“A House of Dynamite” Review: A Relentless Countdown to Catastrophe

We live each day on this powder keg — lingering in the delicate balance between reality and the fallacy of security. Sobering thought for times such as these, but one that lies at the heart of Netflix’s new original feature film, House of Dynamite, out in limited theatrical release October 10.

This latest geopolitical thriller brings yet another cinematic masterpiece to life from Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker). From the moment the music explodes onto the screen just ahead of opening credits, there remains a profound intensity that blankets every scene as the gripping story and message unfolds. Never before has 19 minutes of time carried so much weight for a handful of people while the greater world carries on with the monotony of their day, oblivious to the critical decisions being made on their behalf. 

The film follows characters like the President  of the United States (Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation) and National Security Advisor (Gabriel Basso, The Night Agent) through the intense, minute-by-minute decisions that could determine the fate of the world.

Though the film presents a fictitious DEFCON-worthy incident of a single nuclear missile barreling unabated towards the U.S., its underlying real world message is undeniable —  our lives are more infinitely interconnected than we know, and there are those unsung heroes among us whose jobs and considerable expertise make it possible for the rest of humanity to see yet another sunrise — whether we will ever know it or not.

Navigating by rote through protocol and procedure, this is the moment these professionals have trained for (often times having to remind even themselves), and yet one for which they are not fully prepared for the consequences of its outcome. Unassuming men and women moving among us with the veritable knowledge to save us from ourselves.

Though it is easy to get lost in the military lingo and political jargon that often fills Noah Oppenheim’s robust script, it is beyond fascinating to serve as a fly on the wall for each scene, watching the minutiae that must be considered with every decision made at this level of national security — from retaliation, evacuation, and personal implications, to duty and honor, and service above self. No doubt, it makes you wonder what choices you would make in a span of mere minutes, if faced with such an awesome responsibility. The infinite number of decisions our leaders face on any given day, where life and death truly hang in the balance, may never be fully realized on our collective parts. And, yet, it is the compelling undertones of this drama that should give you pause to at least consider. 

Nevertheless, the film also calls to mind another stark reality that, in such critical moments, propping up the outcome remains a brutal hierarchy and pecking order for who gets saved. The human nature of regret and the reality of fairness that floods the mind is palpable when we watch certain individuals, deemed essential, being plucked out of the Situation Room lineup, while others, left to history as expendable, must carry on to the bitter end — who lives, who dies, who’s left to tell your story, right?

The film is built on a mountain of intensity from start to finish that with each new scene is indelibly etched on the actors’ faces. As they embrace their respective roles and fate dealing with the task at-hand, the characters must balance their professional responsibility with their personal concerns in keeping their own families safe. It’s hard to wrap your head and heart around. The juxtaposition is best played out through Rebecca Ferguson’s (Dune) nuanced performance as Captain Olivia Walker, the remaining ranking officer left in the Situation Room. She must maintain everyone’s focus as she tries desperately to ground herself in stoicism in the face of her own fears for her young family. Painfully, we feel what she feels watching tension consume her face as she fights back tears she knows she cannot release for fear they will never stop.

On the other side of the DC beltway, Elba’s President sits in Marine One grappling with the sobering consequences he must make in response to an unprovoked unknown enemy — do you sacrifice the few for the many? While we all think we know the easy answer, we are taken through the President’s emotive debate to make the right one. Elba does not disappoint in working through the moment, bringing a strong sense of realism to the role, immersing himself deeply in the character's motivations and emotions. While he often possesses a commanding presence on screen, Elba humanizes the President’s position of not being completely confident and fear in being wrong with what he decides. The catch you feel in your own throat, makes it feel genuine and relatable to watch.

Apart from such stellar performances, ultimately, what makes the film work best is the 360 view of the situation with each of the main characters. Filmed through the narrative structure of truth and perception, known as the “Rashomon effect,” each time the clock ticks down, it resets for us to replay the situation once again from another perspective. 

Approaching the problem from all points of view allows those of us on the outside looking in to better understand what’s at stake for all involved and why they must make the decisions they do with what they know in real time. In doing so, you also catch aspects of a scene that were once shielded when viewed from another character’s lens. 

But, truly, the one character that finds a comfortable spot lurking in the background of any scene, is the musical score brought to canvas by Volker Bertelmann — the Oscar-winning composer behind the incredible sounds for 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front. From the first note to the very last crescendo at the fade to black closing sequence, the musical beats set the tone and pace of each scene, using every opportunity to demand being heard. At once ominous, foreboding, intense, with a deep sense of urgency, the composition is heavy on the orchestral strings, at times; chaotic and disjointed, at others, to match the dialogue, but always underpinning that something heavy is coming next, something all-consuming that, if it does eventually come to fruition, will literally suck all the oxygen from the room.

While the subject matter hits a little too close to home with the current state of world relations, it is a must-watch for anyone who has ever questioned who really holds your safety in the palm of their hands as their first priority.

Slated for a two-week theatrical run, starting October 10, House of Dynamite starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, and Anthony Ramos, is set to be released globally on Netflix Friday, October 24.