Waring: Spoilers lie ahead of A House of Dynamite
Netflix's latest political thriller, A House of Dynamite, has been the talk of the TV world this week, as the highly anticipated film left fans frustrated with an intense cliffhanger – one that even led some to question whether it was worth the watch. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the movie follows a race against time after a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States. Told in three parts, the story unfolds from three perspectives: the White House Situation Room, the United States Strategic Command and the president (played by Idris Elba). Hitting the streamer on 24 October, the movie catapulted to the number-one spot – but not everyone believes it's worth the hype.
While some viewers have branded the ending a "waste of time" and even reconsidered their subscriptions, Kathryn has offered a thoughtful explanation – and as a TV writer, I stand by her reasoning. High-stakes thrillers like the Mission: Impossible, Bond and Bourne franchises are popular for a reason: they deliver the kind of adrenaline-filled storylines most of us will never experience. While A House of Dynamite may appear to promise a similar payoff, its unfinished ending – we never find out if the bomb detonates – is deliberately unsettling. It forces viewers to confront the real-world dangers of nuclear escalation. It's confusing and unsatisfying, but that's the point: it leaves you questioning what the "right" outcome would be in a world where this could actually happen.
© Eros Hoagland/NetflixA House of Dynamite ending, explained
Despite efforts to intercept the missile, both counter-strikes fail – the first doesn't detach, and the second misses its target – leaving the bomb hurtling toward Chicago. In the final moments, the president faces an impossible decision: allow the missile to strike the city, killing millions but averting global war, or trigger a counter-strike that could ignite one.
© Eros Hoagland/NetflixThe camera pans to the president, who reads out the verification code that would authorise a nuclear launch, just as the missile reaches Chicago. With a final, gut-wrenching scene of people fleeing to the Pennsylvanian Raven Rock bunker, the film cuts to the end credits.
© Eros Hoagland/NETFLIXThe reason behind that cliffhanger ending
The main reason behind the cliffhanger ending is simple: it invites the viewer to decide for themselves: "What would I want to happen?"
Speaking to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, director Kathryn explained: "I felt like the fact that the bomb didn't go off was an opportunity to start a conversation. With an explosion at the end, it would have been kind of all wrapped up neat, and you could point your finger [and say] "it's bad that happened." But it would sort of absolve us, the human race, of responsibility. And in fact, no, we are responsible for having created these weapons, and in a perfect world, getting rid of them."
© Eros Hoagland/NetflixThe film's writer Noah Oppenheim, known for his work on political thriller Zero Day, agreed with Kathryn. "I do think audiences are numb to depictions of widespread destruction at this point," he said.
"We've come off of years of comic book movies in which major cities have been reduced to rubble as if it were nothing. I think we just chose to take a different approach to trying to capture what this danger is."
"And to stimulate a conversation," added Kathryn. "With an ambiguous ending, you walk out of the theater thinking, "Well, wait a minute." It sort of could be interpreted, the film, as a call to action."
© Eros Hoagland/NetflixGabriel Basso plays Jake Baerington
In simple terms, Kathryn's film is a push to make people think about the dangers we live in today. "I want audiences to leave theaters thinking, 'OK, what do we do now?' " she told Netflix's Tudum.
"This is a global issue, and of course I hope against hope that maybe we reduce the nuclear stockpile someday. But in the meantime, we really are living in a house of dynamite. I felt it was so important to get that information out there, so we could start a conversation. That's the explosion we're interested in – the conversation people have about the film afterward."
A House of Dynamite is available to watch on Netflix now.
