Sometimes the view of America is even more scathing when it comes from across the pond. Alex Garland is a well-regarded filmmaker, first gaining recognition for penning 28 Days Later and Sunshine. However, it is his later sci-fi films, such as Ex Machina and Annihilation, that established his power as a director. His follow-up, Civil War, came out in 2024 and cemented his status more than any of his previous works.