“A House of Dynamite”: why the film that is a hit on Netflix is making people cringe… even at the Pentagon!
“19 minutes before impact…” “A House of Dynamite” is a work of fiction that has just appeared in your choices on the Netflix platform. The work of Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, this ensemble film has unexpected implications in the real world. Why will you tell me?
Quite simply (spoiler alert) because from the first minutes of the film, which is otherwise excellent, Bigelow dispels the reassuring illusion that advanced technology can protect America, and therefore a priori the entire world, from a nuclear attack! Chilling.
“A House of Dynamite” shows U.S. land-based interceptor missiles taking off and unable to stop the approaching nuclear-tipped missile. “So it’s a fucking coin toss?” Is this what we get with $50 billion? » even exclaims the frustrated Secretary of Defense, played by Jared Harris. “It’s like stopping a bullet with a bullet,” continues a White House advisor in the film. Atmosphere.
To say that we did not appreciate the scenario in high places across the Atlantic is an understatement. The Pentagon agency responsible for the more than $50 billion surface-to-air interceptor system in Alaska and California, designed to avoid such a scenario in real life, quickly launched… a counterfire.
Memorandum for “inaccurate” film
An internal Missile Defense Agency memorandum reproduced by Bloomberg claims that the apocalyptic scenario depicted in the film is “inaccurate.” This memo, dated October 16, aims to ensure that the US military “has a good understanding of the current situation and is not ‘surprised’ by the subject, which could be raised in conversations or meetings.”
The object of the Missile Defense Agency’s concern is actually the description of the ineffectiveness of American missile defense…
This document aims to “respond to false assumptions, provide correct facts and a better understanding” of the system currently deployed by the United States. While the film “emphasizes that deterrence can fail, reinforcing the need for an active domestic missile defense system,” its “fictional depiction also underestimates the capabilities of the United States,” according to the note.
“The fictional interceptors in the film miss their target and we understand that this is intended to make the drama more compelling for the entertainment of the audience”, but the results of the tests carried out in the real world “tell a very different story”, further indicates the Pentagon.
The supposedly equivalent success rate “tossing a coin” mentioned in the Netflix film “is based on previous prototypes and that current interceptors have displayed a 100% accuracy rate during tests carried out for more than ten years”, the Pentagon services try to reassure.
“I don’t know of any waterproof system”
This is where the problem lies for arms specialists. “No one has any real assurance of complete interception” explains laconically Guillaume Ancel, former artillery officer, author of “Little lessons on war”.
“I don’t know of any watertight system, when you build a shield, there is always a new sword to try to pierce it, someone to look for a way to get around it. At best you reduce the damage, as the recent example with Israel shows,” continues the columnist from Le Parisien.
“The fact that the Pentagon is reacting strongly shows that this is not a military reaction. It’s a political reaction. At this level Donald Trump was warned”, extrapolates Guillaume Ancel.
Kathryn Bigelow’s film in fact undermines the belief in the “omnipotence of an anti-missile shield”. A bit embarrassing when President Donald Trump wants to spend tens of billions of dollars on a similar project, the “Golden Dome” defensive shield project. An American senator even took up the subject to amplify the controversy.
“How can we defuse this explosive situation… without tearing down the house?” »
However, reality is less simplistic than Hollywood fiction sometimes suggests in this film. “The United States, apart from its shield project, uses ultra-sophisticated surveillance tools. If there was a nuclear weapon launch, it would require complex preparations. Their intelligence system is dedicated to picking up on symptoms of nuclear weapon use. In the context of the conflict in Ukraine, the Americans have already issued warnings to Moscow,” explains our expert. “A scenario that completely catches the United States off guard is therefore unlikely,” he further emphasizes.
“I want to remind people that, although the Cold War is long over, the nuclear age is not, and that we live, as the title suggests, in a house full of dynamite,” screenwriter Noah Oppenheim soberly commented on CBS, as part of the promo. To which director Kathryn Bigelow added: “My question is: How do we defuse this explosive situation… without tearing the house down?” “.
“Kathryn Bigelow deciphers this threat that deterrence no longer necessarily works. His alert is relevant, we live in a world that has the potential to destroy itself,” concludes Guillaume Ancel.
Hi! I’m Renato Lopes, an electric vehicle enthusiast and the creator of this blog dedicated to the future of clean, smart, and sustainable mobility. My mission is to share accurate information, honest reviews, and practical tips about electric cars—from new EV releases and battery innovations to charging solutions and green driving habits. Whether you’re an EV owner, a curious reader, or someone planning to make the switch, this space was made for you.
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