Review: DuVernay's 'DMZ' Hauntingly Close To Reality

Rosario Dawson stars in visionary filmmaker Ava DuVernay's latest DC graphics novel adaptation, "DMZ," a miniseries based on the books by Brian Wood Ricardo Burchielli and premiering on HBO Max . Set in a not-so-distant future, it feels like this is a window into a divergent reality and the chilling result of what might have happened the day after the 2021 attack on the Capitol. Dawson plays Alma Ortega, a mother, and medic, who is now living under the constraints of a demilitarized zone that was once the island of Manhattan.

Anyone unlawfully crossing the borders into or out of the sprawling metropolis is subject to immediate termination, but Alma has no choice. In the dangerous minutes before evacuating Manhattan, she lost track of her then-teenage son, Christian, and is determined to find him. Since the country fell apart during the Second American Civil War, martial law has been imposed and both states and state lines are constantly in flux. Alma has been doing her part working as a medic and keeping the influx of "refugees" monitored and in check, but her true mission remains constant.

Although labeled a DMZ, the city has its own power struggles, and everyone wants a piece of the pie. Local gangs and tribes have carved up areas and made them their own, marking their territory and sending a message to the world outside that they will not be marginalized – not anymore. The charismatic Parco Delgado, played by an eternally youthful Benjamin Bratt, is seeking a place at the top of the food chain as the "governor" of Manhattan. Delgado has been targeting those he perceives as his "political enemies," and if they won't fall inline, they fall behind.

Desperately trying to keep anyone in the community alive is the head of an emergency clinic, Rose (played by Mamie Gummer). She befriends Alma and allows her to look through the clinic records for any signs of her son. Alma accompanies Rose on one of her trade missions to help secure medicines and supplies for the clinic, but when Alma's backpack is pinched, we immediately learn the danger of getting too close to the unmarked boundaries and into the crosshairs of snipers looking to take out insurgents. It's a stark reality of life in the "DMZ."

It isn't long before Alma follows a trail that may lead her to find Christian, but she may be in for the shock of her life. The world and the threats from outside and inside the "DMZ" continue to tighten their grip and threaten to quash any bit of hope for the future. Alma Ortega isn't prepared to live the rest of her life under this specter of hopelessness – if anyone is going to shine a light, it's going to be her. Life hangs by a thread, and it's only a matter of time before Alma will find her name on a list, targeted as an enemy of the state.

If it wasn't so hauntingly close to reality, this series would be far more entertaining, but it is a testament to how fragile democracies are and the consequences of what could happen if things are allowed to spin out of control. DuVernay isn't known for pulling her punches, and with Dawson and Bratt headlining this intense look inside the mirror darkly, "DMZ" should be sobering to anyone who isn't already terrified of something like this happening in real life. This isn't the wilds of a future like "Mad Max" – this is a frighteningly tangible possibility.

"DMZ" is presented on HBO Max as a 4-episode miniseries.

"DMZ" premieres on HBO Max, Thursday, March 17.