A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE

A House of Dynamite delivers gripping, nerve wracking and terrifying storytelling with a pulsating urgency and real world application that only Kathryn Bigelow could capably bring to the screen, that armed with an excellent ensemble cast and a strong screenplay from Noah Oppenheim, albeit one that stumbles across the finish line, creates the most horrifying non-horror films of the year.

It’s truly terrifying that we are living in a world where the events depicted in A House of Dynamite are a reality: that any one entity could launch a missile without warning, no demands, and destroy a major city in the world ending millions of lives in a matter of seconds. But what may be even more nerve wracking is that even with today’s technologies, there is very limited options in place to counter such an attack in real time for governments, leaving them with the unthinkable decision to make: how to react knowing that not only will their actions be judged by their own citizens, but could start war on a global scale. Having already covered American military actions in The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, this subject matter is perfectly in the wheel house of Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow and like her previous films, she directs a nail biting thriller as she explores different political and military strategies to responding to the unattributed missile strike that is riveting, thought provoking and cautionary even if Noah Oppenheim’s screenplay does not sustain the intensity in its third chapter.

Over the film’s first two chapters, Bigelow and Oppenheim keep tensions high as the potential missile attack on the United States sends the different branches of government and military into high alert in response to the terrifying news and prepare for impact and devise a plan of how to address this act of war on the world stage. From inside the White House’s situation room, to various military bases and FEMA headquarters, the film truly puts the audience in the centre of the government’s reaction to the missile strike. Fear and confusion ring loud throughout these first two acts as the government officials scramble to react to the news that there are only minutes before the United States are hit by a missile launch, trying desperately to stop the attack and save millions of lives. Oppenheim’s script explores different views on actions that should be taken based on what sector of the government the individuals expressing them are coming from, analysts with the more cautious and methodical suggestions and military with the show of force, allowing for an engaging exploration of potential avenues of action to be explored. As enthralling as the thematic exploration is for the audience, Bigelow’s direction brings an urgency to the forefront that will have viewers on the edge of their seat due to the chilling realization that this is our world today and the film’s situation is far more a possibility than we are willing to admit, acting as an alarming warning about the world we live in and the ease at which of global warfare can begin.

But when the film enters its third chapter, told from the perspective of the President and the Secretary of Defense, the screenplay loses steam. Both of these individuals are featured prominently in the film’s first two chapters as participants in the video calls addressing the situation. Because of this, their response to the missile attack is, for the most part, already known to the audience, leaving little to be added to the film’s discourse with the story being told from their perspective. It has nothing to do with the film’s ambiguous ending, which is going to frustrate many viewers as it does not provide any concrete answers, which such complaints miss the purpose of the film. It is the fact that the last act of the film adds nothing more to the fantastic commentary on acts of aggression, government responses and a nation’s preparedness for a catastrophic attack with only minutes to respond, but merely repeats the same footage from a different point of view. While Oppenheim did not need to provide a concrete answer as to what steps the United States government should take in such circumstances, as the deconstruction of the different lines of thoughts and avenues of potential response is enthralling and terrifying enough to watch, the aftermath of such an attack would have been far more fascinating to watch than the uninspired and repetitive third chapter that instead closes out the film.

If there is one film this year that truly has an ensemble cast in terms of not just casting, but the roles they all play, it is A House of Dynamite. Packed with so many big names that it's hard to keep track of everyone you will recognize on screen, from Rebecca Ferguson, Jared Harris, Greta Lee, Gabriel Basso, and Idris Elba, there is no shortage of talent on screen and every single one of them is great in the role written for them. No role overshadows the other, with each actor having their time in front of the camera before Oppenheim’s screenplay moves to the next player in this scenario. This allows the cast to deliver great, concentrated performances that capture the paranoia, fear and terror faced by their characters and bringing a different political, strategic or emotional lens to the film’s central dilemma, before passing the torch to another actor for their character’s input, perspective and beliefs to deepen the commentary of the screenplay, allowing the thematic discussion to be the true star of the film.

With the story driving each chapter of the film as the countdown to impact plays out again and again, the technical aspects of the film play a huge role in keeping tensions high throughout. Volkar Bertelman’s musical score uses similar techniques that he deployed in his work in last year’s Conclave, using attacking strings to create a sense of unease with a sense of grandeur, while keeping a propulsive ticking sensation throughout his musical score that captures the impending impact as time runs out for the government officials to decide on a plan of action. The editing is seamless, allowing longer shots to play out as Bigelow follows a character through a moment in the film as they grapple with a decision placed before them or react to a piece of information revealed to them, while also switching between characters within a single chapter with ease that never throws off the film’s quick moving pace. It’s the same technical standard set by Bigelow in The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, in addition to the same critical eye she brings to military and government operations, ensuring that A House of Dynamite is not only one of the most harrowing films you will watch this entire year, but one of the most thought provoking as well.

Delivering what can only be described as a real world nightmare that will have audiences sweating as the film plays out, A House of Dynamite accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. While Noah Oppenheim’s final chapter of the story does not measure up to the stellar first two chapters, the rest of the film delivers on its promise of a nail biting, pulse pounding exploration of a warfare crisis in real time under the expert direction of Kathryn Bigelow and brought to life by an excellent ensemble cast, ensures that A House of Dynamite is in one of the most haunting and unforgettable films of the year.