by Samuel Nichols (Contributing Writer)
There can be no mistake that every day we wake up is a gift, because the sheer number of nuclear weapons ready to explode at the push of a button is staggering. Every major country on the planet has world-destroying capabilities. Living under that kind of anxiety is soul-crushing if you think about it for too long. But ultimately, ordinary people like myself and most of you readers out there (I know you’re reading this, Kash Patel) decide how to live under that kind of pressure. You, your loved ones, and almost anyone you know cannot make any real change on that front. But when those in power are face to face with nuclear holocaust, they can actually decide the fates of billions of people. How much that pressure could affect those powerful people into making a dire choice could make for a very interesting movie. Too bad Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite has no interest in making any such choice.
One fateful day, an unidentified weapon of mass destruction hurtles towards the United States. Its origins are unclear, and no country has claimed to be the one who deployed it. When its target is determined to be Chicago, various governmental departments scramble to determine the next actions the U.S. should take. A House of Dynamite follows three different groups of people and their parts to play in responding. The first group is a listening post/watchtower base in Alaska that first detects the arial vehicle. Major Daniels (Anthony Ramos) and Captain Walker (Rebecca Ferguson) are in charge of the base, and once shit hits the fan, they are answering to all kinds of higher powers, and try to provide intel on what the device is. The econd group is heralded by General Brady (Tracy Letts) and security advisor Baerington (Gabriel Basso). They offer feedback on potential options for stopping the inbound missile, and how a counteroffensive might be perceived by our allies and enemies. Shoot, Baerington is not even sure the weapon will even go off. Depending on who shot, it may be a dud. Finally, POTUS (my mom’s celebrity crush, and HOPEFULLY the next James Bond, Idris Elba) and Lieutenant Commander Robert Reeves (Jonah Hauer-King) are together at an undisclosed location. Reeves is tasked with explaining to the president the exact capabilities of the weapons that the U.S. can use to respond.
Credit where credit is due: Bigelow knows how to flood a scene with tension. From beginning to end, the situation’s deadliness is clear. Everyone is on edge, and every word is measured and dripping with pressure. One false move, statement, reading of the situation, and everything goes up in flames. It takes a masterful hand to do that without ruining the experience of the movie. What adds to that is letting us see how each different group of people reacts to the same problem. Seeing a president respond when he has a choice to make is different from seeing the lower ranking military men and women who can only watch as they wait for carnage to unfold. That adds to the depth of the horror awaiting our heroes.
Like a lot of Bigelow movies, the stacked cast also helps a lot. It’s good to see stars like Ramos, Ferguson, and Elba take on more serious and grounded roles, versus some of their recent franchise work. Having movie stars with this much talent taking on more thankless roles lends some credibility to your story. Watching Elba or Letts or Ramos trying not to buckle under the pressure adds to that anxiety in a way lesser names wouldn’t.
One more tension-riddled element I will compliment is the score. Akin to the kind of score you’d hear in Hereditary or another more psychological thrilling story, it reminds you of the fear our heroes are facing at all times. The low percussive noises of the music are unending, peaking at the right moments when things are just about to get worse.
This far I have been really complimentary of this movie — it is honestly difficult to outright hate. But I nearly found a way: I was incredibly disappointed by the finale. You would think all of this anxiety and buildup could lead to the movie having a strong ending that makes sense. But honestly, the film’s final choice baffles me. Not because it doesn’t line up, but because it left me wanting to erase the two hours from my brain. I found the ending to be cowardly and fearful, simply out of a desire to not anger one portion of your audience. It’s so bad it dropped the movie down several notches in my mind.
Rating: Didn’t Like It
A House of Dynamite is currently streaming on Netflix
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