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A House of Dynamite Debuts on Netflix, Driving Conversation on Nuclear Risk

Critics cite procedural realism, with nuclear experts leveraging the film to spark public discussion.

Overview

  • Kathryn Bigelow’s political thriller began global streaming on Netflix on Oct. 24 after a Venice premiere and a limited theatrical run.
  • The film follows a compressed government response to a sudden, unattributed missile threat, presented through overlapping points of view.
  • Reviewers praise the tension, technical craft, and performances from Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, while some criticize the replayed structure and polarizing finish.
  • Alexandra Bell of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists deems the portrayal extremely accurate, with the organization hosting screenings and a Nov. 6 online forum.
  • Coverage situates the movie in the lineage of nuclear cinema and notes its timeliness given heightened global tensions and the looming expiration of the New START arms-control framework.