rapidly intolerance can grow and showcases how those secessionist forces align with the president’s radical views despite their claims of being against his politics, as both parties believe their ideas are the only way to create a “true” America.
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Alex Garland’s Civil War paints a compelling portrait of war photography and journalism — in part because of the movie’s real-life filming locations.
These strong beliefs and political justifications are at the heart of the civil war within the A24 movie and highlight how that radicalization can lead to such startling division. These ideas of what America is “meant to be” seem different on the surface, but both sides deal in intolerance and hate, leading to the destruction of the same freedoms they wish to preserve. This destruction continues throughout the rest of the film, reflecting some of the same radical politics that audiences can see in reality and how those same ideas can lead to life imitating art.
What Kind Of American Each Civil War Character Is
The protagonists are from all over the map
Although it isn’t too heavily explored in Civil War, the home states of several main characters are revealed in the tense standoff with Plemons’ soldier character, who asks each of them one by one. Lee reveals that she’s from Colorado, and Jessie says she’s from Missouri and Joel is from Florida. It’s within the realm of possibility that Joel may have been stretching the truth because Plemons’ character assumes he is from Central America based on his accent. Plemons’ solider seems more pleased by Lee and Jessie’s responses, indicating that they fit more into his idea of what a “true American” is. The solider, however, never reveals where he’s from, so it’s hard to know for sure.
Why Jesse Plemons’ Soldier Kills Tony When He’s Not From America
Plemons’ character appears extremely racially motivated
It’s evident that Plemons’ soldier character is extremely racially motivated which seems to be why he kills Tony’s friend without hesitation. This indicates that he had already suspected that Tony’s friend was not a “true American” and was an immigrant, which likely had something to do with the dozens of bodies he and his associates were burying in broad daylight. He asks Tony where he’s from, who remains silent because he’s afraid of what the soldier might do if he hears his accent. Tony reveals that he’s from Hong Kong, which ends up being his final words as the soldier shoots him square in the chest.
Had Sammy, whose home state is not revealed since he stayed behind, not rushed in to save the day, Joel likely would have been killed by Plemons’ soldier character as well. While it would have been intriguing to learn more about the soldier’s ideologies and background and how they shaped him into basically being a serial killer in camo, Civil War avoids getting too deep into specific points of view on politics and the like. This notion is emphasized perfectly during the sniper shootout at the driving range. All they know is that someone is trying to kill them, therefore they must fight back. The potential complexities of Plemons’ character aren’t mentioned in Civil War, which ultimately works to the film’s benefit.