A House of Dynamite (2025)

From Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Point Break) comes her first feature film in in more than eight years and it might very well be THE scariest film of the year. :o The premise is simple: a lone nuclear missile has been launched from somewhere in the Pacific and is on a trajectory to land somewhere in the continental United States....in twenty minutes.  This nuclear thriller takes us through the various corridors of power of the governernment and those in the most responsive positions in the military - we watch as they scramble not only how to figure out how to prevent this weapon from hitting its target, but also how our military should respond if it DOES hit its target, possibly resulting in the instant deaths of millions of civilians.  It's a terrifying sceanario and Bigelow has assembled a top-flight cast lead by Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Tracey Letts, Gabriel Basso, Anthony Ramos, Greta Lee, and Jared Harris.  The clock is ticking.....

Host: Geoff Gershon
Edited By Ella Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

Transcript

A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE – 2025

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

Starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Greta Lee, Jonah Hauer-King, Willa Fitzgerald, Malachi Beasley, Aminah Nieves, Brian Tee, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Kyle Allen, and Jason Clarke

Genre: Nuclear Thriller (Audio clip)

Kathryn Bigelow has accomplished something pretty remarkable in the pantheon of films released by Netflix - she has directed an intense cinematic experience which I am grateful to have seen in a movie theater and yet I cannot (for once) fault Netflix for not even attempting to give this a proper wide theatrical release. That might even sound a bit selfish on my part but believe me, this is a film DESIGNED to make you feel bad and it would likely piss off the vast majority of paying mainstream audiences who are simply looking to go to the movies for an "escape." 😬 In today's current toxic, divided climate, it will leave you feeling raw, paranoid, and/or helpless if you allow it to.....IF Bigelow and writer Noah Oppenheim (Jackie, The Maze Runner.....and no he's not related to you-know-who) have done their jobs effectively. 

And boy HAVE they because this nuclear countdown thriller manages to pull off a sustained level of almost unbearable tension throughout its entire 110 minute runtime, even though it's structured in a manner which I would have suspected could have diffused that tension. They kinda go the Dunkirk route here....recounting the same extreme wartime scenario played out in real-time from three distinctly different vantage points. 🤔 It shouldn't work because we experience at least a couple of specific white-knuckle plot development three times....and it just still just builds more power each time you experience it. At least it did for me....for all I know, some at-home audiences will just decide to fast-forward though several seemingly perfunctory scenes. And I honestly wouldn't blame them, probably making this even more ideal for streaming. 😀

The scenario laid out is very simple and straightforward: there has been the sudden detection of a nuclear missile launched from an unknown location out east and it's headed RIGHT towards a not-yet-determined location in the middle of the United States. Every one at the highest rungs of power and with access to our necessary means for response from the White House to NORAD to a military outpost at a fort in Alaska has been alerted of this....and it's estimated that it will hit its target in TWENTY MINUTES. 😮 Just one missile mind you but where it lands could have horrific consequences....so then the two key questions to be answered are obviously frightening: 

1. How do you stop this missile from hitting its target? 

2. How should our government react IF it does infact hits it target? 

And without spoiling too much, what's becomes increasingly frightening throughout this often procedural tale is just how much that second question takes over the headspace of so many involved. (And should it?) Armed with a top-flight cast often making the most with minimal snippets of screentime, we feel the existential dread which seemingly takes over every one relatively quickly....now you could easily dismiss this as mere fiction, that in such a scenario in real-life that there would hopefully be some key people with level heads involved with the decision-making.  Even within this film, there are HINTS at some people who might be capable of turning the situation around....or at least minimizing the casualties. 

But sorry this just isn't that kind of movie for the most part...this isn't WarGames or Crimson Tide. And I LOVE those movies, they're among my favorites. But this is Kathryn Bigelow, she's one of our best living filmmakers....but she hasn't directed a remotely hopeful story in about thirty years. (The underrated cyber-thriller Strange Days) And hell even her ONE legit attempt at a mindless action film - Point Break - had kind of a bummer ending! 🤔 Once again, she has proven adept at telling a genuinely thrilling story with no easy payoffs - it's borderline nihilistic on paper when you think about it. Gratefully she has confident direction, strong writing and strong performances in tow to bring some necessary humanity to it...

It's a true ensemble and we spend glancing snippets of time within just some of their personal lives to leave an impression. Stealing every one of his moments is the ever-reliable Tracy Letts (Lady Bird, Ford V Ferrari) as the main General in charge...kind of along the lines of the Gen'l Berenger role from WarGames, he's playing it pretty jocular until he just can't. 😆  Idris Elba has the seemingly thankless task of playing the President...rumpled, overwhelmed, and having to make impossible decisions armed with not nearly enough information to make an informed one. Even when we're only able to actually HEAR him for much of his runtime, he still makes quite a memorable show of it.  

Finally Rebecca Ferguson plays the Captain overseeing the White House Situation Room and her character pretty much rules over the first third of the movie – she is in many ways the initial audience avatar as we’re seeing this ALL play out for the first time through her eyes….she just nails it!  

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

This film’s score was done by the excellent German up-and-comer AND recent Oscar-winner Volker Bertelmann – his orchestral score throughout this film is often filled with deep base and soaring strings, in fact it very much reminded me of his Oscar-nominated last year for previous episode Conclave. (Audio clip) 

But as familiar as it is, it still works VERY well at maintaining the momentum of this story – there are a just a couple of distinct themes though that seems to be the point as the tension of this film often derives from almost AGONIZING silence.  Now as of the time of recording, there was no tracklist available for the soundtrack nor any snippets of the score online BESIDES the final trailer.  So whatever we’re able to provide you here is at least hopefully indicative of just how well this works. 

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

I’m a bit torn about this one but among the standouts are Gabriel Basso (The Night Agent, Juror #2) as a Deputy Nations Security Advisor who is tasked with relaying important Intel along with some advice under less-than-ideal circumstances - he seems to have his head on straight but dude really could have used one stationary location to do his job and you feel his frustration.  It’s a genuinely strong performance and he’s CLEARLY doing what’s on the page but….he might be miscast.  The actor is 29 and looks arguably even younger if I’m being honest….do I completely buy some one looking as young as he does holding such a high-level position?  Not completely even though he’s giving it his all….small quibble. 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

Probably the most emotional performance comes from Jared Harris (Chernobyl) who plays the Secretary of Defense....his character's journey really sneaks up on you and usually for the type of role which in a lot of thrillers like this becomes an easy villain. And I don’t want to spoil it too much but let’s just say that THE most affecting moment in the films – well actually it’s a pair of moments think spread around five minutes apart – focuses on his character….there’s ONE shot which has been BURNED in my brain.  And I’ll leave it at that. 

MVP (person or people most responsible for the success of this film):

Overall what results is a high-stakes cautionary tale from some one who has always excelled at delving into the minutiae of a scenario, wringing every possible morsel of tension from it.  Obviously the sequences diffusing bombs in The Hurt Locker, tense stand-offs in previous episode Zero Dark Thirty….even some genuinely haunting sequences on that submarine in the otherwise mediocre K-19: The Widowmaker.  Bigelow has always focused so much on process with her stories and for delving into the sometimes futile directions these processes can take us, she has pulled that off again with one of her best films.  For directing a truly unforgettable experience, Kathryn Bigelow is the MVP. 

Final Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5 

We still have a few months and I go back and forth between this a few others….but this very well might be THE best film of 2025.  Of course it’s also a film I probably don't need to rewatch anytime soon. 🙄 Seriously…..this being October….we have reviewed some GENUINELY TERRIFYING films recently – Jacob’s Ladder, The Invitation – this is likely BY FAR the scariest. 

Now excuse me while I pop on some cheesy Wesley Snipes actioner from the '90's so that I can feel better about the world again....after I hug my family of course.

Streaming on Netflix

And that ends another NEGATIVE IMPACT review!