Stellead
Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful
Sharkflei
Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.
Rio Hayward
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
Hollywood_Yoda
"The Second Civil War" is a film that may touch the hearts of many people or it may make your blood boil, depending on which side of the fight you're on! I am talking about IMMIGRATION. In the film, the governor of Idaho does not want to grant amnesty to a group of immigrant refugees and it causes national tension thanks to the news channel covering the incident.Beau Bridges plays Jim Farley, the governor of Idaho who himself is in love with a woman who is an immigrant and of Spanish origin, but blocks the refugees from another nation from entering his state. Meanwhile, the President of the United States (played by Phil Hartman) threatens to send in troops if Farley does not allow the immigrants' entrance to Idaho.The whole fiasco of a civil war could have been avoided if it wasn't for the reporters covering the event. Hearing the wrong thing said, the reporters put pressure on the President to fire on the Idaho National Guard, conflict ensues. Denis Leary plays a reporter on the front lines in Idaho when the first shots are heard.This is not a comedy! This film is meant to be something we should all think about. Do we go so far to protect immigrants over citizens that it causes a civil war?
yog-4
This movie raises a number of excellent points about retaining ethnic identities in a world of melting point political rectitude gone wild. It shows that every ethnic group in the WORLD has formed a special interest political faction in the US, but when the citizens in Idaho say, enough, we like our OWN national identity, war is declared. A number of GREAT quotes and sound bites! Overall plot edgy and unpredictable. Played for a few laughs, but all in all quite a serious treatment of this issue, even more relevant today (2005) than it was when issued. It must be seen in the context of what was going on at the time, specifically, the later half of the Clinton presidency. A blatant ripoff of the ideas in "The Turner Diaries", right down to using the same states and caricatures of certain ethnic groups, without, of course, giving any credit to the original material, but well worth watching, and a worthy companion piece to the book.
fuente-2
While this TV-movie is by no means as good as Dante's later effort 'Small Soldiers', it is without question far superior to Barry Levinson's embarrasing (not to mention godawful and hamfisted) 'Wag the Dog'. It goes a bit over the top in preachiness at times, particularly in the James Earl Jones character's voice-over. This character's exchanges with techie Godfrey also tend towards the cloying. The good parts include Denis Leary's war-zone reporter, Ron Perlman's liberal arguing with a conservative colleague and Elizabet Peña's character's fight with the governor. As always with Dante, however, greatness is in the small things (Remember The cathedral of Saint Eva Marie?). The satire lies in the assumptions about the state of the world a few years from now. The scenes from LA, Rhode Island and the House of Representatives completely make up for any weaknesses in the film. Dig that meeting of the commanding officers of the opposing military forces! The supporting cast is littered with great names and great cameos, among them Dick Miller and Roger Corman.
Mike-DD
Phil Hartman is hilarious as the inept and waffling President, and Beau Bridges convincing as the Governor of Idaho, in this movie where mistakes and misread news pile up until a seemingly innocuous situation becomes a second civil war.Phil Hartman brings some of the sarcastic wit from Newsradio into this telemovie. Some of the funniest moments are when he is actually debating with himself or others over what actions to take. Meanwhile the movie slowly progresses along the lines where not only is war imminent in the country, but war seems to be erupting everywhere between people - Congressmen, newsmen, et al...Quite an engaging movie and the ending is one you would not want to miss as well, if just for that few seconds of riotous and comical misunderstanding.
