Movie Review: ‘A House of Dynamite’

In select theaters on October 10 and globally on Netflix from October 24 is ‘A House of Dynamite’, the latest thriller from director Kathryn Bigelow, who previously made the likes of ‘The Hurt Locker’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’.

​In select theaters on October 10 and globally on Netflix from October 24 is ‘A House of Dynamite’, the latest thriller from director Kathryn Bigelow, who previously made the likes of ‘The Hurt Locker’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’.   

In select theaters on October 10 and globally on Netflix from October 24 is ‘A House of Dynamite’, the latest thriller from director Kathryn Bigelow, who previously made the likes of ‘The Hurt Locker’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’.

The new film boasts a sprawling ensemble cast including Rebecca Ferguson (‘Mission: Impossible –– Rogue Nation’), Idris Elba (‘Luther: The Fallen Sun’), Jared Harris (‘Chernobyl’), Gabriel Basso (‘Super 8’), Greta Lee (‘Past Lives’) and Tracy Letts (‘Lady Bird’).

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Initial Thoughts

Kathryn Bigelow is the perfect person to handle an inordinately tense, gripping and powerful near-real time military thriller. Less a war film more a story of the buildup to potential conflict, it marks her successful return to moviemaking following the less-than-enthusiastic reaction to 2017’s ‘Detroit’.

And this is a talent who deserved better than to sit on the sidelines for years.

Script and Direction

Noah Oppenheim, an NBC news veteran, has been behind scripts including ‘Jackie’ and the recent Netflix series ‘Zero Day’, and pumps up the tension with a structure that resets the clock on the story across three acts, telling the same story of a missile headed to the US from an unknown aggressor from different viewpoints up and down the command chain from isolated military bases to the hubs of the White House and the Pentagon.

While the switch in focus means some characters are better served than others, and some of the more movie-ish peeks into personal lives dip precariously close to cheese, it still works.

Bigelow keeps the camera moving and the tension levels high for this one, aided by Volker Bertelmann‘s doomy, evolving score. It’s the director’s best in years and deserves to be seen.

Cast and Performances

With such a big cast to service, it’s impressive how many big names Bigelow has recruited here. Standouts include Rebecca Ferguson’s steely, but human operations officer at the White House, Jason Clarke as her boss, Gabriel Basso as a nervy National Security Advisor thrust into a new level of responsibility and Jared Leto as Secretary of Defense Baker, at once outraged by the lack of efficiency in his country’s response to the weapon headed its way a terrified for his estranged daughter (an underused Kaitlyn Dever).

If there’s a weak link here, it’s Idris Elba, who never really convinces as the President.

Final Thoughts

Bigelow is back in a big way with this new film.

You might want to have something calming and happy to watch or do once the credits role; chances are you’ll need it.

‘A House of Dynamite’ receives 85 out of 100.

What’s the story of ‘A House of Dynamite’?

When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race
begins to determine who is responsible and how to respond.

Who is in the cast of ‘A House of Dynamite’?

Idris Elba as the President of the United StatesRebecca Ferguson as Captain Olivia WalkerGabriel Basso as Deputy National Security Advisor Jake BaeringtonJared Harris as Secretary of Defense Reid BakerTracy Letts as General Anthony BrodyAnthony Ramos as Major Daniel GonzalezMoses Ingram as FEMA official Cathy RogersJonah Hauer-King as Lieutenant Commander Robert ReevesGreta Lee as Ana Park, the NSA’s North Korea expertJason Clarke as Admiral Mark Miller, the senior Situation Room official

Other Movies Directed by Kathryn Bigelow:

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