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Kathryn Bigelow's newest film, 'A House of Dynamite,' has only just premiered on Netflix, but it has already sparked criticism from the Pentagon. The Missile Defence Agency (MDA) issued an internal memo on 16th October addressing the movie's depiction of U.S. nuclear defence systems, arguing that the film’s portrayal of a missile strike scenario is far from accurate.
About 'A House of Dynamite'
Written by Noah Oppenheim, 'A House of Dynamite' is a tense political thriller that follows members of the U.S. government as they race to respond to a single nuclear missile headed toward Chicago. Jared Harris stars as Secretary of Defence Reid Baker, who expresses frustration over a U.S. missile defence program costing $50 billion yet offering only a 50 per cent chance of stopping an attack.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
Pentagon's Response to A House of Dynamite's Portrayal
According to the Pentagon's internal report obtained by Bloomberg, real-world officials dispute this depiction, claiming that U.S. missile defence systems have demonstrated perfect accuracy in controlled tests for over a decade. The MDA noted that while the fictional interceptors in Bigelow's film fail for dramatic effect, this does not reflect the performance or reliability of the actual systems used in national defence.
Experts on the Missile Plot Controversy
Experts outside the government also weighed in on the controversy. The Union of Concerned Scientists' Laura Grego, a longtime missile defence analyst, said the on-screen scenario simplifies the complexity of real nuclear threats.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
She explained that the film's premise—featuring a single missile on a predictable flight path—represents one of the easiest possible challenges for missile interception. In reality, she said, a robust defence strategy must account for multiple incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles, credible decoys, and potential strikes on missile defence infrastructure.
Pentagon's Reaction to 'A House of Dynamite'
The Pentagon's reaction to 'A House of Dynamite' follows another instance earlier this month when Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson criticised Netflix for its military-themed drama Boots. In her remarks to Entertainment Weekly, Wilson argued that the streaming platform continues to produce politically charged and ideologically driven content that does not align with military values.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
Despite the government's objections, Bigelow maintained that 'A House of Dynamite' was intentionally developed without input from the White House or Pentagon. The director explained during an interview on CBS's Sunday Morning that she wanted to preserve creative independence while still ensuring technical accuracy through the help of advisers who had previously worked within the Department of Defence.
Bigelow, best known for her Oscar-winning work on 'The Hurt Locker,' appears unfazed by the criticism. Her approach to 'A House of Dynamite' blends political tension, moral ambiguity, and the chaos of modern warfare—elements that have long defined her filmmaking style.
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Image Courtesy: People
As the conversation around the film continues, 'A House of Dynamite' has positioned itself as one of Netflix's most provocative political thrillers of the year, drawing both praise for its realism and scrutiny for its depiction of America's nuclear defence capabilities.
