“WHAT?!” Was my immediate reaction after A House of Dynamite’s abrupt ending, followed by audience laughter, a release of 112 minutes of relentless tension? Upon reflection, my “WHAT?!” wasn’t a frustration of the movie’s lack of a decision but a reflection of self. Set in the present, A House of Dynamite is not a movie about nuclear war but the heavy burden of nuclear war, the weight of its actions that can’t be undone, and the viewer’s desire. Do we want to see war played out? Do we breathe a sigh of relief because the decision is not clear, which can pave a way for peace, or are we so frazzled by the thought of war that we long for the movie to make that decision for us?
A House of Dynamite is an intense thriller that is full of dread and nerve-racking uncertainty. Technically a tale of fiction, its script is all too real with the multiple threats of war Americans are confronted with while watching the news. Its tagline, ‘Not if. ‘When’ is a reflection of too many close calls. Egos and bravado are at play as human lives hang in the balance.
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow with a script by Noel Oppenheim, the movie is told in a three-part nonlinear timeline that requires the watcher to pay close attention to the tiny details that may be missed during the scenes’ first showing; its different perspectives highlight the decision process of war and a closer examination of human psychology. While this is a tedious move, it adds to the tension as it follows the experts, the average citizen, and a president who relies on other people’s opinions but must make the fateful decision on his own. Despite everyone’s position in life, they are still at the end of the day people with families, friends, and loved ones whose lives are about to change forever, even if they don’t have a say.
In Washington, DC, Captain Olivia Walker (Rebecca Ferguson), the oversight officer for the White House Situation Room, is informed that a military exercise by the People’s Liberation Army of China has resulted in suspicious chatter between Iran and other countries and silence from North Korea after a recent ballistic missile test. While there doesn’t seem to be a concern, everything changes when a Pacific-based military site detects an unidentified flight over the northwest Pacific with a low orbit and a trajectory targeting Chicago within the next twenty minutes. After failed attempts to destroy the missile, the government goes to DEFOCN 1, where nuclear war is imminent or has already begun. The only response is to strike back or possibly die. But nothing is certain. Russia’s foreign minister is contacted, and as he denies that Russia or China launched the missile, he threatens retaliation if Russia is targeted by America or others. Soon, other countries have a decision to make.
Told through various casts of characters with their own personal dilemmas and life challenges, Bigelow showcases an array of perspectives who are (or are not) in the thick of it, some who fall under the pressure. This fast-paced scenario is expertly crafted with Oppenheim’s script that makes a very technical event easy and terrifying to digest. While everyone is trained in their position, characters react differently once faced with the realities of war.
Rebecca Ferguson as Olivia Walker speaks as a voice of the people and president who has to streamline questions, balancing both her humanity and factuality. Tracy Letts as General Brady worries about not just his life but also the life of his daughter, who lives in Chicago; no matter his powerful position, he is unable to be her savior. Idris Elba as the president isn’t seen onscreen until the final act. His presence and his voice are commanding, but at the end of the day, he’s just a man who wants to come home to his wife in the morning.
A House of Dynamite is a human story about survival in a heightened situation. These characters are fully fleshed-out people we can all relate to, which brings me back to my immediate reaction. Bigelow and Oppenheim never give the audience an answer to war because that decision was never yours to make.
Discover more from The Koalition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
