Review of C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America (2005) by Ben A — 22 Mar 2008

A film with amateurish production values based on half-remembered high school history and a desire to use actors in blackface.

Their use of the Confederate battle flag instead of the official national flag was obnoxiously inaccurate. The idea that the South could occupy the North and implement a mirror image of Reconstruction was highly unbelievable.

The presentation of a 20th century CSA able to conquer all of South America reflects delusions of American omnipotence and, ironically, implies the South Americans are weak and servile in the face of Anglo aggression.

The film would have been much better if it had imagined a country split between the CSA and the USA. Europe's history could have been much different, especially if Woodrow Wilson didn't screw up the WWI armistice or if the fall of the US discredited revolutionary ideas.

However, some of the fake ads were inspired, and drove home the point that technological progress might enhance, rather than hinder, unjust social regimes.

It's the film-length equivalent of a photoshopped joke picture, which can be fun enough depending on one's mood.