What if January 6 occurred yet again? How would the nation handle it? War Game explores strategies.

On January 6, 2023, VET VOICE, a non-partisan Veterans organization, staged a secret national security exercise steps from the U.S. Capital. The filmmakers were granted access to document the unscripted exercise.

This statement opens War Game, a 2024 documentary film by Tony Gerber and Jesse Moss, and the exercise is an exploration of the U. S. government’s preparation for what could be a major national conflict. Gerber and Moss deftly combine real world possibilities and strategies within the tense atmosphere of real-world stakes.

Is our Government Ready? is the main question vibrating throughout the documentary. As with any game, there are Teams and Rules. Here, the film organizes a bipartisan team strategizing how to defend U.S. interests against an internal enemy.

The cast of characters range from the government, the military, and the intelligence community. It is a surreal behind the scenes as make-up artists ready the cast for their portrayals. Who’s sitting in the chair? Former Governor of Montana Steve Bullock playing President John Hotham; retired United States Army Officer Wesley Clark playing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; former United States Senator from North Dakota Heidi Heitkamp as Senior Advisor to the President; former United States Senator from Alabama Doug Jones as Attorney General, among other personalities.

Gerber and Moss skillfully capture a range of personal perspectives, from the high-level decision-making to the raw emotions of soldiers on the ground.

The documentary is rich in detail, an engrossing, if occasionally clinical, exploration as it portrays real-life national anxieties, tensions, and fear—visceral fear–of the possibility of a coup and another civil war. Where is our hope?

Visually, War Game brings an authentic, almost intimate feel to what is an overwhelming subject. The realism is enhanced by the lack of heavy-handed narration, allowing the events and participants to speak for themselves.

Overall, War Game provides a compelling and thought-provoking look into national possibilities that could harm our nation. The film remains relevant to ongoing discussions about necessary strategies to preserve our democracy.