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Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow returns to feature filmmaking after nearly a decade out of the spotlight with “A House of Dynamite,” a powerful yet restrained political thriller examining the actions of the U.S. government in the moments after a rogue nuclear missile is launched at Chicago. The story unfolds in Rashomon-style, written in three parts, with each presenting different perspectives of the same crisis. Unfortunately, this fragmentation causes the tension to slowly dissipate, making the ending feel surprisingly soft and leading to a mixed viewing experience despite some powerful editing.
Each third of the film covers a different angle of the response. It starts with the initial discovery of the missile, as calculations determine that it is inbound for Chicago and will strike in only 18 minutes. The action then shifts to the White House, following Captain Olivia Walker (Rebecca Ferguson), managing calls from various foreign countries and facilitating the evacuation of essential personnel. With the missile about to make impact in Chicago and the president preparing to announce his retaliatory plan, the screen cuts to black, transporting the viewer 18 minutes back in time.
Now, the viewer watches General Anthony Brady (Tracy Letts) and Deputy National Security Advisor Jake Baerington (Gabriel Basso) spar over the correct course of action. In this section, we are treated to one of the more dramatic moments of the film as Baerington, who is covering for his boss, attempts to de-escalate with a Russian foreign minister who is threatening to retaliate against the United States if they take any action against Russia. Yet again, we cut to black as the missile makes contact.
Finally, the third perspective focuses on the President (Idris Elba) and Secretary of Defense Reid Baker (Jared Harris). This is where the substance of “A House of Dynamite” truly lies, as the president tries to make sense of the earlier argumentation alongside Strategic Advisor Robert Reeves (Jonah-Hauer King). At the same time, Baker offers a glimpse into the personal turmoil brought on by the crisis. The president is a nuanced character, faltering and struggling to make a decision while also attempting to consider what this incident says about the modern world.
While I have several qualms with various aspects of the film, none of them lie with the ending. Although there were reports of audible laughter during a screening at the New York Film Festival, for me, the film’s finale succeeds in its effort to invite discussion rather than simply offer resolution. This sentiment echoes throughout the almost two-hour runtime, especially through the deliberate choice not to assign blame to a single foreign country, which further separates “A House of Dynamite” from your average Netflix thriller.
Sadly, outside of these successes, many other aspects of the film feel underwhelming. I understand the decision to show different perspectives — a tactic allowing Bigelow to analyze the interaction of every cog of the United States’ nuclear response. Yet, the cyclical rise and fall of tension tires, losing momentum during both the second and third acts. By the time we witness the plot for a third time, it’s hard to feel much anxiety over which defense systems might fail, and the suspenseful impact of the ticking clock falls short. Proponents of this structure might argue that Bigelow offsets the predictable nature of the latter acts by increasing personal stakes, but these moments feel unevenly executed, especially for Baker, whose storyline ends rather jarringly.
In terms of performances, even though Ferguson is front and center in much of the marketing, she is much more forgettable than I anticipated, mostly due to the lack of her character’s reappearance during either of the later chapters. On the other hand, Basso was an absolute standout and a complete surprise to me. As the young deputy thrust into the chaos of the disaster, he perfectly portrayed the middle ground between the nervousness of an unprecedented situation and the confidence demanded of the role. Of course, as expected, Elba is excellent, but, like Ferguson, I expected to see a bit more of him. Until the final third of the film, Elba is only heard in voiceovers, relegating him to about 30 minutes of actual screentime.
In the end, “A House of Dynamite” is a noble, if ultimately uneven, effort from a director who generally thrives through her control of tension and momentum. Bigelow’s directorial and editing work shines through, and the piece is admirable in both scope and messaging. However, the film falters in its fragmented structure. I’d definitely recommend that you catch it on streaming to form your own opinion, but I’m not sure I’d run to the theaters for this release.