Netflix’s Divisive Star-Studded Thriller Explodes on Streaming

After a short theatrical run, Kathryn Bigelow‘s new thriller arrived on Netflix on October 24. The star-studded drama received warm reviews from viewers and critics, though many remained divided over certain aspects of the movie. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, A House of Dynamite is rated fresh at 79% by critics and 77% by audiences. Since being added to the streaming service, it has shot to the top of Netflix’s Top 10 movies, according to FlixPatrol. A House of Dynamite is the number one film in most countries where Netflix is available, reigning supreme over recent additions such as The Woman in Cabin 10 and The Elixir, as well as bona fide hits like KPop Demon Hunters.

A House of Dynamite is directed by Academy Award-winner Bigelow from a script by Noah Oppenheim. “When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race begins to determine who is responsible,” reads the film’s official synopsis. The film follows several characters after they learn of the impending disaster. Efforts to stop it give way to despair and dissolution when the impossible nature of the situation becomes apparent. Cast members include Rebecca Ferguson (Silo), Idris Elba (Hijack), Gabriel Basso (The Night Agent), Brian Tee (Chicago Med), Jonah Hauer-King (World on Fire), Kyle Allen (The Path), Jason Clarke (The Last Frontier), and Greta Lee (The Morning Show), among others.

Is ‘A House of Dynamite’ a Good Movie?

The thriller features the signature style Bigelow is known for. It transports the viewer into the conflict and slowly reveals an impossible situation as different government officials try to stop a missile whose origin they don’t know. As more unknowns emerge, everything falls apart. And while that makes for an edge-of-your-seat viewing experience, Collider’s Ross Bonaime found flaws with the execution. Instead of being gripping, the format loses steam as the movie progresses, resulting in an anticlimactic ending. An excerpt from his review explains:

“But that frustration [of not getting any answers] is part of the point, as we’re put in the shoes of those trying to stop this missile from hitting. It’s without a doubt a clever format in theory, but in execution, it makes for a film that doesn’t feel finished. By the end of A House of Dynamite, we’re not frustrated by the lack of answers or conclusion; we’re left frustrated by how fragmented and incomplete the story we’ve been told is. As it tries to make its format work, it quickly loses its tension and urgency, feeling more like an exercise in exploring what such an incident would realistically look like in our world (albeit with an organized and cohesive government). A House of Dynamite begins explosively, but unfortunately, it ends up fizzling out.”

Watch A House of Dynamite on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more.